by Betsy Eudey, February 22, 2009
Dr. Eudey is the Director and an Associate Professor of Gender Studies at California State University Stanislaus. She has been teaching in women’s and gender studies since 1998, and engaging in online instruction since 2000. She is currently completing an M.S. in Education with an emphasis in Online Teaching and Learning from California State University East Bay.
“So many of you say that you’d just leave, but it’s hard to imagine why someone would stay with an abusive boyfriend unless you’ve lived it. My high school boyfriend hit me….â€
“If people really believe in the value of life, they wouldn’t engage in sex unless they were willing to take on the responsibility of raising a child. I don’t believe in abortion, so when I got pregnant at 16 I had a baby and my whole life changed. My son is a blessing, but I think about how life could have been different if I’d made smarter choices about sex….â€
“Looking back, based on what I’ve read, I’m embarrassed to say that I sexually harassed girls in my school. I don’t really know why we did it, except that all the guys did it, so you felt you had to. Now I’m thinking about the impact on those girls, how they must’ve felt when I grabbed them, or made comments… No teacher ever told us not to do it…. I read what the girls in this class are saying about things they experienced, and the gay guys too, and I know I caused this for someone else….â€
Constructivist, liberatory, and feminist pedagogies all value the sharing of relevant experiences within the classroom as a means of testing connections between theory and practice (hooks, 1994). Such pedagogies are especially valued within online education, for such processes engage learners across time and space, and foster communities of learners. As is demonstrated by the quotes above that were drawn from student discussion board postings, when teaching “sensitive subjects†like domestic violence, sexuality, and harassment, many students have personal experience with the subject that when shared can enhance understanding of the complexities of the issues under consideration. The academic meets the personal, and the merging of these domains can lead to better insight and understanding of both.
Considering controversial and value-laden topics can create a level of tension that fosters learning, although too much tension can lead to a breakdown in group processes and understanding. “Students’ internal reactions to class activities and classmates – feelings of annoyance, anger, anxiety, surprise, confusion, or defensiveness – may be signs that their way of thinking about things is being challenged†(Teaching Diversity, 2006, paragraph 2). Facilitating the proper balance of challenge and support is primarily the instructor’s role, although all in the class become involved in the process.
In the face-to-face classroom instructors have the opportunity to immediately respond positively to appropriate sharing, to react immediately if disrespectful behaviors or comments occur, to assist a student who has become emotionally or intellectually overburdened, to remind students of the value of sharing and the need for care and confidentiality, and to model supportive listening and sharing.
In the asynchronous online classroom, there is no opportunity to provide immediate supports and controls, nor to readily gauge student comfort as they are engaging with other students. Students may disclose ideas or experiences that were risky to share, believing they were of value to add to the discussion, only to receive few or no responses from classmates, wondering if others had read their words, how they were received if read, and if it is worth this risk in the future. In the face-to-face class there is assured response, but not so in an online setting. How can you minimize risks to disclosure and authentic sharing within an asynchronous online environment? Some strategies from face to face settings may be transferable, but there are unique aspects of the online setting that require consideration.
Establishing Standards
All communities benefit from a set of guiding principles or standards that help to clarify expectations, and the online classroom is no exception. Direct policy statements regarding the content and tone of postings to a course website, emails sent among students, etc. may be useful. Tom Kerns’ “Safe Classroom Policy†for his Philosophy of Religion class at North Seattle Community College is an example of such a policy offering clear expectations and specific consequences for inappropriate student behaviors. Reiterating or referencing the campus non-discrimination and harassment policies within the course syllabus may be helpful to set a tone for respect. (Christophersen, 2008).
While some of the groundrules may be established by the instructor at the onset of the course, including students in the development of behavioral expectations can enhance buy-in and ownership of the standards. bell hooks (1994) noted that “many students, especially students of color, may not feel at all ‘safe’ in what appears to be a neutral setting. It is the absence of a feeling of safety that often promotes prolonged silence or lack of student engagement†(p. 39). She suggested that a skilled teacher can make “a democratic setting where everyone feels a responsibility to contribute†(p 39). Shared responsibility to creating and maintaining standards may be one way to promote such a setting.
