Social Capital: The Next Step Toward Equitable Outcomes in Online Learning
By Katy Kappler, Co-Founder and CEO of InScribe
Last week, our team shared the importance of community and connection in online learning and challenged the assumption that online students want to go it alone. This week, we turn to a powerful but often overlooked element of student success: social capital—the relationships and networks that help students thrive both in school and beyond.
What Is Social Capital and Why Does It Matter?
In the context of education, social capital refers to the informal systems of support that help students navigate their academic journey. These are the peers who answer tough questions, the friends who offer encouragement, and the networks that provide guidance when things get hard.
For some learners, these networks are inherited. They have a parent who knows how to navigate financial aid and easily complete the FAFSA. A sibling who explains how office hours work. A family friend who knows what to expect on the path to obtaining a degree.
But for many students—especially first-generation, adult, and underrepresented learners—those networks aren’t readily available. That lack of access to social capital can lead to isolation, uncertainty, and barriers to both persistence and long-term career success. And yet, this kind of support is rarely discussed or measured alongside learner outcomes.
Building social capital is not just a strategy for student success. It’s a lever for equity.
Institutions Leading the Way
Forward-thinking colleges and universities are proving that social capital can be intentionally built and scaled, especially when designed with online and non-traditional learners in mind.
Northern Arizona University: Building Belonging From Day One
Northern Arizona University (NAU) serves a student population that is 46% first-generation, with many learners coming from rural areas and historically underserved communities. To help incoming students feel more prepared and supported, NAU launched the Advising Hub, powered by InScribe, which is a digital community designed to ease the transition into university life.
Instead of relying solely on information sessions or handbooks, the Advising Hub gave students a space to ask questions, find resources, and connect with peers and advisors in real time. Within the first term:
66% of all newly enrolled students engaged with the Advising Hub during the fall semester
Students initiated 757 conversations or questions in less than 2 months; 577 of those occurred before classes even began
Each student accessed an average of 21 resources, contributing to over 2 million total views
Approximately 30% of questions were answered by peers, highlighting the community-driven nature of the platform
These numbers reflect more than just participation. They signal trust, engagement, and the early formation of social capital. As Helen Bailey Hemmer, Director for Academic Support, explained:
“The Advising Hub helped us refine how we support students, especially those who often feel disconnected during the transition to university life.”
University of Maryland Global Campus: Connection Across Continents
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) educates more than 95,000 students around the world, many of whom are military-affiliated, adult learners, or working professionals. Because of this, the university prioritized building social capital at scale in ways that didn’t rely on geographic proximity or synchronous participation.
In partnership with InScribe, UMGC launched digital communities for students. These communities allowed learners to engage in peer-to-peer conversations, share advice, and build relationships.
The results were impactful:
13 percentage points higher course success rate
19 percentage points more likely to earn an A
13 percentage points more likely to persist
A stronger sense of connection and engagement with peers
Positive faculty feedback on student participation
Students also reported higher levels of connection and engagement. As Matthew Belanger, VP of Student Engagement and Achievement, shared:
“Connection and community are vital to student success. The InScribe pilot confirmed this.”
Social Capital Supports Lifelong Success
The impact of social capital isn’t limited to one course or one semester. These networks provide students with the confidence and knowledge to continue succeeding—in school, in their careers, and in life. They help close equity gaps not through top-down intervention, but through shared experience, mutual support, and authentic connection.
By designing learning environments where social capital can thrive, institutions are helping students who may not have inherited a roadmap to build one together.
Up next: As institutions serve more diverse learners at greater scale, the challenge becomes clear. How do we expand support without losing the human touch? In next week’s post, we will introduce InScribe’s Personalized Persistence Framework, a layered approach to student support that blends scalability with meaningful connection. You will hear how institutions like the University of North Texas, and Indiana University are putting this model into practice to drive engagement and improve outcomes.