We talk a lot about helping students succeed, but what if the most powerful tools aren’t new technologies or teaching hacks, but the quiet moments where students reflect, connect, and feel like they actually belong?

In this special edition of Digging Into the Data on the What & Who of EDU, host Marisa Bluestone returns with Marcy Baughman, VP of Learning Science & Research at Macmillan Learning, to unpack findings from a large-scale, IRB-approved study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With data from 726 students across 29 institutions, this episode explores two deceptively simple tools: a metacognitive reflection resource and a digital tool that fostered real belonging. The results were statistically significant, and included higher exam scores, increased engagement and students saying, “I actually felt like I belonged here.”

Whether you're curious about the impact of “soft skills,” want to support first-gen students or are just looking for a low-lift way to improve outcomes, this episode has practical insights you can use right away.

Brought to you by Macmillan Learning

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• Just because students don’t say “I need belonging” doesn’t mean they don’t.
• How small, reflective check-ins led to measurable gains in student performance.
• What students really mean when they talk about feeling lost in college.
• How one grief-sharing moment sparked peer support and classroom connection.
• Why instructors who responded to student insights saw the biggest payoffs.
• The surprising power of mentors in normalizing academic doubt.
• How “good enough” engagement with these tools still moved the needle.

• What Makes IRB-Approved Research So Powerful – 00:01:58
• The Scale and Diversity of the Research – 00:03:18
• Why Instructors Helped Design the Tools – 00:06:05
• Belonging in Student Language (Not Research Jargon) – 00:08:01
• What Reflection Really Looks Like for Busy Students – 00:9:56
• Why It Worked: The Surprising Impact – 00:10:32
• Reflection That Actually Changed Outcomes – 00:12:44
• The Power of Peer Mentorship (Even on Video) – 00:13:43
• Belonging, Made Visible – 00:14:55
• How Instructors Integrated These Tools – 00:18:26
• Implementation Wins and “Good Enough” Habits – 00:21:04
• What’s Next for the Belonging Tool – 00:22:06
• Final Takeaways & Tips Recap – 00:24:06

Required Reading:

• Interested in participating in the research? Let us know! https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8198865/F25-Macmillan-Research-Study-Instructor-Interest-Survey

• Sense of Belonging and Metacognition Study Overview: https://community.macmillanlearning.com

• Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys Research Note: https://go.macmillanlearning.com/rs/1

• About Achieve: https://go.macmillanlearning.com/achieve

Guest: Marcy Baughman VP, Learning Science & Research, Macmillan Learning

Office Hours: Have a classroom story, tip, or question? Call (512) 765-4688 and you might be featured in a future episode. Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Email us at [email protected]