Teaching and learning are inherently relational practices. Students’ experiences of higher education are shaped and enriched by the relationships they form with peers and teachers, and these relationships are critical to effective learning. Equally, for teachers, the capacity to develop meaningful connections with students and colleagues plays a key role in teaching success.

Our recent research found that the loss of connectedness commonly experienced by educators and students during the COVID-19 pandemic brought about an increased focus on the importance of relationality in teaching and learning, as well as new understandings of the ways in which relationality is enacted and activated. In a post-pandemic higher education context, in which universities are expanding their online learning options as well as seeking to create greater engagement with the on-campus experience, the capacity for educators to develop relational proficiencies might be more important than ever. Below we identify six reasons as to why relational pedagogies are essential to higher education.

1. To strengthen student belonging

Students often report feeling a sense of alienation at university and lacking a sense of belonging. Although this has been recognised as a problem for higher education for decades, it’s an issue that has escalated in recent years, and one that was exacerbated during the pandemic. The capacity for students to form relationships with peers, as well as with teachers, is key to engendering a sense of connection and belonging, and student engagement and retention are strengthened by the social connections formed between students. Pedagogical approaches that facilitate peer-peer interactions can therefore enhance the social experience of learning and foster a cohort experience, helping students to feel connected to the university and to the discipline.  

2. For teaching diverse student cohorts

Understanding teaching and learning from a relational perspective allows educators to see their students as unique individuals with distinctive abilities, challenges and strengths. By embracing student diversity, relational pedagogies strengthen equity and inclusivity in higher education. A focus on interpersonal interactions is integral to developing culturally responsive pedagogies, especially within the context of Indigenous education, which has long recognised the importance of reciprocal, respectful and ethical relationships in teaching and learning.

3. To support student wellbeing

While there has been increased concern with student well-being in recent years, the practice of care is often undefined and devalued in higher education institutions. This was brought to light brought to light during the pandemic, when students widely reported experiences of loneliness, and the need for pedagogies of care was heightened. When students feel socially and emotionally isolated, they are also more likely to become disengaged. Relational pedagogies foster empathy, compassion and care by creating meaningful connections, both between students and teachers, and between peers, and can play an important role in supporting student wellbeing.  

4. To enhance connections in online learning contexts

Building relationships may be more challenging online, particularly for those accustomed to in-person contexts. The loss of serendipitous interactions like the after-lecture question or corridor chat can be profoundly felt, but online spaces also provide unique affordances to allow interaction and connection in other ways. Chat functions can facilitate engagement for students who may feel pressured by face-to-face formats, including neurodivergent students, and asynchronous learning opportunities allow students time and space to reflect. Thoughtful integration of technology in online and blended learning spaces can be leveraged to provide students with choices as to when, where, and how to interact with peers and instructors. So, in the online space, connections, belonging and relationality can still be fostered, although they might look different to how they are enacted in face-to-face settings. And that’s okay. With online and blended learning environments now the norm in higher education, implementing intentional design that foregrounds connections, relationships and trust is essential.

5. To mitigate against uncertainty around genAI

Trust becomes especially important when we consider the impacts of the rise of generative artificial intelligence on how students and teachers interact with their disciplines, and each other. Erosion of trust may extend beyond concerns about academic integrity and the resultant mistrust between teachers and students, to mistrust between students around peers' genAI use. ‘Embracing’ genAI and intentionally embedding it into our curriculum does not in and of itself reclaim this trust, since teachers and students alike may exhibit a range of ethical and value positions around genAI. In addition, the positioning of ‘genAI as collaborator’ is inherently problematic, with teacher feedback still more trustworthy than genAI chatbots. We assert that any redesign of assessment or task to mitigate or encourage genAI use should adopt a relational approach that sets clear expectations for students, whilst respecting their autonomy. Within an environment that increasingly encourages relationships with and through technology, maintaining human-human relationships is essential.

6. For developing collegial networks

In our examination of how teaching academics responded to disruption, collegiate networks were critical in building academics’ resilience during a challenging time. Relationships between teachers are vital to building innovative curriculum, supporting teaching quality, and navigating challenges in teaching and learning within a sector under flux. Moreover, relationships formed within these spaces can be enduring across institutions and contexts, providing continuing support for teachers during times of change. While relational pedagogies tend to centre around relationship between students and teachers, we suggest that teacher-teacher interactions also have a fundamental role to play in the development of successful learning environments.    

Concluding remarks

The ways in which we build, maintain and value relationships between students, peers and teachers in higher education are challenged by increasing demands and ongoing disruptions, including to our learning spaces and our interactions with emerging technologies.  In this shifting environment, we argue that relational pedagogies are more important than ever in higher education and require critical attention and investment.

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