Teaching Excellence Handbook

A safe learning environment is free of threat of emotional or psychological harm and allows students to risk exploring difficult issues and express their views honestly. Emotional dynamics are different for each student. But there are general ways we can establish a learning climate that allows all students to participate and work with issues that are challenging to them. We want students to express their ideas without threat of judgement or prejudice. We want students to believe that their ideas are valued. Students will experience conflict but you as the instructor can help manage this conflict. 

Holley and Steiner (2005) investigated student perceptions of a safe learning environment, the following characteristics were discovered: 

The instructor:

• Avoided judgement and bias
• Provided ground rules
• Demonstrated comfort with controversy and conflict
• Required classroom participation
• Demonstrated caring for each student
• Shared about self and was comfortable and knowledgeable

The peers:

• Had good skills of discussion and were good listeners
• Shared their thoughts honestly
• Were nonjudgmental and positive
• Had a sense of community
• Challenge the thoughts of one another

Ways to create a safe, inclusive learning environment

• Examine your own assumptions about your students.
• Learn about your students and helping them students know one another through activities such as icebreakers or group work.
• Use inclusive language that can be understood appropriately by all in the classroom. Provide definitions if cultural translations are indicated. 
• Provide examples representing diverse backgrounds.
• Avoid asking one individual to speak for a group.
• Determine if multiple perspectives are represented in your curriculum.
• Strive for fairness in everything you do.
• Provide genuine feedback to students.
• Demonstrate that you expect the class to be a participatory environment
• Conveying that you care about your students and are approachable
• Establishing guidelines for discussion and classroom behavior

Carnegie Mellon Eberly Center. Create an inclusive learning environment. Retrieved from: https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/learningenvironment.html