This webinar covers strategies for facilitating respectful and constructive discussions of sensitive diversity topics in online courses. The webinar will discuss how discrimination is displayed online, where online bullying occurs most, and types of difficult students. It will provide guidelines for managing heated discussions, tips for addressing sensitive topics while maintaining civility, and techniques for responding to online conflict. Attendees will learn how to deal with topics like race, gender, religion, and how to respond to acts of racism, sexism, and other discrimination in online spaces. They will also explore examples and share experiences from their own online classrooms.

1. By Brian C. Steinberg, ABD
http://www.briancraigsteinberg.com
Secretary, Faculty Senate
Allied American University Online Faculty
President and CEO of The Ally Group
http://www.theallygroup.net
Property of: The Ally Group
2000-2014 All Rights Reserved.

2. This webinar will give key strategies and techniques on how to deal with
very sensitive and emotional diversity topics and issues in the online course
room. Some of these topics will include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, and religion. This webinar will also address the issue
of how to deal with students who display acts of racism, ethnic slurs,
sexism, homophobia, Islamphobia, inappropriate communication
to students with disabilities, and religious discrimination.
Presenter: Brian C. Steinberg

4. 1. Introduction and Objectives
- Opening Cartoon Concepts
2. How is discrimination displayed in the online course room?
3. Where do you think online bullying occurs the most?
4. What are the different types of difficult students in the online classroom?
5. Key Strategies and Techniques for dealing with sensitive and emotional diversity topics in the online course room.
6. Strategies for keeping online students focused and on task:
7. Guidelines & Ground Rules for Converting "Dangerous Discussions" to Constructive Communication: When Things Get Hot:
13 Guidelines for Discussions
8. Top 10 Tips for Addressing Sensitive Topics and Maintaining Civility in the Classroom:
9. Responding Effectively to Online Conflict
10. Dealing with specific sensitive topics in the online course room.
11. Recent Issues
12. Different levels of interaction in dealing with difficult students:
13. Formal Written Responses:
- Example Response: To Individual (Problem) Student
- Example Response: To Individual (Victim) Student
- Example Response: To Class
14. How to deal with students who display acts of racism, ethnic slurs, sexism, homophobia, inappropriate communication
to students with disabilities, and religious discrimination.
15. How to Deal with Social Media Conflict
16. Tools, Tips & Resources
17. Examples, Stories, and Question.

5.  The participant will learn how discrimination is displayed in the online course room.
 The participant will learn key Strategies and techniques for dealing with sensitive and
emotional topics and issues in the online course room.
 The participant will identify and learn the guidelines & ground rules for converting
“dangerous discussions" to constructive communication / when things get hot: guidelines
for discussions
 The participant will learn about the top 10 tips for addressing sensitive topics and
maintaining civility in the online classroom:
 The participant will learn how to respond effectively to online conflict.
 The participant will learn how to deal with specific sensitive topics in the online course
room.
 The participant will learn how to deal with social media conflict.
 The participant will share examples from their own online classroom and ask each other
questions

18. How do online students display acts of racism, ethnic slurs, sexism,
ableism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, religious/spiritual discrimination, and
other forms of abuse, bias, oppression, and discrimination?
1. Main Course Room (entire class vs. personal attacks)
2. Learning Teams
3. Student to Student(s) via E-mail or private course room
communication.
4. In papers the student turns in.
5. Outside of the online class (Twitter, Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn,
MySpace, YouTube, etc.).
How is discrimination displayed in the online course room?

20. Where do you think online bullying occurs the most?
a) Chat Room
b) Social Networking Sites
c) E-mail
d) Mobile Phone
e) Other (Texting and Twitter)
f) MSN Messenger
g) Other Websites

21. 2009
Taken from: http://www.parentline.com.au/parenting-information/tip-sheets/cyber-bullying.php

23. TYPES OF DIFFICULT STUDENTS IN THE ONLINE CLASSROOM:
According to Ko 2004 there are four kinds of difficult online students:
1. Noisy Students
- responds to almost every post.
- seem to distract and frustrate the instructor and all students.
- get them to transfer their “noise” and energy to discussing issues with their
fellow students.
2. Disruptive Students
- uses abusive language toward both instructor and students.
- act swiftly, warn/confront student, document and report it.
3. Know-it-Alls
- student thinks they are the instructor and takes over.
- challenge the student more in class.
4. The Belligerent Student Who Hasn't Kept Up / Needy Students
- thinks the class is moving too fast and tries to slow everyone down.
- focus on the student and don’t let them draw and drain the class.
Susan Ko and Steve Rossen. Teaching Online: A Practical Guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004

24. “there are always four elements to the conflict: (1) you, (2) the other person, (3) the topic,
and (4) the climate.
Figure 12.1 illustrates a circle where each one of the conflict elements makes up one
quarter of the circle. In order for the circle to be whole, it must include every element. The
first three elements of conflict are easy to understand. The you of a conflict is anyone who
deals with the second part of conflict—other people. The topic,of course, is the subject of
what you and others are talking about. The climate of a conflict can be the physical
environment and objects (on the phone, face to face, in the kitchen or office, on the
computer, the temperature of the room) but also the emotional level of the topic.”
Page 150: The Online Teaching Guide: A Handbook of Attitudes, Strategies, and Techniques for the Virtual Classroom,
Ken W. White and Bob H. Weight, editors. Copyright © 2000 by Allyn and Bacon, Inc., an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc.

