International Journal of Education and Social Science (IJESS)

A sense of community is vital to the success of today’s college student. Students who report feeling a sense of community in the classroom are more likely to attend class, more likely to participate during class, and more likely to graduate from college. Each of these realities is especially evident among undergraduate students, first generation students, and underrepresented populations. For each of these reasons, the present study surveyed more than 500 undergraduate students at 25 diverse colleges/universities in southern California to develop best practices for creating and maintaining a sense of community in the college classroom. Consistent with contemporary literature on the topic, results revealed four specific ways that students communicatively understood community within higher education: (1) shared space, (2) openness/acceptance, (3) common interests, and (4) sense of belonging. Based upon these results, this study concludes by also offering four practical implications for both students and instructors who hope to foster a shared sense of community within their own classroom settings: the creation of (1) third places, (2) genuine dialogue, (3) strong ties, and (4) superordinate goal(s).