Discussing Difficult Topics

Recently, I worked with a faculty member that was trying to identify a new database to analyze in a R exercise. The dataset they usually use in their course has become politically charged in the past few months. However, the dataset is used to illustrate some of the key learning objectives of the class.

Instead of removing the dataset, we acknowledged that the right to education does not guarantee a place where one is not challenged on ones beliefs. Conversations in class can never violate the university code of conduct or create a space where it is a hostile learning environment. However, we can think through how to analyze the dataset from multiple perspectives. The University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) suggests:

• allowing those that feel distressed about the topic to talk to you confidentially.

• providing all students with enough background material and preparatory homework to participate fully in the conversation.

• providing clear descriptions of the topic and issues surrounding it, explain why it is sensitive and why it is important to discuss it.

• provide guidance on how to analyze and judge issues based on context and evidence (you can involve a disciplinary specific librarian in this conversation to talk about information literacy).

Also, establish a community agreement, or statement that guides how members of a classroom community (students, instructors, AIs) work and interact with each other. Ideally, it should emerge from a process implemented at the beginning of a term.

UCSB offers additional advice:

• Be aware of your feelings, assumptions and biases, and keep your personal opinions to yourself.

• Add dealing with controversial or sensitive topics to learning outcomes so you can focus on teaching students how to think through complex issues from multiple perspectives.

• Add a statement to your syllabus about discussing sensitive topics.

• Make your commitment to inclusivity, respectful interactions, and consideration for diverse perspectives clear to the students.

In short as Hogan and Sathy (2022) ask in Inclusive Teaching, Do you have a plan? Do you have rules to help everyone stick to the plan? If not, consider taking time before classes resume to develop a strategy.

Pre-Course Survey

One way to improve engagement with your students is to learn more about them. A precourse survey is one way to help develop a connection with your students, and get to know them beyond what is shared in an introduction discussion.

What do you want to know about them?

Diligent student in college with classmates, taking notes of teacher lecture.

A survey can help you conduct a needs assessment about where your students are at in terms of prior knowledge, demographics, mindset, learning preferences, goals, content confidence level, preferred feedback style, and/or access to technology.  Because this takes place “behind the scenes” and is only shared with the instructor, rather than in a public discussion forum, you may be more likely to receive candid responses.

What strategies and skills will students need and/or develop in your course?

These kinds of questions can help students flex metacognitive skills and become more aware of their learning habits. As an instructor, this can help you provide more specific feedback on student work, suggesting similar strategies and stretch goals.

• Reflection on Strategies: Metacognitive reflection questions ask how students get things done. Do you take marginal notes or highlight as you read? What conditions do you need to do your best work?

• Planning Ahead: Beyond what has worked for students in the past, you might ask about strategies they will use specifically in this class. What times each week do you have earmarked to work on this course?

• Setting Goals:You might ask them to review the learning objectives, asking what they will commit to accomplishing. And beyond the learning objectives for the course, are there other skills or competencies they plan to work on in the course? Do they have any suggestions for the instructor about strategies for helping meet those goals?

During the first week of your course

Providing students with an opportunity to quiz themselves not on the course topic but on the course itself–how to get started in the course, how to navigate the course, what the course should help students accomplish, and how the course is structured–can help instructors send fewer emails saying, “It’s in the syllabus!”

Given multiple choice or true/false question types, these kinds of pre-course surveys can be automatically scored. Don’t forget to compose feedback for incorrect responses and allow multiple attempts!

What tools are available?

IU supports the Qualtrics survey tool and Canvas includes a dashboard feature that allows instructors to create a type of quiz called ‘ungraded’ that can be used as a survey. In Canvas, once the survey, or ‘ungraded quiz,’ is published online, students can login to their Canvas course page and participate. IU also has access to Google Forms and Microsoft Teams (Microsoft Forms are Available in the Channel and Chat features) for quick survey and quiz creation.

If you’d like support implementing a pre-course survey or questionnaire in your online class, or in any other aspects of teaching and learning, please contact me at your earliest convenience with your availability.