UNDERSTANDING KAZAKHSTAN STUDENTS’ SENSE OF BELONGING IN SCHOOL: AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONAL AND CONTEXTUAL ANTECEDENTS USING PISA 2018 DATA

Abstract

Belonging is the feeling of being at home in a community, where you can be sure that you can blend in and feel secure in your identity. In recent times, there has been concern about the dramatic rise in rates of alienation, loneliness, and feelings of "not" belonging in schools, and the impact of such sentiments on young people's well-being, mental health, and life opportunities. In times of isolation and lockdown because of COVID 19, this field of enquiry seems to be even more important. Using a secondary analysis of PISA 2018 data, this thesis focuses on understanding students' sense of belongingness in Kazakhstan schools. Descriptive statistics suggested that a moderate degree of sense of belonging, perceived teacher support, and experience of bullying exists in Kazakhstan high schools. Using multilevel modelling, it was determined that school relations and sense of belonging do not vary extensively between schools in Kazakhstan, though substantive variation exists within schools. Finally, using a two-step approach, a measurement model for student school relations and sense of belonging was specified prior to testing a full structural model designed to identify the main relational and contextual antecedents of Kazakhstani students’ sense of belonging in schools. Implications for policy and practice are provided.