Project – The Influence of Students’ Sense of Belonging on Classroom Engagement: A Study of Undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Higher education is expected to provide students with opportunities to acquire knowledge, develop intellectual abilities, build social relationships and participate actively in academic activities. However, academic success at the university level depends on more than students’ intellectual ability or access to instructional resources. Students’ psychological and social experiences within the university environment can influence the extent to which they participate in learning activities. One important psychosocial factor is a student’s sense of belonging, which refers broadly to the feeling of being accepted, valued, respected and connected to a particular educational community. In higher education, belonging has been associated with students’ wellbeing, academic attainment and broader experiences of university life. A recent systematic review by Dias-Broens, Meeuwisse, and Severiens (2024) found that sense of belonging is an important construct in higher education, although its definition and measurement vary considerably across studies.

Students’ sense of belonging is multidimensional and can develop through relationships with lecturers, classmates, departments, faculties and the university as a whole. A student may experience belonging when they feel recognised by lecturers, accepted by peers, comfortable participating in classroom activities and connected to the values and identity of their institution. This means that belonging is not limited to physical presence on campus; it involves students’ perceptions that they matter within the academic and social environment. A study examining university belonging identified academic and social engagement as important dimensions, while also highlighting the relevance of students’ surroundings and personal spaces to their overall sense of belonging (Allen et al., 2020). Similarly, recent qualitative and review evidence indicates that belonging in higher education is a complex and context-sensitive experience involving relationships, identity, connectedness and students’ perceptions of being valued (Gilani & Thomas, 2024).

Classroom engagement is another important dimension of effective university education. It describes the extent to which students actively participate in learning, including attending classes, paying attention, asking and answering questions, contributing to discussions, completing academic tasks, interacting with lecturers and peers, and investing cognitive effort in understanding course content. Engagement is often considered multidimensional, incorporating behavioural, emotional and cognitive components. Students who are behaviourally engaged participate in classroom activities, students who are emotionally engaged demonstrate interest and positive attitudes toward learning, while cognitively engaged students invest mental effort in understanding, analysing and applying knowledge. In Nigerian higher education, evidence from the University of Uyo indicates that student engagement variables such as active learning and student-faculty interaction are relevant to students’ educational experiences and retention, demonstrating the importance of engagement within university settings (Iroegbu & Agboola, 2018).

The relationship between belonging and classroom engagement can be understood through the social and psychological conditions that shape students’ willingness to participate. A student who feels accepted and valued may be more willing to ask questions, express opinions, collaborate with classmates and seek clarification from lecturers. Conversely, students who feel isolated, ignored or excluded may withdraw from classroom interactions even when they possess the academic ability to participate. The connection between belonging and engagement has received considerable attention in higher education research. Gilani and Thomas (2024), in a critical literature review covering 118 studies, reported robust connections between students’ sense of belonging and aspects of student success, including engagement, wellbeing and retention. Similarly, a systematic review of higher-education belonging research emphasised that belonging is associated with students’ academic and psychosocial experiences and should be understood within the specific institutional and student context in which it occurs.

The lecturer-student relationship is particularly relevant because lecturers constitute an important part of students’ immediate academic environment. Students may develop a stronger sense of belonging when lecturers demonstrate respect, accessibility, fairness and support, while unfavourable interactions may contribute to feelings of exclusion. Recent Nigerian evidence provides support for the relevance of faculty characteristics and interpersonal relationships to students’ sense of belonging. A 2025 study involving 1,089 undergraduates from four Nigerian universities in Ekiti State found that faculty members’ personality traits significantly explained part of the variation in students’ sense of belonging and recommended attention to interpersonal interactions and faculty awareness of their influence on student inclusion (Ayanwoye et al., 2025). These findings are relevant because the classroom is one of the principal environments in which students interact with academic staff and experience acceptance, recognition or exclusion.

Peer relationships can also shape both belonging and engagement. University students do not learn in isolation; they interact with classmates through group assignments, discussions, academic associations, informal study groups and other social activities. Positive peer relationships can provide academic assistance, emotional support and opportunities for collaboration, while weak social connections may increase feelings of loneliness or disconnection from the university community. Research on belonging has identified peer support, teacher relationships, classroom climate and school support practices among the factors associated with students’ sense of belonging (Aragoneses de la Rubia et al., 2026). The importance of these factors is consistent with evidence that belonging develops through multiple levels of students’ educational environments rather than through individual characteristics alone.

