Identity, Threat, and Belonging in Online Learning Environments

Abstract

Psychological threats to people's social identity and sense of belonging can undermine motivation and performance in in-person learning environments. I argue that these social psychological processes can also apply in technology-mediated environments and limit the potential of online environments to provide more affordable, personalized, and effective learning experiences at scale. Many online learning environments face the unique challenge of serving people around the world from diverse cultural and socio-demographic backgrounds. To create psychologically inclusive environments that afford equal opportunities to diverse learners, the content and design of online environments can be manipulated strategically. A synthesis of verbal and visual cues that can reduce threats to social identity and belonging specifically in online learning environments is presented. Discussion focuses on when to tailor the learning environment to different people, how the effects of different cues interact, and how to assess online psychological inclusivity.