Classroom Management

If students are feeling disengaged, you may find that they are quick to indulge distractions. In person, this may entail them playing on their computers or phones, talking over you while you’re teaching, and so on. If this happens, you can pause the lesson to ask for their attention. If this doesn’t work, it can be helpful to move around the room while you’re teaching, speaking to groups of students directly to keep them engaged, and offering a more dynamic learning environment if possible. It can also be helpful to pause to ask questions or get the class to work through a problem to refocus their attention. Finally, if you’re teaching a multi-hour class, it may be that students require a break to get up and leave the room in order to come back ready to be focused on the class. It is recommended that you do schedule breaks in any class longer than two hours.

In an online environment, disengagement may take different forms, like cameras being turned off, a lack of participation in chat/discussion and other active learning exercises, and possibly even rude or inappropriate behaviour.

Whether teaching in in-person or online settings, the principles of mutual respect, responsibility, dignity, and consideration for the well-being of others must be upheld. For example, if teaching online, online etiquette known as netiquette should be followed. Netiquette is the standard for communicating and good behaviour on the internet, which applies to all online communication—from email, to the online classroom, to social media platforms. Students should be encouraged to think before they type, treat others with respect, and to act online as they would in person. With respect to video and web-conferencing contexts, even a student’s presence should meet this standard, with clothing being appropriate for a classroom setting, and backgrounds being free of things that others may find offensive.

 In keeping with McMaster’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, all students share responsibility in maintaining a positive environment for the academic and personal growth of all McMaster community members, whether in person or online. As an instructor, your role goes beyond simply reminding students of expectations of netiquette and McMaster’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. You also need to be aware of the privacy and security settings of any virtual platform you plan to use in your course so you can work to prevent opportunities for unwanted, disruptive behaviour, and know how to take appropriate action if and when it occurs. For example, you should know how to mute the virtual class, mute an individual student, remove an individual student, and abruptly end the session for all students if need be.

If a student breaches netiquette or McMaster’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities guidelines, be sure to respond quickly to the situation and to document and follow-up on the incident. For disruptions that are particularly egregious, you may also want to consider emailing McMaster Student Support and Case Management at sscmo@mcmaster.ca for support. This will provide you with an opportunity to consult with a case manager who can address your concerns.

In the case of an emergency, don’t hesitate to contact Campus Security. You have several options for doing so:

• Phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 24281 OR 905-522-4135
  • Any University Phone – Dial 88
  • Any on-campus pay phone – Dial “Security Button”, no charge
  • Safety App
    • The official Safety App of McMaster University is integrated with the institution’s safety and security systems. To learn more about it and/or download the app, please visit the Safety App page.
  • In Person: Main Security Office – E.T. Clarke Center, Room 201 (use Floor 1 Intercom)
  • Email: security@mcmaster.ca