Student development & the course climate

Create a productive learning climate and support student development

• Make uncertainty safe and resist the temptation for a single right answer by validating different viewpoints, avoiding over-simplification, and reinforcing that a key purpose of discussion is not consensus but to enrich thinking.

• Facilitate active listening by having students paraphrase what someone else said, and checking-in about interpretations.

• Establish and reinforce ground rules for interaction to create an inclusive and respectful environment. You might even include students in the development of rules or standards of behavior for your classroom.

• Don’t ask an individual to be a spokesperson for a group (e.g., race, generation, nationality).