VARIABLE DISCUSSION

Positive relationships with others may boost our mood, strengthen our immune system, reduce feelings
of isolation, and increase self-confidence and compassion. According to Ferlazzo L. (2019), it is stated
that student engagement brings social connectedness. Students need to feel like they belong not just in
the classroom but also to one another and the greater concept that it is desirable to pursue one's
educational goals. It is not only important in the classroom. It is the location where people with different
belief systems and abilities come together. We can encourage them to socialize by assisting students in
recognizing the parts of a subject about which they lack knowledge and then guiding them toward a
more comprehensive comprehension of that subject. Have a deep engagement by giving them time to
think after asking questions and more.

In addition, according to Hehir E., Zeller M., Luckhurst J., & Chandler T. (2021), it is stated that student
connectivity may be developed via the use of digital resources while participating in virtual learning. The
level of student engagement in the education process has been put into doubt as a direct result of
widespread reforms brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic in reaction to the epidemic. Increases in
e-learning, distance education, and hybrid programs may be attributed to the worldwide Covid-19
pandemic (Aristovnik et al., 2020; Motala & Menon, 2020; Osman, 2020; Thistlethwaite et al., 2020). For
students to feel like they have some influence in how they are socializing, taught, and evaluated, they
must be able to utilize digital technology to stay connected effectively. Therefore, it is essential that ICT
be used to develop a feeling of community and belonging among students.

Lastly, according to the Education Hub (2020), a person's ability to express their feeling of social
connection might provide insight into the degree to which they experience a sense of closeness and
enjoyment in their connections with other people. One of the most crucial parts of establishing solid
social interactions is being trusted and accepted by one's peers. The sensation of being accepted and
appreciated for one's greatest qualities, as opposed to just being tolerated or ignored, is what is meant
by being admired for one's best qualities. One needs to have social connections in order to learn
because it is through these connections that one learns to organize things, plan what they will do, adapt
and learn how to manage their time, improves their working memory, and facilitates the adaptable
transmission of knowledge and abilities.
SOURCE:

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-student-engagement-means-connectedness/
2019/10

https://theeducationhub.org.nz/social-connection/

Hehir, E., Zeller, M., Luckhurst, J. et al. Developing student connectedness under remote
learning using digital resources: A systematic review. Educ Inf Technol 26, 6531–6548 (2021).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10577-1
Aguilera-Hermida, A. P. (2020). College students’ use and acceptance of emergency online
learning due to Covid-19. International Journal of Educational Research Open. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100011.
Aristovnik, A., Keržič, D., Ravšelj, D., Tomaževič, N., & Umek, L. (2020). Impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic on life of higher education students: A global perspective. Sustainability, 12(20),
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Thistlethwaite, J., Locke, R., Buckley, S., Chandratilake, M., Jensen, G., van Schalkwyk, S., &
Weller-Newton, J. (2020). Global perspectives on Covid-19 from the editorial board. The Clinical
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