While polarization in this moment is intense, most faculty agree that they do not want to avoid discussion on difficult topics, as these are important moments for intellectual growth. How can we best prepare for these difficult moments, whether they are planned or impromptu? Having strategies like these at the ready may help you and your students work through tension in a productive manner.

Give students time to gather their thoughts.

Allow them to write individually about the perspective or topic. You might ask them to connect it to course materials or concepts. You could ask them to consider, “Why is this topic so difficult to discuss?” or “What do you feel like you can’t say aloud right now?” You might use this writing to help you plan for returning to a topic productively the next class.

Where appropriate, seek to clarify student comments that have sparked tension.

You can model for students how to acknowledge a comment’s potential devaluing of other perspectives in ways that critique the statement and not the speaker. For example, you might speak of the effect of their comment without attributing motive to the speaker (“When I hear these words, I respond like this…”). You can also depersonalize by acknowledging that it is a widely-held view (“Many people share this perspective. What might their reasons be? And why might others disagree or object to this position?”).

Try to depersonalize insensitive or marginalizing statements.

You can model for students how to acknowledge a comment’s potential devaluing of other perspectives in ways that critique the statement and not the speaker. For example, you might speak of the effect of their comment without attributing motive to the speaker (“When I hear these words, I respond like this…”). You can also depersonalize by acknowledging that it is a widely-held view (“Many people share this perspective. What might their reasons be? And why might others disagree or object to this position?”).

Provide a basis for common understanding.

Establish facts and questions about the topics raised in the tense moment. You can share key information yourself or invite students to do so. You might write categories on the board (what we know, what is disputed, what we want to know more about) and elicit items for each category, either individually or from the whole class. Such a conversation can also be a time to distinguish different sorts of statements--facts, evaluative comments, personal opinions, assertions, evidence and acknowledge how difficult it can sometimes be to make such distinctions, especially when emotions are running high.

When appropriate, validate student contributions.

You might say, “Thank you for raising that perspective. You provide us an opportunity to talk about it and why we’re challenging such a perspective in this class.” Or “You’re clearly thinking very seriously about this topic and raising important questions we need to think carefully about.”

Find a way to connect student comments to course learning goals or skills focus.

Does the course focus on writing skills? The moment could be an opportunity to discuss the critical importance of the words we choose or assumptions we make. Does your course focus on the use of evidence to test hypotheses? Perhaps this is a moment to think together about evidence in a different context.

The goal of these strategies is to teach students to not flee conflict while also holding one another accountable to our ideas, giving everyone the chance to continue to investigate them and even change our minds. These strategies best operate in an environment where students are acting in good faith (thus the “When appropriate” phrase used with many of these strategies). Different strategies may have to be used if a student seems to have bad intentions or exhibit behavior that violates class civility policies or creates a harassing environment. Fortunately, most students not only want to bring good intentions to such discussions, but appreciate being given the tools to learn through tense moments and discuss important topics.

Adapted from Inclusive Moves (Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard)

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About the Author

Contributed by Ashley Montgomery, Ph.D, Director of the Teaching and Learning Collaborative University of Maine at Farmington. Edited by Christina Moore, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Originally published February 12, 2018.

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We know the challenges to students’ learning from the headlines: “Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen,” “Student Addiction to Technology Similar to Drug Cravings,” and “The Myth of Multitasking.” College students benefit from the practice of mindfulness; it enhances their ability to pay attention and to listen non-judgmentally, it helps to alleviate stress, it helps students become self-regulated learners, and it can improve academic performance. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School defines ‘mindfulness’ as “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” How can instructors facilitate the practice of mindfulness with their students so that their students can better focus in class, thoughtfully attend to their work and each other, and reduce stress? Here are some suggestions:

1. Begin class with a brief, “Where Are You Now?” activity. Ask students to take 2 to 3 deep, cleansing breaths while tuning into the present moment. Ask: 

   “Are you thinking about the day ahead?” 

   “Are you focusing on something that’s happened recently?” 

   “Are you still foggy from a late night?” 

   “Notice where you are and how it feels.” 

   Now ask them to create a clean slate as if erasing a whiteboard, and then picture their minds as a whiteboard ready for the workings of class. Finish with a cleansing breath.
2. Ask students to journal for one minute as they enter class, responding to a prompt on the board or screen: 

   Why am I here right now? 

   What can I do to get the most out of this moment?

3. When taking attendance, ask students to respond orally with “Present and ______,” filling in the blank. (For example, “Present and anxious,” or “Present and expectant.”) Have students reflect on their answer and those of their peers for one minute.
4. After 10 to 15 minutes of lecture or an exercise or activity, ask students to respond to a prompt about where their level of attention and focus is. This can be a picture of a thermometer (hot to cold), or a drawing of a continuum (engaged to asleep), or any creative measure. Ask students to mentally move themselves to “hot,” or “fully engaged.”
5. If the energy level in class is low, use movement to re-awaken students. Have them move to different sides or corners of the room based on their answer to a question or belief about an issue. Have them engage 2-3 different people in one-word answers to a question that relates to the class content.
6. When using slide presentations, insert a slide that has a unique picture or phrase that will refocus students’ attention. Ask several students to share their reactions.
7. When taking notes, encourage students to write a word, acronym, or phrase (or draw a symbol) at the top of each page as a reminder of attention and intention: “Focus” or a drawing of an eye; “Think” or a light bulb.

Resources 

Brown, S. (2008). A Buddhist in the Classroom. NY: State University of New York Press.

Hart, T. (2004). Opening the Contemplative Mind in the Classroom. Journal of Transformative Education, 2(1), 28-46.