25. Key Strategies and Techniques for dealing with sensitive and emotional diversity topics in the online course room.
1. Set expectations from the very first communication.
2. Foster an atmosphere of civility and respect.
3. Make your expectations clear to students.
4. Address problems quickly and effectively (Flame Wars vs. Blow Ups).
5. Know when to handle problems yourself, and when they should be referred to
others.
6. Try to remain neutral on some of the more controversial, emotional, and
sensitive topics such as, abortion, gay marriage, marijuana, the death penalty,
etc.). Ask students to use documented research and facts to support their ideas
and opinions.
7. Always try to be proactive and not reactive.
8. Always be professional.
9. Document everything!
10. Confront all cheating and plagiarism swiftly!
Modified from http://www.facultyfocus.com

26. 1. Create clear expectations, guidelines, and goals from day one!
- Example of a post I use:
Hello Class,
Since this course deals with very sensitive and emotional diversity
issues, I ask that you always practice the golden rule by treating
everyone in this class with the utmost respect, extreme dignity and
worth. Please treat everyone else like you would want to be treated.
Once you mastered this, you may want to move to the next level past
the golden rule and practice the platinum rule where you treat people
like they want to be treated.
I also ask that you back up all of your opinions and ideas with
documented facts and research.
And finally, in certain situations it might be best if you agree to
disagree and move on.
Thanks,
Brian

28. Enter any other language here.

29. 1. Set expectations from the very first communication.
2. Reinforce due dates, schedules and timelines for achievement of
objectives.
3. Post materials and conduct activities on a pre-set schedule.
4. Allow students to keep track of their own progress.
5. Be organized – students take cues from their instructor.
Strategies for keeping online students focused and on task:
Susan Ko and Steve Rossen. Teaching Online: A Practical Guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004

30. Guidelines & Ground Rules for Converting "Dangerous Discussions" to Constructive Communication
When Things Get Hot: Guidelines for Discussions
When Things Get Hot: Guidelines for Online Discussion.
Downloaded from http://www.tltgroup.org/profacdev/DangerousDiscussions/guidelines.htm#When%20Things%20Get%20Hot, 5/18/2009.
From article by Peter Frederick, cited at this URL.
Dangerous Discussions- Basic Ground Rules
1. No "Them"
2. Safety and Respect
3. Formulate Issues Constructively
4. Common Ground
5. No "Hijacking"

31. 1. Develop guidelines with participants for acceptable classroom behavior.
2. Demonstrate/model that discussions are about ideas and issues, not personalities.
3. Listen and reflect (mirror) what participants say.
4. Be aware of one’s own feelings and willing to talk about them (including confusion and
uncertainty).
5. Trust participants' capacity for self-restraint and civility.
6. Learn when to intervene and when to wait by trusting our intuition.
7. Try to establish a climate where participants can risk making statements of which they are
uncertain.
8. When discussion is falling apart:
Name the tension. Acknowledge it out loud.
If it feels appropriate, call "time out" as a way of breaking the mood
Ask participants to reflect on what has just happened in terms of both content and process.
Ask participants to write for a few moments ("What's going on right now and how would you/we like
to continue?")
Discuss in groups of no more than three
Resume the large group discussion.
When Things Get Hot: 13 Guidelines for Discussions
When Things Get Hot: Guidelines for Online Discussion.
Downloaded from http://www.tltgroup.org/profacdev/DangerousDiscussions/guidelines.htm#When%20Things%20Get%20Hot, 5/18/2009.
From article by Peter Frederick, cited at this URL.

32. 9. When someone says something especially sexist, racist, homophobic, or
inappropriate: “Gently invite him/her to self-correct.”
10. When someone sticks with an inappropriate remark? Stall. Own one’s own feelings. And
then…..???
11. Formulate topics/questions to respect opposing views.
12. Acknowledge widely shared relevant opinions first.
13. Articulate contextual factors that make a topic more/less dangerous for some participants.
When Things Get Hot: Guidelines for Discussions- Continued
When Things Get Hot: Guidelines for Online Discussion.
Downloaded from http://www.tltgroup.org/profacdev/DangerousDiscussions/guidelines.htm#When%20Things%20Get%20Hot, 5/18/2009.
From article by Peter Frederick, cited at this URL.

