peer review

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Classroom Challenges in Higher Education

Kari Thompson

Keiser University

Dr. Andrea Thompson

EDU742-Classroom Management

March 24th, 2024

Classroom Challenges in Higher Education

The classrooms in higher education are exciting, inspiring, and promote learners eagerly attempting to reach life goals. Learners in higher education have established a foundation of education that they are building upon to pursue career goals. Educators in higher education provide academic expertise at a high level and come into classrooms with a wide range of life experiences to offer learners. The management of higher education classrooms is unique in a variety of ways. Educating large classes in massive lecture halls, organizing extensive lectures, and creating engaging coursework are a few of the challenges that educators must consider each day in higher education. Several challenges pose to be even harder to navigate as an educator. These include students disrupting class, student academic integrity issues, and students challenging teachers’ authority or grading.

Students Disrupting Class

The classroom environment is a space designed for enrichment, discussions, and growth. Educators spend hours of their time perfecting the classroom environment so that it promotes success and learning. A challenge can occur in the classroom at anytime and one of those major challenges is that students disrupting class. Disruption can come in a variety of ways; students talking to one another during a lecture, students texting or making calls during class, or even students sleeping during class. It is imperative that educators be prepared for a variety of classroom disruptions that can occur in a classroom so that it does not impede learning and the overall classroom dynamics.

A major challenge of disruption is texting/using a cell phone during class. Depending upon the environment and situation, this can be very distracting to the flow of learning, distracting for the educator, and disruptive to other students in the class. Zakrajsek & Nilson (2023) illustrated how tricky this behavior is for several reasons; the use of technology in the learning process and the addiction students have to their smart phones. Educators must consider having a cell phone/electronic device contract/rule list that is presented to the class on day one, following the schools’ policies on cell phone usage on school grounds, and educating students on the impact of distraction on their learning process. Evren (2011) discussed that mobile phone usage policies can regulate learners’ mobile phone use to minimize any negative effect and maximize the positive effects on learning during classes.

Another challenge of disruption in the higher education classroom is students having side conversations or talking to one another during classroom lectures/learning time. Educators being proactive with information in their syllabi for students is an important step to take to display consequences at the start of each class term. Knepp (2012) discussed in research that many instructors attempt to avoid dealing with student incivility by including classroom behavior-related policies in their syllabi. It is recommended that educators follow through with set consequences so that students understand the expectations of classroom disruptive behaviors. Educators learning the names of each student and creating active involvement of each student can minimize disruptive side conversations with learners.

It is crucial to think about and address any ethical and reflective decisions that educators need to consider while attempting to manage and change disruptive student behaviors. Training and experience help educators learn skills to handle disruptive behaviors. New educators seeking supervision and support from mentors are helpful in addressing decision-making choices to choose from. Seeman (2009) discussed that problems are best handled by either finding better ways to motivate students or by showing students how their behaviors may result in poorer grades. This can be done by speaking to students individually after classes or at office hours. Speaking with students individually takes away the embarrassment and potential ethical concerns that could occur by not allowing educators anger to rise during class time, which can occur with immediate reactions to situations, and this could result in saying something harmful to students.

Student Academic Integrity Issues

Student academic integrity issues within higher education can quickly become a major challenge for faculty. Boehm et al. (2009) discussed that unethical behavior occurs at many colleges and universities where dishonest students and their actions successfully disrupt the learning environment. An example of a student academic integrity issue is cheating. Reinhardt et al. (2023) illustrated that academic cheating has significant consequences that negatively impact the education system and has defined cheating as plagiarism, collaborative cheating, lying for extensions, and data manipulation. Educators, other students in the classroom, and the students who engage in cheating are negatively impacted by this behavior.

There are several solutions to consider as an educator when imposing rules, procedures, and policies on academic cheating. This involves educating students on the consequences prior to any cheating behavior that could occur. This can be demonstrated in the syllabus and classroom expectations discussed on the first day of class. Solutions to consider involve discussing, teaching, and enforcing academic honesty, the short term and long-term consequences of cheating, and moral decision making. Nesrin Hark Söylemez (2023) discussed that educational institutions support and strengthen ethical values in a variety of ways such as instilling awareness of ethical values in students, setting an example by having educators who embrace ethical values, offering ethics courses and programs, providing guidance on how to apply ethical values in real life-situations, facilitating group discussions, and enhancing skills to analyze and criticize ethical issues.

Handling student integrity issues within higher education requires consistency, planning, and preparation from educators/faculty. Orr & Orr (2023) discussed that a factor that relates to misconduct or academic dishonesty is the lack of knowledge of an institution’s expectations. Faculty and institutions can require students to sign a pledge that states that they understand the rules and policies for academic dishonesty. Orr & Orr (2023) illustrated that a traditional honor system includes an honor pledge, dual responsibility, a requirement to report oneself and others when a violation of the honor code has occurred, and an adjudication process in which students play a role in. It is imperative to have a step-by-step process with handling student integrity issues that is dictated by policies and procedures.

In the most recent years, the development of artificial software has become a major challenge for educators and faculty in higher education. Johnston et al. (2024) discussed that universities are currently facing challenges in how to incorporate generated artificial intelligence technologies into their curriculums and academic integrity policies. Potential solutions for this development are still being researched and tested within the higher education world. Involving students in the development of policies has proved to be successful as it gives them a voice in education policies. Johnston et al. (2024) illustrated that research suggests working collaboratively with students on developing policies and avoiding legal terminology in communications can be helpful to tackle this challenge. In the fast-developing world we live in, the world of education proves to always be advancing. This demonstrates the importance of updating policies and procedures on academic integrity issues that continue to develop and advance.

Students Challenging Teachers

In the classrooms of higher education, appropriate behaviors can be witnessed throughout campuses, universities, colleges, and online platforms around the world. Students in higher education often display professional conduct with their educators and peers as they have learned appropriate classroom behaviors throughout their educational journeys prior to higher education. However, from time to time, students challenging teachers and overall student incivilities can occur. Feldmann (2001) illustrated that classroom incivility is any action that interferes with a harmonious and cooperative learning atmosphere in the classroom. Unfortunately, this can occur when students challenge teachers’ authority or grading within the classroom.

Engaging in argumentative communication or blatant disrespect in the classroom can negatively impact classroom management in a variety of ways. Teachers and other students can be impacted in several ways by these behaviors in the classroom such as an increase in stress and anxiety, anger, a halt to learning, and overall tension filled in the classroom. Students challenging educators can be viewed as a form of bullying. Jones et al. (2024) discussed that academic incivility and bullying are compromised of similar behaviors and can include actions such as threats, exclusion, sarcastic or rude remarks excessive criticism, crude gestures, and physical attacks. It is important to note that these behaviors can occur in traditional face to face classrooms and within online learning environments.

Academic entitlement is becoming a growing concern within the higher education environment. Knepp & Knepp (2022) illustrated that academic entitlement occurs when learners possess an expectation of academic success without taking personal responsibility for achieving that success. An example of this would be a student attempting to convince an educator for a grade adjustment or change without putting in effort or following directions of an assignment. This could result in students challenging teachers’ rules and acting in disrespectful ways. Educators being proactive in their solutions for combating these students’ behaviors in the classroom is imperative.

The work for combating students challenging teachers starts before class even begins. This involves educator developing course syllabus that outline polices within the classroom. Knepp (2012) discussed that one-way faculty can enforce behavioral standards is having a discussion with students during the first few class periods about appropriate behaviors. It can be helpful to have students engage in the development of a classroom code of conduct. Having students become a part of classroom management and the rules of conduct in the classroom increases autonomy within students and allows for ownership in decision making on classroom rules. Another potential solution for handling students challenging teachers is modeling behavior that is expected. Frey (2009) illustrated that educators can focus on desired behaviors, versus undesired behaviors. It is important for educators to remain consistent in their own emotional regulation skills while enforcing policies and dealing with problematic student behaviors. Educators monitoring their tone and non-verbal’s during stressful interactions with students is vital to modeling appropriate behaviors.

Conclusion

The classrooms in higher education bring upon insightful learning and have eager learners ready to engage in achieving their goals. Faculty in higher education come with expertise and a wealth of knowledge to offer learners. Within those classrooms, challenges can be present, and it is imperative to be proactive about solutions for how to manage these challenges. Disruptive behaviors that impede learning, students’ integrity issues that challenge classroom policies and procedures, and students challenging educators are just a few of the examples that faculty must be prepared for. It is crucial to explore solutions that not only mitigate these challenges but also take into consideration ethical issues that can arise from these challenges. Educators being reflective in their decision-making process and seeking the best of tools to help sustain these solutions is vital to the world of higher education.

References

Boehm, P. J., Justice, M., & Weeks, S. (2009). Promoting academic integrity in higher education.  The Community College Enterprise, 15(1), 45-61.

Evren, S. (2021). The effect of mobile phone usage policy on college students’ learning.  Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 33(2), 281-295. https://0634ajib2-mp03-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1007/s12528-020-09265-9

Feldmann, L. J. (2001). Classroom civility is another of our instructor responsibilities.  College teaching, 49(4), 137-140.

Frey, K. A. (2009). Understanding Incivility in the College Classroom. Online submission.

Johnston, H., Wells, R. F., Shanks, E. M., Boey, T., & Parsons, B. N. (2024). Student perspectives on the use of generative artificial intelligence technologies in higher education.  International Journal for Educational Integrity, 20(1), 2. https://0634ajiox-mp03-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1007/s40979-024-00149-4

Jones, J. L. T., Campbell, L. O., Haugen, J. S., & Sutter, C. C. (2024). Academic incivility and bullying as risks for suicide, self-destructive behaviors, and harm to others.  Discover Psychology, 4(1), 17. https://0634ajjjx-mp03-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1007/s44202-024-00128-3

Knepp, K. A. F. (2012). Understanding student and faculty incivility in higher education.  Journal of Effective Teaching,  12(1), 33-46.

Knepp, K. A., & Knepp, M. M. (2022). Academic entitlement decreases engagement in and out of the classroom and increases classroom incivility attitudes.  Social Psychology of Education, 25(5), 1113-1134.

Nesrin Hark Söylemez. (2023). A Problem in Higher Education: Academic Dishonesty Tendency.  Bulletin of Education and Research, 45(1), 23. https://0634ajiox-mp03-y-https-www-proquest-com.prx-keiser.lirn.net/scholarly-journals/problem-higher-education-academic-dishonesty/docview/2827264568/se-2

Orr, J. E., & Orr, K. (2023). Restoring Honor and Integrity Through Integrating Restorative Practices in Academic Integrity with Student Leaders.  Journal of Academic Ethics, 21(1), 55-70. https://0634ajiox-mp03-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1007/s10805-021-09437-x

Reinhardt, N., Trnka, L., & Reinhard, M. (2023). The correlation of honesty-humility and learning goals with academic cheating. Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 26(1), 211-226. https://0634aiayx-mp03-y-https-doi-org.prx-keiser.lirn.net/10.1007/s11218-022-09742-2

Seeman, H. (2009).  Preventing disruptive behavior in colleges: A campus and classroom management handbook for higher education. R&L Education.

Zakrajsek, T. D., Nilson, L. B. (2023).  Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.