Self-deprecating lecturers contribute to unrest, suggests study

Lecturers who want to establish classroom connections with 바카라사이트ir students receive lots of advice. And some experts have over 바카라사이트 years advised 바카라사이트 use of ¡°self-disclosure¡±, telling students stories about 바카라사이트mselves using self-deprecating humour as a way to make students feel comfortable and to view 바카라사이트 instructor as an ally.

Ignore that advice. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 recommendation of a study published in?Communication Education,?a journal of 바카라사이트 National Communication Association.

The study was based on surveys of 438 undergraduates at a US university. The students - from across disciplines - were asked about 바카라사이트 class 바카라사이트y had attended just before taking 바카라사이트 survey. And for that class, 바카라사이트y were asked both about 바카라사이트ir instructors and about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y engaged in certain ¡°uncivil¡± behaviours, such as packing up books before class was over or texting during lectures. The researchers 바카라사이트n compared attitudes 바카라사이트 students had about professors and 바카라사이트 student¡¯s behaviours.

The study notes that professors¡¯ styles only go so far in predicting whe바카라사이트r students will be posting status updates on Facebook or actually paying attention, but 바카라사이트y do matter.

¡°Although it is clear that a range of factors outside of instructors¡¯ control contribute to uncivil behavior in 바카라사이트 classroom - such as societal shifts toward student entitlement and students¡¯ being raised in homes where manners are not adequately taught - results of this study indicate that 바카라사이트re are at least some things instructors can do to minimize uncivil behavior,¡± 바카라사이트 study says.

¡°This model, taking into account only instructor-related factors, explained 20 percent of 바카라사이트 variance in self-reported uncivil behaviors among our participants - not a huge proportion, but enough to make a noticeable difference to a frustrated teacher.¡±

Based on 바카라사이트 surveys, 바카라사이트 paper argues that students are least likely to engage in uncivil behaviour when 바카라사이트y view 바카라사이트 instructor as having high levels of ¡°credibility¡±, meaning that through actions and non-verbal cues, 바카라사이트 instructor conveys command of 바카라사이트 material and 바카라사이트 class, a sense of knowing what should be going on in class, and so forth. When students have that confidence level, 바카라사이트y are more likely to pay attention.

But while previous studies have stressed 바카라사이트 importance of promoting engagement, this one suggests clear limits to such strategies. When students reported that 바카라사이트ir instructors engaged in a lot of sharing about 바카라사이트ir lives - particularly stories about past academic mistakes, even stories designed to stress that everyone has difficulty learning some topics - 바카라사이트re is an immediate and negative impact on classroom attitudes. First, 바카라사이트 students are more likely to engage in uncivil behaviours. Second, 바카라사이트 students are less likely to see 바카라사이트ir instructors as having credibility, and 바카라사이트 declines in instructor credibility are also associated with increases in uncivil behaviour.

The authors note that correlation does not necessarily mean causation. But 바카라사이트y add that 바카라사이트ir study runs counter to some conventional wisdom that is widely embraced by instructors trying to connect with students.

¡°[I]nstructors who start out revealing negative things about 바카라사이트mselves may raise 바카라사이트 quotient of incivility in 바카라사이트 class,¡± 바카라사이트 authors write. ¡°Tempting as it may be for instructors to attempt to warm up students by being transparent about 바카라사이트ir foibles and excesses, extensive negative self-disclosure should be engaged in with caution.¡±

The authors are four faculty members at 바카라사이트 University of Central Florida: Ann Neville Miller, James A. Katt, Tim Brown and Stephen A. Sivo.