Student perceptions that their instructor knows their name predicts college classroom belonging: additional concerns for underrepresented students

Positive college classroom experiences are essential to educational success, particularly for students in underrepresented groups, including transfer students, financial aid recipients, and underrepresented racial minority (URM) students. The present study investigated relations between these three student characteristics with class participation and class rating both directly, and indirectly through perceptions that the instructor knew the student’s name and belongingness. Participants included 271 students at a major U.S. Westcoast university (70% URM; 39% transfer students; 39% financial aid recipients) across multiple course sections. First, a confirmatory factor analysis for the classroom belongingness measure was performed with adequate results. Next, a structural equation model tested effects of transfer, financial aid, URM status on perceptions of known name, which then predicted student participation, class rating, and belongingness. Results showed positive direct and indirect effects of student perceptions that their instructor knew their name on belongingness, class rating and class participation. However, URM status was negatively related to all classroom outcomes via negative relations with known name and belongingness. Transfer and financial aid status were not significantly related to the outcomes. Findings reveal that URM students’ perceptions that their instructor does not know their name can greatly influence their classroom experience on college campuses. This is a relatively easy point of intervention for college instructors that could go a long way toward equitable education.