33. Top 10 Tips for Addressing Sensitive Topics and Maintaining Civility in the Classroom:
1. Create a classroom environment that from the first day sets ground rules for discussion and makes it
clear that all students are included in the work of the class. Make sure you make all students feel
connected to each other, the class, and the topic, and establish strong expectations about the content
and manner of communication.
2. Recognize the diversity of opinions and backgrounds of your students. Learning takes place from
exposure to a wide variety of views. Be open to all perspectives, and ask students to voice their points
responsibly.
3. Add a statement to your syllabus. Explain any material or topic you plan to introduce that is sensitive or
controversial, so that students are prepared for potential sensitivity issues. Explicitly state the classroom
norms for communication and dialogue, and provide students with a specific understanding about how to
frame their opinions.
4. Be prepared. Even if you do not think there will be a reaction to an issue you raise, plan ahead what you
will do if you encounter one. Know yourself and your own emotional triggers. Don’t personalize remarks.
5. Foster civililty in the classroom. Focus the discussion on the topic, not the individual student. Don’t
personalize the exchanges or the comments. Foster an environment of debate and dialogue in which it is
OK to disagree.
6. Protect all students equally during moments of potential conflict. Seek to draw out understanding and
communication as well as opinions. Ask them to step back, listen to other opinions, and analyze why
they feel the way they do.
7. Ask students to take time out for reflection. Assign a writing exercise about the issue as a calming follow
up to discussion. Or assign a research paper or essay, in which students must argue for the position with
which they disagree.
Center for Teaching and Faculty Development at San Francisco State University in Effective Classroom
Management: http://ctfd.sfsu.edu

34. 8. Use your office hours. You may need to discuss issues outside class, particularly if a student has been
emotionally affected by pointed remarks or argued stances. Help them learn from the experience, and to
voice their opinions thoughtfully and civilly by engaging them in out-of-the-class conversation.
9. Acknowledge hurtful or offensive remarks. When student comments and/or actions are potentially hurtful,
immediately move the dialogue to less personal examinations of why words can hurt. Ignoring the situation
will leave other students feeling unprotected and victimized, and give tacit permission for the behavior to
continue. If you are unable to find a workable position, let students know that this is an important issue and
that you will address it later.
10. Know both your rights and your responsibilities as a classroom instructor. If a student suffers from an
emotional reaction or angry outburst because of a sensitive topic discussion, acknowledge it, and ask them if
they would like to remain or leave for a while. If you feel the situation is serious, inform Counseling and
Psychological Services.
Top 10 Tips for Addressing Sensitive Topics and Maintaining Civility in the Classroom: Continued-
Center for Teaching and Faculty Development at San Francisco State University in Effective Classroom
Management: http://ctfd.sfsu.edu

35. Responding Effectively to Online Conflict:
1. Using descriptive language
2. Setting limits- Statements should explicitly qualify the nature and extent of
the conflict as well as set clear boundaries.
3. Offering support- Statements should express understanding, acceptance, or
positive regard for the other person.
4. Emphasizing commonalties and relationship reminders- Statements should
comment on common ground.
5. Initiating problem solving- Statements should initiate mutual consideration
of solutions.
6. Fractionating- Break conflicts down from one big mass into several smaller
pieces.
7. Defusing.- Continually ask yourself: “How well am I responding to conflict?”
The Online Teaching Guide: A Handbook of Attitudes, Strategies, and Techniques for the Virtual Classroom, Ken W.
White and Bob H. Weight, editors. Copyright © 2000 by Allyn and Bacon, Inc., an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc.

36. 8. Express empathy—The professor communicates with the students from a position of
power, but the professor still respects the student and practices active listening.
Despite the power associated with being the professor, the teacher recognizes that the
behavior that needs to be changed can be changed only by the student.
9. Develop discrepancy—Students are motivated to change when they perceive a
discrepancy between where they are and where they want to be. The professor can
make students aware of this discrepancy. “You want an A in this course and yet you are
regularly losing points by not being in class to take the quizzes.” “You want to be a
successful manager and yet you fall asleep whenever you lose interest. What’s going to
happen when the staff meetings you’re required to attend get boring?”
10. Avoid argumentation—Arguing with students only makes them more resistant. It is
highly unlikely that the professor is going to persuade a student (whether that student
needs to come to class or get work done on time). A more indirect approach may be
better. “When you miss class, you are wasting money. You pay for each class and get
nothing when you aren’t there.”
11. Roll with resistance—Don’t meet it head on. Invite the student to think about the
problem differently. Rather than imposing a solution, see if the student might not be
able to generate one. “You missed the assignment. What’s a fair consequence for
that?”
Successful Classroom Management, The Teaching Professor, October 2008.

