Teaching topics that are controversial or emotionally difficult is both rewarding and daunting. Whether it relates to introducing students to theories of crime, discussing mental health diagnoses or unpacking debates around sex and gender, controversial content can provoke strong reactions and often challenge the personal values of those in our classrooms. But how do we move past this discomfort and into a zone of personal and academic growth?
In our teaching of forensic psychology, we face these challenges head-on. We recently redesigned a module that dealt with one of the most sensitive issues in our field – sexual offending – to move away from a lecture-heavy model towards an approach rooted in interactivity, problem-solving, and applied learning. This shift has not only supported students’ learning but also created a safer, more inclusive classroom. Here’s how we approached this.
1. Set the scene early
Students have a right to know what they are walking into when they enter a classroom. We make time in the very first session to establish expectations – both our expectations from the students, and their expectations of us – for engagement with each module. This includes:
• Content warnings: identify and acknowledge when sessions may cover distressing material. While the evidence for the effectiveness of trigger warnings on emotional responses to challenging content is lacking, being transparent allows students to feel included and prepared for learning.
• Respectful dialogue: we co-create classroom norms with students and encourage active listening and constructive disagreement while being mindful of learners with lived experience of trauma.
2. Balance expertise with student ownership
One of the risks of teaching difficult material is slipping into the role of an expert whose ideas cannot be challenged. But our experience is that the most meaningful engagement happens when students feel they have both a say and, importantly, a stake in their learning.
Instead of exclusively delivering lectures peppered with small discussions, we paired each topic on our module with a workshop designed around applied tasks. After the initial lecture, students had a couple of days to prepare for workshop activities such as debating a case formulation, designing a public education campaign or undertaking mock risk assessments. These activities positioned students as active contributors, not just recipients of knowledge, while also embedding important employability-related skills into the curriculum.
By taking ownership of their learning in these workshops, students became more invested in the material – even when it was uncomfortable or confronting.
3. Use structured interactivity
When it comes to sensitive topics, unstructured interactivity can quickly drift into noisy arguments that become dominated by a few determined voices. We therefore designed a scaffolded approach to our workshops, guiding learners through tasks in a structured way. Some of our favourite examples include:
• Role-based debates: students argue from specific perspectives (for example, policymaker, clinician or survivor advocate), or are asked to adopt a view that is contrary to their own. This encourages empathy and reduces defensiveness in the classroom.
• Prompted case-based reflections: short sections of thinking designed to help students apply theory to different problems, break the tendency to run with instinctive views about difficult topics.
- From clashing egos to compassionate debate in the classroom
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4. Acknowledge discomfort as part of learning
Avoiding discomfort is not a realistic goal when teaching controversial issues and ideas. Instead, we frame such discomfort as natural and an important part of the learning process. Rather than ignoring feelings of anger and disgust about sexual crime, for example, we invite students to acknowledge these views and explore why they feel this way. We might ask:
• What view is being challenged?
• Does discomfort identify a clash between personal and professional views?
• How can discomfort help us to build resilience and empathy?
This approach shows our students not only that we validate their reactions, but also assists them in developing the critical thinking and professional skills that they will need when entering work contexts.
5. Model reflexivity as a teacher
Educators often feel compelled to keep their views private and maintain a professional boundary with their students. But we find it useful to be open about our own assumptions about the topics we teach.
Teaching sensitive topics is not a neutral act, and the selection of module content is in some way a reflection of our own biases as educators. We acknowledge this in our classes, and invite discussion about what is “missing” from the curriculum. This crucial feedback allows us to refine the content of the module while actively reflecting – in real time – on why some topics are absent. This demonstrates how to navigate sensitive topics and use reflexivity as a tool for personal and professional development.
Teaching controversial or sensitive topics is challenging, but it can also be some of the most rewarding work we do as educators. Our experience tells us that students thrive when they are active participants in modules, rather than passive receivers of information. While the specifics of teaching difficult topics may differ across disciplines, the principles remain the same. With care, structure and openness, sensitive topics can become powerful catalysts for learning.
Craig Harper and Rebecca Lievesley are associate professors at Nottingham Trent University.
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