Managing polarising topics in the classroom
As educators we often find ourselves engaging with students on topics that are hotly contested. Sometimes these topics are core to the curriculum and need to be covered. Other times we may choose to introduce such topics as a means to engage students in learning about particular concepts. Very often students will initiate discussion of contested topics, particularly those that they care deeply about or that affect them personally, and the surfacing of these topics may be quite unexpected.
Introduction
In leading students through discussions on contested topics, we are typically seeking to achieve three key objectives:
- An open and enquiring environment in which students feel free to express their views
- An inclusive environment in which all students feel safe, respected and supported
- An educational environment that draws on disciplinary and professional knowledge to inform debate, and in which students learn how to engage with diversity of viewpoints in a civil and constructive manner
The University’s commitment to these objectives is articulated in many policies and procedures, most significant of which are the Freedom of Speech Policy, the Student Charter and the Academic Freedom of Expression Policy.
All first-year undergraduate students complete online Joining Melbourne modules on ‘Freedom of Speech in Education and Research’ and 'Respect, diversity and inclusion', which set out expectations and obligations relating to respectful discussions in class.
This short guide provides some initial advice for educators in managing polarising topics, beginning with steps you can take prior to teaching, then discusses some elements of leading class discussions, and ends with links to some useful and practical resources.
When we say ‘polarising’ we are referring to those contested topics on which students are likely to have very strongly held views and/or sensitivities. Our role as educators is to ensure that classroom discussion of such topics does not become divisive, antagonistic and hurtful. The guide does not discuss examples of polarising topics and the positions we might take in relation to each.
If instead you are seeking advice on how to respond to a student being disruptive in the classroom or student protests, please see the Guide for Educators 2024 produced by Student and Scholarly Services
Being prepared
When preparing for teaching, consider what contested topics are likely to be discussed in class. These may be topics mentioned in the lecture or readings, topics that you intend to raise as examples, or topics that students might introduce because of a link with the curriculum or with current events.
Reflect on how confident you feel about leading discussion on these topics. In addition to reading the advice below, it may be helpful to learn more about the topic, or to discuss likely scenarios and possible approaches with colleagues.
If there are issues you feel strongly about, or which affect you personally, consider the extent to which you feel comfortable disclosing your own viewpoint or personal connection to the issue. Some students may be keen to know where you stand, as an authority figure in the class. In some cases speaking genuinely about one’s personal position on a topic can be helpful in building rapport with students and creating a space for others to come forward. But be aware that this may also have a dampening effect on discussion since many students may be reluctant to share views that are contrary to their teacher.
Setting the ground rules and expectations in class
Establishing a positive classroom dynamic is always an important element in fostering student engagement, but is especially important in shaping the way the group engages with difficult conversations. Where possible, it is advisable to defer discussion of contentious topics until the group has been able to engage effectively with easier conversations.
Before tackling potentially polarising topics, it is important as a facilitator to set some expectations. This can be difficult, since what is considered appropriate or inappropriate often depends on the context, the educational purpose of the discussion, and the impact upon others in the class.
Some guidance is provided by the Joining Melbourne Module for first year undergraduates on ‘Freedom of Expression in Education and Research’, which speaks of the need for “respectful expression of views in class”. It sets expectations of students as follows:
“Freedom of speech has a positive value on university campuses. Open discussion of new and different ideas is a way of testing them rigorously. This enables learning and the pursuit of new knowledge. Freedom of speech also comes with the responsibility to exercise that freedom appropriately, with respect for others. Freedom of speech and its limits are most obviously at issue when it comes to controversial or contested social and political ideas.”
“At university, freedom of speech means the entitlement to express one's view so long as the expression is not harmful to others.”
The module takes students through several cases which test the limits of freedom of speech in universities, before providing some practical guidance on what constitutes a respectful expression of views. You may find following extract from the ‘Freedom of Expression in Education and Research’ module for students helpful in setting the ground rules in your class.
Extract from the Joining Melbourne ‘Freedom of Expression in Education and Research’ module for first year undergraduate students Respectful expression of views in class One aspect of growing into your new role as a university student is working out how to participate appropriately in discussion and academic debate. This is just as important as learning academic writing skills and analytic techniques. As you've seen, the university expects you to do this as part of your education, but there are various things to juggle in doing this, some which may be harder than others depending on your personal background, experience and style. Some examples of this are:
Features of a respectful and constructive expression of a disagreement or opposing view are:
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Framing a potentially polarising topic
By framing a potentially polarising topic well at the outset, you have an opportunity to steer discussion in a constructive direction. If you know that a contested topic is very likely to arise in a class, consider including the topic in your introduction to the class at the beginning of the session. If a contested topic arises as the class is underway, you might take a moment to frame the topic before opening up class discussion.
When framing a contested topic in your class, you might:
- Reflect on how the topic relates to the educational objectives of the course, the subject or this week’s class
- Note if the topic was discussed in the lecture or readings, and remind students of this
- Note that there are a range of viewpoints on the issue, and that some students may find the topic challenging
Overcoming student self-censorship
One common issue educators face when engaging with contested topics is the reluctance of many students to participate in discussion. This may be due to students’ fear of:
- Implicitly criticising others by disagreeing with what they have said
- Being judged by others who hold different views
- Revealing one’s lack of knowledge on the topic
- Causing offence by saying ‘the wrong thing’
Our challenge as educators is to allay these fears over time by creating an environment in which students feel safe to speak up and to ask questions. Building such trust within a group can take time.