37. How do you deal with the following topics in your online course room?
-Race “Racism does not occur anymore because we have an African American President now.”
-Ethnicity “Jews are cheap.” “Irish people drink a lot.”
-Gender “Women need to stay at home with the kids while the man works.”
-"I might wait and buy the vacuum for my wife as a birthday gift so it would be helpful in her duties
as a housewife."
-Sexual Orientation “That’s so gay.”
-Disability “I don’t understand why you can’t understand my post, what are you, retarded?”
-Religion/Spirituality
- “Jesus is the only savior and if you don’t believe in him, you are going to hell!”
- Actual Pastors and Preachers in your class? Lots of Bible Quotes?
- Middle Eastern Issues (Jews, Muslims, Christians)
Dealing with specific sensitive topics in the online course room:

38. RECENT ISSUES:
1. Mosque at Ground Zero
2. Obama is a Muslim and not born in the USA
3. Muslims in the USA and the Muslim religion in general
4. Arizona and Immigration Reform/Debate
5. Evolution vs. Creationism
6. Gay Marriage and Prop 8
7. Global Warming / Climate Change
8. Benghazi!

39. Different levels of interaction in dealing with difficult students:
Minimal Intervention: A private E-mail/Post conversation with each student via course
room.
Medium Intervention: A private phone call to each student
Moderate Intervention: A teleconference phone call between both students.
High Intervention: Address the situation to the entire class via the main course room.
Last Possible Action: Removal of a student(s) from the Class

40. Hello XXX Student,
How are you?
I wanted to discuss with you your recent communications with XXX Student. I have
found your interaction with XXX to be very disrespectful and not conducive to
learning. Respectful communication is a requirement of the AAU Code of
Conduct.
Please take this message as a warning. The next time you disrespect a student you
will be referred to the AAU Provost’s Office who will review the situation.
I know that you will not participate in this type of negative behavior again as we are
all here to help each other, learn, and treat each other with the utmost respect and
dignity.
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
Thanks,
Faculty
Example Response: To Individual (Problem) Student
You may want to encourage the student to make the appropriate apologies.

41. Example Response: To Individual (Victim) Student
Hello XXX Student,
How are you?
I have addressed the remarks/posting with XXX and reviewed the student conduct
policy with them.
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
Thanks,
Faculty

42. Example Response: To Class
Hello Class,
I wanted to remind everyone to please respect each other in all communications
(Main Forum, Individual Forum, E-mail, Learning Teams, and any outside contact
you have with your fellow online learners.
This is your fair warning; any communication that is not positive and degrades or
disrespects another student will be handled accordingly.
We can not learn in an unsafe environment where students are disrespecting each
other. We all come from diverse backgrounds and abilities. Please remember we
are all here to help and learn from each other.
Thanks you for you understanding and cooperation with this very serious matter.
Thanks,
Faculty

43. How to deal with students who display acts of racism, ethnic slurs,
sexism, homophobia, inappropriate communication to students with
disabilities, and religious discrimination.
- Dealing with Faculty to Student Conflicts.
- Dealing with Student to Student Conflicts.

44. Prepare your response:
1. Defining the problem
2. Deciding what action to take
3. Doing or taking action
4. Anticipating outcomes
Defining the Problem:
1. Are all the facts known?
2. What is the main issue or root cause of the conflict?
3. What is the situation surrounding the conflict?
4. Has the student exhibited this type of behavior before?
Deciding to Take Action:
1. Should you take action right away?
2. Let the student(s) work it out on their own?
3. Take no action?
4. Automatically refer it to Academic Affairs?
5. Was a policy broken?
Taking Action:
1. Do you have a plan? Who will you confront? Individual student(s)? Whole Class? How?
Anticipating Outcomes:
1. Have you addressed the issue well enough so it won’t happen again?
Bower, A.B. & Bower, G.H. (1991). Asserting yourself: A practical guide for positive change. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley

45. Bower & Bower (1991) suggest using the “DESC” formula to respond to
difficult students and situations:
Describe: Use concrete terms to describe the situation or the other person's
behavior; describe the action, not the motive.
Express: State your feelings or your reaction in a positive manner, directing
your comments to the offending behavior, not to the whole person.
Specify: Indicate the concrete actions you want to see stopped, and those
you want to see performed.
Consequences: Spell out what will happen if the behavior or situation is not
resolved-what the next steps might be.
Bower, A.B. & Bower, G.H. (1991). Asserting yourself: A practical guide for positive change. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley

46. HOW TO: Deal With Social Media Conflict:
1. Don’t take it personally
2. Process before responding
3. Find something to agree with
http://mashable.com/2009/02/22/social-media-conflict

49. AAU Faculty have the support of their Dean and the PSA as well if the
student is becoming unruly in the class.