The Nigerian university context provides an important setting for examining the connection between belonging and classroom engagement because students experience diverse academic, social, cultural and economic circumstances. Nigerian universities accommodate students from different geographical, ethnic, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, creating classrooms in which students may have substantially different experiences of inclusion and participation. Recent Nigerian research has specifically identified belonging as an important issue within university education and has noted the relevance of institutional and interpersonal conditions to students’ experiences. Furthermore, current enrolment information published by the University of Nigeria shows a large and diverse undergraduate population across numerous faculties and departments, creating a substantial academic environment in which students’ experiences of connection and classroom participation may differ (University of Nigeria, 2026).

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka provides a particularly relevant context for investigating this relationship because it is a major Nigerian university with a large undergraduate population spread across numerous academic disciplines. Available institutional data demonstrate substantial undergraduate enrolment across faculties, while recent studies conducted among University of Nigeria students have examined issues such as academic stress, social media use, recreational participation and other dimensions of undergraduate experience (University of Nigeria, 2026; Eneogu et al., 2024). Although these studies provide evidence about different aspects of student life at Nsukka, there remains a need to examine specifically whether students’ sense of belonging influences their engagement within the classroom. This is important because a student can be enrolled in a university and regularly attend classes without necessarily feeling connected to classmates, lecturers or the institution. Consequently, examining the relationship between belonging and classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka may provide useful evidence for understanding the psychosocial factors that shape active participation in university learning.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

University students are expected to participate actively in classroom learning through attendance, discussion, questioning, group work, independent study and other academic activities. However, the presence of a student in a classroom does not necessarily mean that the student is academically or emotionally engaged. Some students may attend lectures but remain passive, avoid contributing to discussions, hesitate to ask questions or demonstrate limited interest in classroom activities. Research on university belonging suggests that students’ feelings of connection to their institution and academic community are associated with important aspects of student success, including engagement, while recent Nigerian research has also identified academic engagement as an important concern among undergraduates (Gilani & Thomas, 2024; Babalola & Balogun, 2026).

A related problem is that some university students may experience weak connections with their lecturers and peers. Where students perceive that they are not valued, accepted or adequately supported within their academic environment, they may become reluctant to participate actively in classroom activities. Evidence from Nigerian universities indicates that faculty-related characteristics can explain part of the variation in students’ sense of belonging, suggesting that interpersonal experiences within the university environment matter to students’ feelings of inclusion (Ayanwoye et al., 2025). Since lecturers and classmates constitute important components of the classroom environment, insufficient interpersonal connection may have implications for students’ willingness to interact, collaborate and contribute during lessons.

Another problem concerns the complex nature of sense of belonging itself. Belonging is not a single experience that can be assumed to be the same for all university students. It can involve academic relationships, peer relationships, identification with the institution, personal identity, physical surroundings and students’ perception that they are valued members of the university community. A systematic review of higher-education literature identified considerable variation in the definitions and measures of belonging, including 52 different measures across the reviewed literature (Dias-Broens et al., 2024). This conceptual variation makes it important for individual institutions to examine the specific dimensions of belonging that are relevant to their students rather than assuming that findings from other educational contexts automatically apply to them.

The specific problem addressed by this study is therefore the limited empirical evidence on the influence of students’ sense of belonging on classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Although international research has established important associations between belonging and student outcomes, and Nigerian studies have examined engagement and belonging separately or in other institutional contexts, there is insufficient institution-specific evidence showing how students’ feelings of acceptance, connectedness, recognition and inclusion relate to their classroom participation at UNN. Recent evidence from UNN confirms that undergraduate students constitute a substantial and diverse population, while studies conducted within the institution continue to document important academic and psychosocial dimensions of students’ experiences (University of Nigeria, 2026; Eneogu et al., 2024). Therefore, this study seeks to determine whether and to what extent students’ sense of belonging influences classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The main aim of this study is to examine the influence of students’ sense of belonging on classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives are to:

1. examine the extent to which students’ sense of belonging to the university influences their attendance and active participation in classroom activities;
2. determine the influence of lecturer-student relationships on undergraduates’ sense of belonging and classroom engagement at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka;
3. assess the influence of peer relationships and social connectedness on classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and
4. examine the relationship between students’ overall sense of belonging and their cognitive and emotional engagement in classroom learning at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