One approach to encourage hesitant students to engage with contested topics is to depersonalise the discussion by speaking about the viewpoints themselves, without the need for anyone to personally endorse or oppose the positions that are being discussed.
Focusing on learning
As educators, our role in leading discussions on contested topics is to ensure that these contribute to students’ learning.
Where possible, try to connect the discussion with the learning objectives of the class, ie “that is an interesting example of the concept we’re discussing this week”. You could pose this as a question to the class, and have students consider the points of intersection.
If the discussion is straying too far from the learning objectives, it might be time to sensitively end the discussion and move on to another topic. This is a matter of reading the room. While some student might want to spend a considerable amount of time discussing a particular topic that they are passionate about, others may feel that their class time is being wasted and be waiting for you to get the class back on track.
Diffusing highly charged discussions
Some degree of discomfort is to be expected when engaging with contested topics and a diversity of viewpoints within a group, especially for students who seek to avoid conflict or who feel deeply about the topic. When facilitating difficult conversations it is sometimes helpful to name the discomfort that you think some in the room might be feeling.
If you feel that a discussion is becoming overly heated or antagonist, the group is becoming polarized, or some students are feeling quite uncomfortable, there are a number of ways you might intervene to steer the conversation in a more respectful and constructive direction:
- Reiterate the ground rules, noting the types of contributions that might be considered disrespectful and praising those that are more constructive
- Reframe the discussion in relation to the learning objectives of the class, ie “what have we learned from this discussion about X”.
- Focus attention on the main features of the debate rather than arguments about particular details, ie “Can we identify the key points of agreement and disagreement in this debate?”
In cases where you are concerned about the behaviour of one or more students, the Guide for Educators 2024 produced by Student and Scholarly Services provides the following advice:
Extract from Guide for Educators 2024
Concerning individual student behaviour, heated conversations between students
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At the end of the class
At the end of a class in which you have been engaging with contested or polarising topics, it may be helpful to end by acknowledging that some students may have found it uncomfortable and that the discussion may have brought up sensitive issues. If the discussion was overall constructive you could thank the class for the way they conducted the discussion. You could praise the types of contributions that you were respectful and constructive, and ask that in future we try to refrain from those types of contributions that were not.
Depending on the nature of the discussion, you might like to:
- Ask students in turn to say a few words about how they are feeling about the discussion, providing an option pass if they prefer
- Ask students to take a moment to write a short reflection on how they found the class and any issues they would like to return to next time
- Ask students to turn to a partner to share their closing thoughts on the discussion
- Encourage students to reach out to you or an appropriate member of the teaching team if they would like to raise any issues, make sure they have your email address
After class
If you can, linger after class so that students who would like to speak to you are able to approach you afterwards.
In rare cases a student may shares with you that they are experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression or be generally overwhelmed, and that they have been particularly affected by the discussion. If a student is seeing an existing health professional (e.g., a psychologist, counsellor, etc), encourage the student to discuss their situation with them in the first instance. If a student doesn’t have existing support, refer the student to the University’s Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS). CAPS also offers an After Hours and Mental Health Crisis Support Service outside of business hours, including 24 hours on weekends and public holidays: Phone: 1300 219 459, Text: 0480 079 188.
If you think there are student conduct issues that might need to be addressed before the next class, raise this with an appropriate senior colleague. Concerning behaviour should be reported to the Academic Registrar to assess whether any action needs to be taken.
Further resources
Getting Started with Managing Classroom Conflict, Cornell University Centre for Teaching Innovation
- A short list of very practical tips for dealing with incivility, conflict and disruption in the classroom
Navigating Classroom Conflict: Cultural Insensitivity, Arizona State University Graduate College
- Provides practical advice on responding to culturally insensitive or inappropriate conduct, from unintentionally offensive assumptions or comments to intentionally prejudiced conduct
Calling in Classroom Conflict, Shadia Siliman, Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning, Ohio State University
- Advice on responding to conflict between students in class, with a focus on dealing with offensive remarks
Handling conflict in an online environment, Evan Ogg Straub, University of Michigan Centre for Academic Innovation, 2023
- A short tip sheet with a focus on differentiating between productive and unproductive conflict, and deciding when and how to intervene
Teaching Into Conflict: Tips for Managing Hard Classroom Conversations, Karlyn Crowley, Inside Higher Education, 15 March 2022
- A reflective account of a US lecturer’s efforts to create “authentic and powerful” educational spaces
Proceed with caution: the trouble with trigger warnings, Jessica Gildersleeve, India Bryce & Kate Cantrell, The Conversation, 21 December 2022
- A brief discussion of the pros and cons of trigger warnings, with interesting accounts of the experiences of several Australian universities
Managing Classroom Conflict, Center for Faculty Excellence, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004
- A more detailed discussion of strategies for conflict prevention (clarifying expectations and developing social cohesion) and management.