Technology-Enhanced Learning for Fostering Belonging in Transnational Education

The sense of belonging is vital to the student experience and influences retention, academic performance, and overall well-being. This paper presents research and academic practices within a project designed to foster belonging among students with the support of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) to bridge the geographical and cultural distances between TNE and local students, providing a more cohesive learning experience between students. Specifically, we examined how academic performance shapes students' self-identities and how pedagogical approaches, supported by technology, impact their sense of belonging in the classroom. Using a mixed-methods approachcomprising surveys and focus groups-we gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. The study led to the development and evaluation of TEL-enhanced transnational group assignments and peer learning activities, designed to strengthen the sense of belonging of both local and TNE students. Our findings shed light on how students perceive the relationship between their academic achievements and integration into the university community, their preferences for technology-supported teaching methods, and the challenges they encountered that detracted from their sense of belonging. These insights inform recommendations on how TEL, pedagogy, and academic support can work together to enhance belonging in both the home and TNE contexts.