Can we research students’ sense of belonging without affecting it? A process evaluation exploring online diaries as a student voice activity

Due to its clear links with student success outcomes, many universities are now invested in researching and monitoring their students’ sense of belonging. This article provides a case study of implementing a research project at two English universities using the online diaries research method with 65 first-year undergraduate students. A large majority of participants (83%) felt that the process of reflecting on their sense of belonging had itself positively contributed to their sense of belonging. Students reported that the online diaries helped them find acceptance when experiencing challenges to their sense of belonging, as well as reminders of positive experiences of belonging. These findings suggest an ‘observer effect’: that asking students about their sense of belonging is likely to affect it. This article concludes with a discussion on implications for the design of our student voice approaches, as well as challenges towards the external validity of research around student belonging.