Organizing a safe space for discussion in the online civics classroom

14 January 2022

It is often a challenge for teachers to manage complex discussions in the online civics classroom. But leading a discussion online comes with additional challenges. (How) can you do this in a safe way? Isolde de Groot, lecturer in Education at the University for Humanistic Studies, developed this ethical dilemma together with Yaël Weening of mboRijnland and Sara O'Brien of MIT. It is available on the Harvard University website Justice in Schools.

The paper shows you a case study at a vocational school (MBO). Teacher Linda is used to discussing socially sensitive topics with her students in class. But when she deals with a question online, she is confronted with new dilemmas. She discusses it with her fellow teachers. 

Case study: Feeling Exposed in Online Class.

Justice in Schools (JiS) is a Harvard University website designed for teachers and policy makers to address ethical dilemmas. The website does not give answers, but searches for the right questions, in order to share experiences and learn from different points of view.

It is often a challenge for teachers to manage complex discussions in the online civics classroom. But leading a discussion online comes with additional challenges. How can teachers and schools make online classrooms safe for students and instructors? Isolde de Groot developed this ethical dilemma together with Yaël Weening of mboRijnland and Sara O'Brien of MIT.