There are some key actions you can take before engaging in a potentially challenging discussion with your students to reduce the risk of the discussion becoming disrespectful or unsafe.
Provide context and framing
It is important that students understand why the discussion is important for their learning. Providing the context and framing for the discussion will help with this.
Select some ways you might provide that content for your students.
- Communicate the relationship between the learning outcomes and the discussion topic.
- Explain your rationale for having the discussion. This may include mastery of course content, development of key skills, such as critical thinking, or the application of course ideas to real world situations.
- Provide additional resources to help students understand the importance and significance of these topics in the context of the course curriculum.
- Explain how discipline, industry or profession-specific approaches to the topic may be required, e.g. health professionals may have a specific approach to topics such as contraception or voluntary assisted dying.
- Allocate appropriate time and resources to ensure that required topics receive sufficient attention, depth of exploration, and perspective.
Provide options
Providing different options for engaging with challenging content can help students find a way to interact with that content in a way that individually suits them.
Some ideas are included below.
- Use different types of discussion, e.g. debates, timed contributions, presentations, peer questioning, Think-Pair-Share, small group discussions, and sharing reflections.
- In small group discussions, provide options for discussion topics which include one or more topics that are less likely to be contentious, and allow students to self-select into the discussion groups.
- Allow students to submit a written contribution, which you can read out at an appropriate place in the discussion. Students may wish to be anonymous.
- Assign a private reflective writing task before or after discussion which encourages consideration of an alternative perspective.
Revisit expectations and boundaries
Prior to engaging in a specific discussion, revisit the expectations and boundaries that were established at the beginning of the semester plus any others that may be relevant to the specific discussion.
Below are some examples of how you can link the current discussion with the previously agreed expectations and boundaries.
- Set clear expectations for the discussion by explicitly referring back to the expectations and boundaries agreed at the beginning of semester.
- Explain how you will respond if the discussion becomes heated or emotional. Students may be less resistant to being asked to pause, stop, or rephrase if they know this is your planned approach rather than you simply reacting to the situation.
- Encourage students to approach the discussion with empathy and curiosity, respecting the viewpoints of others and recognising that diverse perspectives contribute to a richer understanding of complex issues.
- Acknowledge that students are individuals and are not speaking on behalf of their gender, ethnic group, class, status, or any groups they may be perceived to be a part of.
- Emphasise the importance of critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning, encouraging students to engage with the topic thoughtfully and analytically.
- Remind students that criticism should focus on ideas or policies, not individuals or groups.
- Acknowledge the potential emotional impact of the discussion and reassure students that their feelings are valid and respected. Identify the difference between emotions and ideas, explicitly stating that respecting feelings does not mean agreement with perspectives.
- Explain what students can do if they become distressed. Options could include leaving the room (either alone or with a supportive peer) or muting their speakers if online without penalty. Do not assume students are aware that they have options if they need them; make this explicit.
