After some 21 years teaching online in the University system, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no absolute one thing that has more emphasis for student success than others, except life. I’ve tried course corrections (Navy); revisions to materials ad infinitum (at Vol. 74); communications efforts that has the FCC asking for advice; Soft Skills efforts that has made the Work Force smile; and, writing skills tactics that would make Edgar Allen Poe begin ‘raven’ over these efforts! There are many theoretical foundations for these noted items, and more. Let me say it this way: online students on the other end of the wire encounter life before they encounter educational requirements.
You might argue that this is not very applicable to helping students; until you sincerely begin to see them as they experience events in their lives. A few examples: I wonder why some students won’t communicate regularly only to find out that they are working two jobs, or have lost family, or they are afraid to ask for help (yes, even that!). I have had several military graduate students who are dealing with PTSD, and as a Navy Veteran myself, I understand how difficult it can be to open up and share such things with your “instructor.” And, some students simply struggle to balance life while achieving the educational goal of their dreams. Enter empathy.
Empathy theories1 explore how we understand and respond to the emotions and experiences of others. Researchers might refer to this last statement as phenomenological, or the lived experiences of individuals. I simply call it helping students where they are. It goes beyond the notion of being open and accessible, to being inquisitive about my students—not prying, invasive, or demanding—but a healthy dose of empathy. The type of empathy that allows your students to open themselves up to others—namely, their instructor! Sounds dangerous? Consider the alternative.
A military officer, who had served in a hostile environment, was an excellent writer, thinker, organizer, and student. At the outset of the course, I had noticed that his signature file had a photo of him in uniform. I put on the empathy hat and commented on military experiences, and opened the door for him to share his own. That’s when I heard an amazing story of loss, hurt, and fear. The reasons for all of these, I will refrain from noting, but let it suffice to say this: my empathy for him pegged the meter of not only being an instructor to him, but a listener, a sounding-board for him to open up and share what was a hinderance to him. What did this “empathy” do for him? He was able to see that the experiences of his life were not his enemy, and that his time in my class–which was highly important for him in terms of his career—included acceptable discussions of those experiences that allowed him to feel okay to share and release many things he held onto and protected. In other words, while he was struggling with all these life issues, empathy enabled me to help him in many ways to let go of the past, focus on his future plans, and enjoy the learning before him.
Often, if we as teachers would take just that extra moment to open ourselves to listen to our students, it is amazing what we can hear. And once we hear, we can become an empath to enable our students to overcome some of life’s issues that keep them from being able to hold together life, school, work, family, and other things.
You might say, “Isn’t this the job of trained counsellors?” I might counter-opine, “I suppose so, in the Professional sense. But, are we as teachers not a form of counsellor? A potential empath to listen and help as we are able with our students?” Why can’t we as teachers listen significantly more deeply to our students, and actually hear what they are saying? And when we hear their voice in a manner of calling out for help, even in the smallest way, we can empathize with those difficult life times. Stated differently, listen to hear what they are saying!
Here are a few things that I do:
- I remind my students from day one…if there is anything they need help with, contact me any time of day of night, and always keep me informed of issues that impact their progress.
- I tell them often that I will leave no one behind, because every student is important to me. Someone in my own past classes assisted me by listening and helping, which made an incalculable mark on my life, and I will pay that debt as long as I teach.
- Not only do I use email, I offer to call, text, use semaphore, carrier pigeon, or whatever it takes to get the “Comms, 5×5”2 so we can chat and solve issues they face.
- If an assignment is late and the student tells me that “the dog ate my paper”, I respond, “Well, tell me all about it!” [Proper Empathy Applied!]
- I allow, after evaluation of work submitted, students to resubmit work. This is early in the semester so that they can readily see how the work is to be submitted, i.e., APA, grammar, other details. Why? Because if I wanted perfection, I might consider leaving the profession of teaching—as there are no absolute perfect outcomes in the world (my own empathy at work here).
- I allow my students to give me feedback in real-time. Say what? Why do this? Because sometimes I hear frustration in the learning process, and if I allow them to tell me what’s on their minds (properly done), I can hear what I need to do to help them individually, and often, collectively. Empathy at work!
- And finally, unless there is a major, serious issue at work, I let my defenses down and find humorous ways to release tension, even as I am doing 1-6 above. Another way to say this is: I don’t crush the objective of “Comms, 5×5” for the sake of getting the job done. Stated even differently: while the work is important, empathy helps me to treat my students as learners, not as “briefcase experts!”
So, when students struggle, I care as probably the vast majority of my co-teachers/professors do. But, walking that extra mile with them, for them, and applying empathy…we can make a huge difference in their lives for the rest of their lives if we but take the time to listen, hear, and be proactive FOR them! Why teach or lead or strive to move the status quo forward in the lives of people and/or a nation? We are but one end of the wire in online instruction, and lest we forget, the other end is our purpose for teaching! Therefore, let empathy—alongside your/my credentials and experiences—help our students to release their apprehension, fears, and worries about the success in our respective classes.
Lastly, while there are numerous theories of empathy, let us be the applied part of those theories. Our students will be the recipients for a lifetime!
Dr. Kenneth E. Scott, EdD, taught in the community college setting for 32 years and is now in his 21st year in the university setting. He continues to teach at Amridge University, a primarily online institution. He has been teaching online for 30 years and has a background in electrical engineering, systems design/software engineering, and business leadership and technology. He also served 11 years in the U.S. Navy.