In addition to offering class norms that clarify behavioral expectations of students engaged in interaction with one another (confidentiality, using “I statements,†speaking for oneself and not others, etc) it may be helpful for the instructor to state “hopes†for development of greater interpersonal skills and openness to new ideas (Teaching Diversity, 2006).
Creating Connection
While standards may protect students once sharing occurs, a sense of trust and a willingness to share is most likely to occur as the students develop a sense of community within the course. Creating opportunities for student community-building can occur via ice-breakers in the introductory units, group activities throughout the course, and use of social networking technologies that enhance student interactions (i.e. discussion boards, wikis, blogs, chat rooms). Sustained, positive interactions amongst students and with the instructor promote engagement and support learning.
Modeling appropriate behaviors
Modeling of appropriate behaviors by the course instructor(s) is essential to creating an online community in which students feel safe to share their perspectives and experiences. Faculty must be willing to share their own struggles with course topics, their own relevant experiences, and the challenges they have faced participating in and facilitating respectful communities. Other means of modeling supportive behaviors includes offering immediate positive feedback to those who appropriately take risks in the opinions or experiences they share, and when possible drawing attention to these posts so that all can see why they are valued. It’s also necessary to offer immediate feedback to posts that violate classroom standards, with suggestions on how the post might be revised to meet the standards. At times this feedback is most appropriately shared publicly so all are aware of possible concerns, at other times more privately via email or other forms of direct contact.
Creating Opportunities for Respectful Interaction and Sharing
To respect student privacy but foster opportunities to share, it is helpful to create discussion or assignment topics that don’t force disclosure, but value its inclusion as a means of analyzing/considering the course topics. The online classroom may indeed offer some opportunities that are not available in the face to face classroom. First, there is the possibility of allowing anonymous sharing, either by authorizing anonymous posts, or allowing the student to privately send information to the instructor that the instructor posts on behalf of anonymous students. The former affords full privacy but prevents any accountability; the latter limits some privacy but allows the instructor to engage with the student about the content and to provide credit for the comment.
The online environment also allows students the opportunity to consider and reconsider what and how to share before posting to the class. There is therefore an opportunity for reflection and revision, helping the student to anticipate reactions and be comfortable with the content and tenor of what is being disclosed. This not only protects the student, but can also help them develop stronger writing skills, and by extension stronger empathic reading skills.
Finally, the delay between student posting and instructor response can place greater responsibility on classmates to facilitate the discussion and any potential support or challenge to the posting. As an instructor, when I read something that is highly personal, emotional or value-laden, or potentially inflammatory, I continually question when it’s best for me to react publicly, and when it’s better for me to allow time for others to consider the post before I step in. I will typically respond privately via email as soon as I’ve read such a post, but my public posting to the discussion board may be delayed to see how others will take responsibility for the discussion. I have not yet had the need to remove an inappropriate post, but I certainly reserve the right to do so for the benefit of the course.
Closing Thoughts
“Safety is not a goal in itself, but a prerequisite for the kind of classroom climate that can result in learning†(Teaching Diversity, 2006, paragraph 2). While safety and community is valued in all course settings, developing a respectful online community offers special challenges and opportunities. Through careful preparation and engaged facilitation, online communities can be fostered that lead to greater learning and stronger interpersonal skills.
References
Christophersen, K. (2008, April 18). Creating a Safe Classroom for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students. Magna Resources for Higher Education, Faculty Focus. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from http://www.magnapubs.com/issues/magnapubs_ff/5_20/news/601779-1.html?s=FF&p=MFCFEZ
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: Routledge.
Kerns, T. (n.d.). Safe classroom policy. Philosophy of Religion, North Seattle Community College. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from http://www.pioneer.net/~tkerns/religsite/busisite/safeclspol.html
Teaching Diversity (2006). Creating a Safe and Engaging Classroom Climate. School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from http://www.uww.edu/learn/diversity/safeclassroom.php