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A Perspective on Faculty-Student Communication for Distance Education

Laurie Hulcher

Assistant Director for Graduate Student Relations

Graduate School of Management and Technology

Published: January-February 2007

Category: » Online-pedagogy » Classroom-communication

In the electronic environment the written personae is everything.  While lectures, texts, and supplemental materials constitute the body of knowledge for the classroom experience, the words and language of faculty communication, through outreach, response, feedback, and questioning are its heart.  In a time-honored article for the American Association for Higher Education, student development theorists, Arthur Chickering and Stephen Ehrmann advance Chickering’s classic "Seven Principles" approach to higher education by supporting the effective use of communication technologies.  The primary principal focuses on quality student-faculty interaction. "Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of class is a most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working" (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). Regarding the use of technology such as email, they add in part, "It is often easier to discuss values and personal concerns in writing than orally, since inadvertent or ambiguous nonverbal signals are not so dominant" (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996).  So, considering the range and diversity of cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds of students in programs designed for working adults, how can faculty 'style' their written communication so that it is not only beneficial and motivating, but supports growth and well-being?

First, some background on non-traditional students

1. Working in the middle of the twentieth century, Erik Erikson was the first educational psychologist to extend the theories of development across the span of a lifetime. Under Erikson’s theory, at each stage of life the individual is presented with a personal crisis, spurred by internal or external factors, and they must make a choice about the next path to take in their life.  According to Erikson’s theory, an important stage occurs during the middle adult years, known as generativity vs. stagnation.  Here the person is presented with the need or opportunity to make changes that will affect not only him/her self, but also future generations.  These changes may include new job or retirement or layoff; new lifestyle; new residence; new family structure; or new personal goals.  So there are decisions to be made: shall I make the leap, do what it takes, reach for the stars, hunker down, cut back, or keep on?  However, when a person chooses changes and if he or she is successful, there are many gains: new skills, new opportunities, higher self-esteem, and more confidence to address future challenges (Hamrick, Evans, & Schuh, 2002, p. 34-35).
2. Graduate schools dedicated to non-traditional adult students have a unique situation.  Here the mission is to support adult learners: those who have made the critical choice to attempt change, to meet their challenges and opportunities by earning advanced degrees and certificates, and to seek the personal and professional rewards these degrees and certificates will bring.
3. Remember, that despite making the important positive decision to return to school for an advanced degree, many non-traditional students face both internal and external stressors because of the perception that the timing of their graduate education may not be age or life-stage appropriate.  Life-course theorists of student development hold forth that life-events such as returning to college "off-time" necessitate additional levels of support if the outcome is to be a positive one (Hamrick et al., 2002, p. 41-42).
4. Adult students, while generally very enthusiastic about the opportunity to attend graduate school, may see their enthusiasm diminish once they become deeply involved in the competing time demands of school, work, and family. They are usually juggling multiple life activities and must learn to allocate their time accordingly.  Further, the stress of competing time demands when coupled with any other classroom conflict, may lead students to use a more confrontational communication style.  Students need positive assistance to realize their readiness level, understand their limitations, and then grow academically.
5. Many non-traditional students return to school from long careers in the managerial arena.  Sometimes these students have difficulty letting go of the management role and realizing that classroom management is in the purview of the faculty member teaching the course.  This is not an anomaly.  Meanwhile, other non-traditional students have had many years of passive career experience.  They need to learn to face challenges and accept responsibility for the actions that will bring about their success.
6. Students look for support from representatives of the University with who they are in most frequent contact – the faculty member teaching course.  Therefore, growth and development, both personally and academically, will come from positive communication experiences with faculty.

Tips for Positive Communication

Faculty-student communication can be a sensitive activity, especially if it involves bad news, conflict, or confrontation.  The most valuable type of communication is not only helpful, but reflects empathy for the student and his/her situation.  Problematic communication can be a result of anything from a bad hair day to low self-esteem, poor judgment, language deficiency, home or work problems, or an inability to cope with classroom schedules or materials.  Above all, remain objective and allow the student to state his or her concerns.  Once you are sure you know what the student wants, you can respond with specific information, directions, or reassurance.

Here are some communication tips:

Try: "Thank you for taking the time to write."
Or:  "Here’s where you earned points for this assignment…."

Try: "I understand that you are having some difficulty with this [assignment, course, deadline]."
Or:  "Looks like you’re finding […] problematic."

