Empathetic policies

A major pitfall in the development of coursework is the one-size fits all approach. Many academics fail to appreciate the diversity in their classrooms when presenting material despite student demographics that are known at the university level. Tailoring examples and activities to better serve our student populations shows students that we are invested in them and their success. Material that caters to a predominantly White, affluent, or younger audience will not equally benefit those with diverse identities including non-White, English as a second language, or older students (Yamauchi, etal. Reference Yamauchi, Taira and Trevorrow2016). Similar to avoiding racially biased SAT questions, allowing flexibility in the presentation of materials provides equal opportunity for engagement to all students.

Strict course attendance policies are another example of a common practice that harms students with diverse needs. Although mandated attendance, through discussion, in-class assignments, or pop quizzes are great for enforcing attendance, it is not uniformly believed to be better for learning. Regarding social justice, it can even be argued that these policies can adversely affect students, particularly the ever-increasing percentage of “nontraditional” students who work full time, have families, commute long distances, or are from low-income families. Although it can be argued that attendance policies are not trying to systematically disadvantage these students, it is likely that many disadvantages are a byproduct of mandatory or pseudo mandatory attendance policies that do not allow for work to be submitted after an arbitrary due date has passed.

Related to this, many classes have policies for absences that require “evidence” of the cause of the absence (e.g., a doctor’s note for an illness). This, at least in the United States, is discriminatory to students who are, more often than not, required to see a medical professional despite a lack of insurance or infirmary provided by their college or university. There are many who have experienced faculty who act as though their title serves as a moral platform to judge the merit of an absence. Ultimately, those who enact these policies increase the stress and school–work–life conflict that research has warned against for decades. Our willingness to be open to accommodating student needs can make the difference between success and failure. If policies encourage students to dismiss work rather than hand it in late, they will learn less than those who are given the opportunity to catch up. In the way a manager builds trust with their employee, we should try to give students the benefit of the doubt, build trust, and show empathy and support when needed. We must remember that even a small gesture of kindness or compassion can show students that we are invested in their success, which creates a success-focused environment that enhances motivation (Covington & Roberts, Reference Covington, Roberts, Pintrich, Brown and Weinstein1994).

Meaningful learning wth transferable skills

In contrast to meaningful hands-on experiences, busy work can be detrimental to students’ perceptions of course meaningfulness. For each assignment, there should be a clear need and application of coursework to increase the students’ understanding of learning objectives. If we assign work beyond what is necessary, we undermine the effectiveness that the work is expected to have on learning. A meta-analysis on the effects of homework found that it increased learning up to a point, where 1.5–2.5 hr of homework was optimum, but any more than that had negative effects on achievement (Cooper etal., Reference Cooper, Robinson and Patall2006).

Meaningful work can contribute to life satisfaction (Williamson & Geldenhuys, Reference Williamson and Geldenhuys2014), and for many students their academic life dominates their personal life. In a study by Duffy etal. (Reference Duffy, Allan and Bott2012), the relationship between students’ perceived career calling and life satisfaction was mediated by academic satisfaction. Creating meaningful course work, grading fairly, and providing realistic applications can increase student satisfaction and perceived meaningfulness. For example, guest speakers had a positive influence on pharmacy students' learning and career opportunity awareness (Zorek etal., Reference Zorek, Katz and Popovich2011). If you do not have practitioner experience, bringing in guest speakers can further develop academic content and help students make connections to real world applications. In some instances, guest speakers may provide realistic job previews.

Instilling and respecting student work-life balance

At the end of the day, your class is not your students’ only priority. They have other coursework and outside responsibilities. Many students must balance school, work, and family responsibilities that include, but are not limited to, full or part-time work, caregiving, or community responsibilities. We need to construct our courses such that material is accessible for every type of student in our classes. That does not mean we have to sacrifice quality, but it does require effort in constructing helpful and concise assignments, providing resources for students to use outside of lectures, and being available to assist students who reach out for help. Flexibility is critical to being able to accommodate students. Acknowledging that people have outside priorities and providing them with work–life balance can ease their anxieties, create a more open and honest environment for communication, reduce stress, and increase their motivation to do well in class (Sprung & Rogers, Reference Sprung and Rogers2020). Making an effort to reduce the burden of your course, even if it is only by a couple assignments, can go a long way in terms of building a trusting relationship with students where they feel supported and are able to perform to the best of their abilities.