Finding Belonging: The Search for Comprehensive Measurements of Student Belonging in Math

Authors

H. Colleen Sinclair, Louisiana State University at Baton RougeFollow
Katie Bainbridge, Rice UniversityFollow
Andrew R. BurnsFollow

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This report provides the background, methods, and findings of Phase One of the development of a new instrument to assess belonging in math. It includes a review of existing instruments, their evaluation, and integration. It also includes findings from a panel about perceptions of belonging in school-aged students. Contents include: 1) a comprehensive definition of belonging, 2) a listing of existing belonging instruments, 3) a multidimensional breakdown of belonging that accounts for context and perspective, 4) a list of belonging items from existing scales that met coder face validity assessments, and 5) a definitionally grounded recommended set of belonging items for future piloting, testing, and validation.

Recommended Citation

Sinclair, H.C., Bainbridge, K., & Burns, A.R. (2025). Finding belonging: The search for comprehensive measures of belonging in math. Social Research and Evaluation Center at the Louisiana State University, College of Human Sciences and Education.