Instructor responses to disruptive student classroom behavior: a study of brief critical incidents

ABSTRACT

This study used rhetorical and relational goal theory to examine the different ways college instructors respond to disruptive behaviors by students in the classroom. Student participants provided and described a critical incident involving a disruptive classmate that either was or was not handled effectively by the instructor. Results identified differences between effective and ineffective instructors’ responses. Although teachers responded to similar types of incidents, there were thematic differences between what students named as effective and ineffective responses, with effective teachers managing both rhetorical goals and relational goals successfully. These teachers facilitated an open discussion, provided explanations to students’ questions, remained composed and respectful, and managed cumbersome issues outside of the classroom. In contrast, ineffective teachers insisted on their own view and/or dismissed students’ voices, ignored and/or avoided students’ concerns, escalated conflicts, or indulged students or issues for too long. They showed little attention to relational goals and did not pursue highly effective rhetorical goals. Furthermore, participants often had strong, negative lasting impressions when instructors handled issues poorly.

KEYWORDS:

• student resistance
• dissent
• challenge
• disruption
• rhetorical relational goal theory

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their feedback on this manuscript.

Notes

1 While the term disruption is used throughout this paper because it is sufficiently broad to capture a wide range of student behavior, students were prompted to provide examples of dissent or resistance because we believed this everyday terminology would focus students more on purposeful student behavior that warranted a response from instructors.