Interest, Self-efficacy, and Belonging in Classroom Learning

Students’ interest, self-efficacy, and belonging are considered essential for classroom learning, as each has been shown to promote sustained engagement and school achievement. However, our review of the literature suggested that research on interest, self-efficacy, and belonging is largely siloed. To address practitioner questions about supporting classroom learning by working with the three variables, we added a mixed-method pilot study to the review process. Pilot participants were Black, middle-school-age youth living in a low-income community, who were enrolled in a five-week, inquiry-informed science workshop facilitated by a Black professor. Findings showed that during learning, interest, self-efficacy, and belonging were increasingly coordinated over time. These results corroborated research showing the reciprocity of interest and self-efficacy in promoting student learning and suggested that belonging facilitates this support. The literature review and suggested insights from the pilot findings are discussed as providing initial guidance for both classroom practice and subsequent study.