Hough, A. (2011). Student Addiction to Technology Similar to Drug Cravings. The Telegraph, April 8, 2011

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2012). Mindfulness for Beginners – reclaiming the present moment and your life. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

Langer, E.J. (1997). The Power of Mindful Learning. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.

Lewin, T. (2011). Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen. The New York Times, January 26, 2011 available at: NYTimes

Rosen, C. (2008). The Myth of Multitasking. The New Atlantis, Spring 2008 available at Multitasking

Saltzman, A. (2009). Mindfulness: A Guide for Teachers. Public Broadcasting Service available at: Mindfulness

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About the Author

Anne B. Bucalos, Ed.D, is the Director of Faculty Development at Bellarmine University. Debi Griffin is Assistant Director of Faculty Development Bellarmine University.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning adapted this material from Bucalos and Griffin’s contribution to the POD Network of educational developers' 2014-2015 Teaching Issues Writing Consortium.

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In the past two years, the norms of higher education have undergone radical changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arguably, some of these changes have been for the better, as the pandemic has forced many to place a stronger lens on issues of accessibility, inclusivity, and flexibility within courses. Faculty have been at the forefront of these changes and have done much to adjust their mindset, pedagogy, and syllabus in order to support students and their ability to achieve learning goals. With the frequent emergence of new developments in our public health landscape, faculty continuously face the need to rapidly pivot in the classroom. Thus, flexible teaching design, methods, and practices are rightfully receiving a stronger focus to the benefit of students and faculty.   

Certain approaches to offering increased flexibility in the classroom require more initial time investment than others. For example, some faculty have found great success in coping with our current situation by transitioning to fully hybrid or even HyFlex teaching. However, many others are struggling to find the time and resources to adopt these models wholecloth. Leading up to the 2021-2022 academic year, CETL published a teaching tip on maintaining a flexible teaching mindset. Even so, such faculty may still be wondering about concrete practices or strategies to adopt into their course design that center flexibility without unduly burdening them beyond their current capabilities. The following considerations related to course meetings, due dates, and asynchronous activities may be useful in that endeavor by creating space for faculty and students to achieve their best despite the challenges.

Flexible Meeting Dates

If your course has a synchronous component (face-to-face or online), consider ways to get creative with your regular meeting dates. Some faculty have decided that even in a course listed as synchronous, none of their synchronous sessions will be required. Instead, all of their synchronous sessions are optional for those who are interested in getting some additional face time with the professor. Others have reserved their synchronous sessions only for special events, such as sessions with guest speakers or for exam preparation. Finally, some faculty are requiring some kind of regular attendance to their student hours (i.e. office hours) instead of synchronous sessions, in order to get more 1-on-1 time with students and answer questions. Google Appointment slots can be helpful for managing these meetings. In any of these cases, or even when requiring the typical synchronous schedule, always consider recording sessions for students to review at a later date.

Flexible Due Dates

Some faculty find that getting rid of strict due dates can eliminate stress and increase the amount of learning in their courses, one example previously shared in the Hit the Pause Button: A Late Work Policy teaching tip. There are different ways that flexible due dates can be implemented. For example, some faculty prefer a “soft” due date system, which provides a multiple day or week long window for students to submit work without penalty. Other faculty may provide an example or suggested course calendar to students, while truly allowing complete freedom as to when throughout the semester the student decides to turn in their various assignments. While those new to this practice may fear that this will lead to a huge pile of grading all at the very end of a course, most faculty already implementing flexible due dates report that this is rarely the case and a significant number of students will even choose to turn in work early.

Asynchronous Activities

Often, the most flexibility can be designed into asynchronous course activities, which are especially useful for scenarios where faculty are forced to pivot mid-semester. While it does require more work ahead, thinking carefully about what should or could be offered asynchronously in a course can relieve later stress. Live lectures, presentations, and discussions can all be redesigned in pre-recorded or asynchronous formats. Even without the need to pivot in mind, doing a portion of course activities asynchronously, such as in the flipped classroom model, can often make synchronous portions of the class more productive and meaningful. OU faculty have shared what makes their asynchronous teaching tick.

For example, instead of planning to spend synchronous time on course lectures, ask your students to watch your pre-recorded lecture ahead of time and then show up to class ready for discussion and group work. In the instance there are students who cannot attend the synchronous session or the synchronous session must be canceled overall, students are still ready to discuss in a Moodle discussion forum or perhaps by recording and sharing their pre-recorded video responses. Instructional Designers with e-LIS are available to consult on the design or even assist with building asynchronous activities for faculty interested in having this option in their classes.

Overall, while limitations and structure are meant to provide learning benefits, sometimes we open up new learning opportunities when we consider new pathways for flexibility.

References and Resources 

• e-LIS has instructional designers ready to help you with the design and implementation of anything mentioned in this Teaching Tip. 
• Recommended Practices in Hybrid Teaching (CETL and e-LIS)
• HyFlex Quick Guide for OU Instructors (e-Learning and Instructional Support)

Other Teaching Tips:

• Maintaining a Flexible Teaching Mindset
• Hit the Pause Button: A Late Work Policy
• Students Sign Up with Google Appointments
• When Asynchronous Teaching and Learning Are Wonderful

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About the Author

Jess Tess-Navarro is an Instructional Designer with e-LIS and has previously worked at OU in Student Affairs and as a Special Lecturer in the Department of WRT. She currently co-facilitates the e-LIS Quality Online Teaching Certification Course. Jess earned a Master of Arts from Michigan State in 2014 and Post Master's Certificate in Higher Education from OU in 2017.

Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. View all CETL Weekly Teaching Tips. Follow these and more on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.