1.5 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. To what extent does students’ sense of belonging to the university influence their attendance and active participation in classroom activities?
2. How do lecturer-student relationships influence undergraduates’ sense of belonging and classroom engagement at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka?
3. To what extent do peer relationships and social connectedness influence classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka?
4. What relationship exists between students’ overall sense of belonging and their cognitive and emotional engagement in classroom learning at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between students’ sense of belonging and classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to undergraduate students because it will draw attention to the importance of feeling accepted, valued and connected within the university environment. The findings may help students recognise how their relationships with lecturers, classmates and the wider university community may relate to their participation in academic activities.

The study will be useful to lecturers because it may provide evidence concerning the importance of classroom relationships and students’ perceptions of inclusion. The findings may encourage lecturers to create classroom environments in which students feel sufficiently respected and comfortable to ask questions, participate in discussions and collaborate with other students.

The study will also be useful to university administrators and student-affairs officers. Evidence concerning students’ sense of belonging may assist the university in developing orientation programmes, mentoring initiatives, student-support services and inclusive academic practices that strengthen students’ connection to the institution. Research has identified institutional and interpersonal factors as important contributors to students’ sense of belonging, indicating that universities can potentially influence belonging through their practices and learning environments (Dias-Broens et al., 2024; Aragoneses de la Rubia et al., 2026).

The study may also benefit educational policymakers and curriculum planners by providing evidence concerning the psychosocial dimension of undergraduate learning. While educational policy often emphasises curriculum, infrastructure and academic resources, students’ social and emotional experiences can also affect participation and persistence. Evidence from higher-education research indicates that belonging is connected with engagement and other student-success outcomes (van Kessel et al., 2025).

Finally, the study will contribute to academic literature and future research by providing institution-specific evidence from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It may serve as a reference for researchers investigating student belonging, classroom engagement, student retention, lecturer-student relationships, peer relationships and other psychosocial dimensions of higher education in Nigeria.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the influence of students’ sense of belonging on classroom engagement among undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The content scope covers students’ sense of belonging, lecturer-student relationships, peer relationships, social connectedness, institutional identification and classroom engagement. Classroom engagement will be considered in terms of behavioural, cognitive and emotional participation in learning activities.

The geographical scope is limited to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus, Enugu State, Nigeria.

The population scope comprises undergraduate students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Sense of Belonging: The extent to which an undergraduate student feels accepted, valued, respected, connected to and regarded as an important member of the university community.

University Belonging: A student’s psychological feeling of being part of and connected to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, including identification with the institution and its academic community.

Classroom Engagement: The extent to which students actively participate in classroom learning through attendance, attention, discussion, questioning, collaboration, completion of academic tasks and mental investment in learning.

Behavioural Engagement: Students’ observable participation in learning activities, including class attendance, attentiveness, participation in discussions, completion of assignments and involvement in classroom tasks.

Cognitive Engagement: The degree of mental effort, concentration, strategic thinking and intellectual investment that students apply to understanding and learning academic material.

Emotional Engagement: Students’ feelings of interest, enthusiasm, enjoyment, connection and positive attitude toward classroom learning and academic activities.

Lecturer-Student Relationship: The nature and quality of interaction between university lecturers and students, including respect, accessibility, support, fairness, communication and academic encouragement.

Peer Relationship: The social and academic relationships that students establish with fellow students through friendship, collaboration, communication, academic assistance and mutual support.

Social Connectedness: The extent to which students perceive themselves as connected to and supported by other members of the university community.

Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a first-degree programme at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka who has not yet completed the requirements for the degree.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives, research questions, research hypothesis, significance, scope and operational definitions of terms. Chapter Two will review relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature on students’ sense of belonging and classroom engagement. Chapter Three will present the research methodology, including the research design, population of the study, sample size, sampling technique, research instrument, validity and reliability, method of data collection and method of data analysis. Chapter Four will present, analyse and interpret the data collected from respondents and test the research hypothesis. Chapter Five will provide the summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations, limitations of the study and suggestions for further research.

Project – The Influence of Students’ Sense of Belonging on Classroom Engagement: A Study of Undergraduates at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka