The scene: A person stands at the kitchen counter, a spoon in one hand and a cell phone in the other. A child stands at her side, pulling at her skirt. Her cell phone hand reaches to toss the phone on the floor.
How many times should a professor send an email when a student does not turn in an assignment? Should I send one at all? With everyone being so Zoom-fatigued, how much time would a student have for a meeting?
Often professors feel as confused about reaching out as students do. In spite of our feelings, reaching out can make a difference in a student’s ability to get help they need at critical times.
When a student stops attending class, it is often too late to take action to address any learning problems or need for accommodations that may have arisen. If I was teaching a class that met on campus, I would notice that the student stopped coming. I might notice behaviors that indicate they may be about to stop coming. Perhaps they appear to not enjoy class. Perhaps they arrive late often. (Lawson, p. 214)
In an online class, there is no opportunity to observe these behaviors. Instructors are often as uncomfortable with the online environment as students are. Especially in the era of the COVID pandemic, when classes have been moved online out of necessity rather than out of student preference, there is often resentment and anxiety about the use of this medium.
It is sometimes tempting to think that it should be the student’s responsibility to reach out for help if they need it. On the other hand, students feel immense anxiety about contacting a person whom they have never met. What if they are bothering them with too many questions? What if their questions are stupid?
Professors hold power in the classroom simply because of our status. We can use that power to oppress, or we can use it to empower. When a student misses the first assignment, we have an opportunity to use our power to encourage.
Stella Hurd explains that the online environment can be anxiety-inducing for students who have difficulty with arranging for their own structured time. She explains further that one particular type of anxiety is associated with deficits in comprehension, impaired vocabulary learning, and other performance difficulties. (p. 7)
A positive relationship with the professor can greatly reduce anxiety by empowering students to receive help. Much of my time spent in tutorials with students is actually time spent teaching the use of technology or assisting with arranging study strategies. This time only happens after contact is made successfully.
Receiving an email that simply asks, “How are you doing? I noticed you did not turn in assignment xxx. Are you ok?” can open the door to meaningful discussion. As often as I say in lectures and on the discussion boards, “Please email if you need help,” I still find that students feel timid about emailing or calling.
Michael Lawson identifies a hierarchy of intimacy in electronic communications ranging from least intimate (comments on assignments) to most intimate (Skype or Facetime calls). People have preferences regarding these levels of intimacy just as they have preferences regarding personal space. However, lack of contact does not necessarily indicate a person’s personal preference. In the technology world, it can indicate anxiety about what is proper in this setting.
When communicating with students via email, I define clearly the times that I am willing to accept phone calls, including my time zone. Students are often accustomed to calling a professor during a prescribed period on a specific day of the week. Since I also work at home, I recognize that I am not the only person whose schedule is hectic. I ask only that the student leave a voicemail if I do not answer.
Once I have sent an email, I have made myself more human. Most of the students who receive emails follow up with an email or call.
Sources
Hurd, Stella. 2005. “Autonomy and the Distance Language Learner.” In Distance Education and Languages: Evolution and Change, eds. Börje Holmberg, Monica Shelley and Cynthia White. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters.
Lawson, Michael. 2015. The Professor’s Puzzle: A Practical Guide to an Academic Career. Nashville, TN: B&H.
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