Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Students will achieve high academic standards if they feel safe, valued, and supported.

By itself, the classroom can be a stressful environment for students, particularly those for whom university culture is new and different from their home and community cultures. There are many things faculty can do to make the classroom a less stressful and more inviting and supportive environment. Here are some good resources:

• Faculty Focus: Effective classroom management
• Learn 2 Study: Reducing Stress Among Students
• Northern Illinois University Office of Ombudsman (podcast): Promoting Civility in the Classroom
• Oregon Counseling & Testing Center: Discouraging Disruptive Behavior

Better learning outcomes and higher rates of postsecondary completion will not occur through attention to curriculum and pedagogy alone. The learner matters in the learning, and attention must be paid to every learner’s readiness to learn. Colleges and universities cannot ensure high-quality learning—and therefore cannot achieve their mission, accomplish their goals, or serve their valuable social, economic, and civic purposes—without attending to the mental and behavioral health concerns of their students. We cannot effectively educate students or prepare them to be leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs without responding to the factors that affect their ability to learn. Recognizing and treating anxiety and depression, effectively managing stress and behavioral health problems, and improving the quality of the learning environment can all be expected to strengthen learning outcomes for students of any age and in any context.

From:

Behavioral expectations in the educational setting

All Instructors are highly encouraged to articulate clear behavioral expectations for students in their respective course syllabi. To prevent disruptive behavior, the following should be reasonably expected of all students in the educational setting (from Bloomsburg University):

• Acting in a responsible and respectful manner
• Attending classes and paying attention. Students are responsible for any material presented in class. Students may expect the instructor to clarify material already taught but not to re-teach the material missed.
• Coming to class on time and staying until dismissed. If a student has to enter class late, he or she should do so in a manner so as not to disrupt the class. Students should not leave a class once it has begun unless it is absolutely necessary. This applies to testing situations as well, until the student has completed the test.
• Respecting the right of others to speak uninterrupted. Students must allow others time to give their input and ask questions.
• Turning off unnecessary electronic devices before class begins. Students should ask permission of the instructor for any electronic devices used in the classroom, except those medically necessary (such as hearing aids, etc.).
• Focusing on class material during class time. Sleeping, talking to others, showing audible and visible signs of restlessness or boredom, doing work for another class, reading the newspaper, checking e-mail, and text messaging are unacceptable classroom behaviors.
• Waiting until the instructor has dismissed class to pack class materials so as not to miss important closing information
• Expressing disagreement civilly, when and if disagreement occurs

Disruptive vs. distressed behavior

Disruptive behaviors

The term "classroom disruption" means behavior a reasonable person would view as interfering with the conduct of a class. Examples of increasing seriousness include (from Oregon State University):

• making distracting noises
• persistently speaking without being recognized
• repeatedly interrupting
• resorting to physical threats or personal insults.

Distressed behavior

Faculty and staff can play an extremely important role in referring students for help. They are frequently in a position to first observe signs of distress and, although it's not always apparent, students typically hold faculty and staff in high regard. Signs that a student is distressed include:

• excessive class absences
• declining academic performance
• poor emotional control
• excessive moodiness
• sleeping and/or eating habits that change dramatically
• excessive concern about personal health
• persistent depression
• talking openly about suicide
• repeatedly engaging in risky behavior.

How should faculty respond to disruptive and distressed student behaviors? Appreciating the complexity of this question is the first step. One significant challenge is distinguishing "benign" disruptive behaviors (e.g. immaturity) from behaviors resulting from stress and anxiety. Another is that different faculty will have different emotional responses to the same student behaviors. Similarly, a response that might be very effective for one faculty member may not be effective for another. Such differences are not a matter of "better" or "worse" but simply reflect the reality that faculty-student interactions are highly relational and context dependent. The better faculty understand themselves and the many possible causes of disruptive and distressed student behaviors, the more likely faculty will respond appropriately and effectively.

It is also important for faculty to realize that most are NOT trained counselors and that -- despite their best intentions -- faculty can sometimes cause more harm that good if they respond inappropriately to particular situations. Nevertheless, there are general guidelines faculty can use to increase their effectiveness in responding to and reducing disruptive and distressed student behaviors.

Cases of known or suspected sexual harassment or assault involving CSUMB students comprise a special category because all university faculty and staff are required by law to report suspected cases to CSUMB's Title IX Office. It is important to note that faculty are NOT expected to evaluate whether a suspected case of sexual harassment or assault warrants Title IX action. Rather, faculty are only required to report suspected cases. The Title IX Officer will determine whether a response is required.

For more information, see CSUMB's Title IX Website

What is an Ombuds? - Ombudsman is an old Swedish word that has been used for centuries to describe a person who represents or protects the interest of another. Organizations typically have two types of ombudspersons: formal ones and informal ones. The second group vastly outnumbers the first. Almost all organizations employ people to whom employees turn when they don’t know how to handle a problem. This “go-to person” may be a middle manager, a foreman, or an ombudsperson.

CSUMB resources

• Campus Safety & Conduct Resources
• Student Conduct
• Personal Growth and Counseling Center (PGCC)
• Student CARE Team

External resources

• • Inside Higher Ed: Class Problem
  • James Madison University: Coping with Disruptive Students in the Classroom
  • Oregon State University: Disruptive Behavior
  • University of West Georgia: Disruptive and distressed student behavior