Multi-level students’ sense of community development in hybrid and online learning environments at higher educational institutions: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT

The formulation of a sense of community (SOC) among students has received significant attention in the literature in recent years. However, digitally enhanced learning and COVID-19 have amplified the challenges vis-à-vis connecting students and making them feel involved and recognized in virtual learning ecologies for higher educational institutions (HEIs). This review examines the factors impacting students’ SOC development in online and hybrid learning environments for HEIs. To provide a holistic view, we synthesize the streams of theoretical foundations on SOC for keyword search strategy and follow Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. In total, 128 empirical studies from 2015 to October 2022 are synthesized. One of the main contributions lies in disclosing the multiple levels of students’ SOC formulation from a sociological perspective on HEIs. It further broadens our understanding of the dimensions, and the roles and responsibilities of key players, as well as the units involved in the social context of HEIs. The main findings reveal that HEIs should “circulate the blood” by integrating various key elements identified in pedagogy, instructor, learner, and extra-curriculum fields into the learning ecology for SOC facilitation to formulate an implicit curriculum and a more interactive, supportive, and caring environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Online learning
• hybrid learning
• sense of community
• community development
• systematic literature review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Huijin Lu

Mrs. Huijin Lu has been appointed as the Program Director of BSc Information Systems and Information Management (IMIS) at International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) since 2017. Huijin has led the project of Jiangsu Brand Program Phase II for BSc IMIS for three years. She has been a fellow of CPS (Certificate in Profession Studies in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education) since 2019. Now she is a PhD candidate in Academy of Future Education at XJTLU and University of Liverpool.

Xiaojun Zhang

Dr. Xiaojun Zhang was appointed as Acting Dean of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub in Entreprenurs College (Taicang) at XJTLU in August 2022. Xiaojun is also taking the role of inaugural Executive Dean of the Academy of Future Education at XJTLU. He created XJTLU National University Teaching Innovation Award in 2016 with more than 4,250 teachers participated from 500 institutions, developed the Association for Sustainable Faculty Development in Higher Education in 2018 with 90 institutional members, and initiated the ILEAD Talk series established in 20 cities in China. Xiaojun has published more than 90 academic papers and five books. Dr. Zhang’s research area includes institutional change and institutional logics; Educational leadership; Internationalization in Higher Education, especially the Sino-foreign Cooperative universities; Future education in the AI era; University transformation and teaching innovation, in particular research-led learning and teaching; student-centred education; student transition etc.