Try: "When posting a response for conferences the conventions to follow are…."
Avoid: "I'd like to suggest that your difficulty in following the directions for this assignment may signify a lack of ability to handle the subject matter."
Avoid: "It's inappropriate for you to question my judgment."

Try: "Let's see what can be done to resolve your concerns about the class schedule."
Or: "I appreciate your input about (willingness to speak out about, feedback for improving, etc.) the class.  It’s true that we are covering a significant amount of material in this 15-week semester."
Avoid: "This course has been part of our curriculum for the past 10 years and no one has ever complained before."
Avoid: "I have been a professional in the […] field for more than 15 years, and I am certainly qualified to teach this class."

Try: "It's true that I have not posted your grade for the midterm exam yet.  I read your exam and I will post the grade with feedback by tomorrow evening."
Avoid: "Your assertion that I am not attentive to my students is clearly uncalled for.  I will get to your exam as soon as I can.!"

Try: "I understand that your grade for Question 2 was not what you expected.  Although you were able to earn partial credit, the problems were…."
Avoid: "Your response to Question 2 was horribly substandard."

Once you have given all the information and direction that you can, it may be time to bring an end to a back-and-forth discussion.

Try: Repetition -- restate what you said earlier, perhaps with further clarifying language.  Once the receiver understands that the message remains the same, it's likely that he or she will cease writing.  For example, "As I mentioned in my last email...."
Try: Closure – Summarize the discussion and let the person know that you understand all his/her points.
Try: Referral – If the student insists on escalating the matter it may be time to find another person to handle the issue.  Contact your Program Director or Chair for information on responding to the student's request. 

Case Scenarios

Students write to their instructors with questions, comments, complaints, and requests for help with their academic and personal situations.  Most students are very professional in their written interaction.  However, sometimes students exhibit problematic behavior in their correspondence -- bullying, anger, indecisiveness, fault-finding – to name a few.  Read each of these scenarios and decide how you might respond, in order to support the student and help to bring about an appropriate resolution.

Case #1

You receive the following message from Student A: "Dear Professor: I just noticed my grades on the first two assignments and they are really low.  There are so many things going on in my life.  I am a single parent.  I have two young children and I work full-time.  You probably won’t find any student more dedicated than I am.  I really want to get a good grade in this class.  What should I do?" What is your response?

Case #2

Student B spends the first month of the semester developing an outline and annotated bibliography for a research paper that is due close to the end of the semester and is weighted at 20% of the final grade.  When you receive the work you realize that Student B is clearly off-topic to the assignment, although the work is related to the subject matter of the course.  Directing the student to pursue a new line of research means he/she would need to start over.  However, if you allow the student to continue, he/she is risking a low grade.  What feedback will you give?

Case #3

You posted the Monday-Monday midterm exam and it is Thursday evening.  You receive the following high priority email from Student B: "Dear Professor, I'm writing to you because I have a problem with the exam.  I didn't know that it was going to involve so much research and writing time – much more than in any other course!  Today my boss told me that I have to leave for business travel on Sunday. I Probably won't have a good internet connection.  That gives me two less days than the other students in the class.  Surely, I can't finish it in time and it just wouldn't be fair.  Can I have more time after I get back from the trip?  That seems reasonable to me.  I hope you can be reasonable too.  Thanks very much."  How will you respond?

References

Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, October 24, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2006, from http://2md.osu.edu/edtech/pdfs/seven_principles.pdf

Hamrick, F. A., Evans, N. J., & Schuh, J. H. (2002). Foundations of student affairs practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bibliography

Graduate School of Management & Technology: Career Forward (2006).  Adelphi: University of Maryland University College. Retrieved October 24, 2006, from http://www.umuc.edu/prog/gsmt/gsmt_brochure.pdf

Christiansen, M. D., Cochran, S. V., & Corkery, J. M. (2000). Dealing with difficult people: A training program. Iowa City: University Counseling Service, The University of Iowa. Retrieved October 24, 2006, from www.uiowa.edu/~ucs/difficult.pdf

Elkind, D. (April 5, 1970). Erik erikson's eight ages of man: One man in his time plays many psychosocial parts. New York Times, pp. 207. Retrieved October 24, 2006, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers database.

Neugarten, B. L. (1979). Time, age, and the life cycle. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 136(7), 887.