Incivility In Higher Education Learning Spaces

Abstract Book of the  9th International Conference on Future of Teaching and Education and Humanities

Year: 2025

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Incivility In Higher Education Learning Spaces

Dr. Sarita J Robinson, Lorraine Dacre Pool, Clare Winder, Jodie Smith and Dawne Gurbutt

ABSTRACT:

Anecdotal reports suggest that post-pandemic student behaviour within Higher Education learning environments has become more uncivil. The current study examines the seriousness, frequency, and type of uncivil behaviours observed by academics at a UK university. Academics were asked to complete an online questionnaire which looked at the level and severity of student incivility they had experienced while teaching. Participation in the study was voluntary, and the questionnaire was adapted from Ausbrooks, Jones, and Tijerina (2011). In addition to reporting uncivil behaviours, participants were asked to provide basic demographic information (gender, ethnicity, age) and the academic discipline area in which they worked. The additional information collected was used to establish whether certain subject areas, or specific groups of academics, experienced higher levels/more problematic student behavioural challenges compared to others. Finally, participants were asked to provided details of any successful strategies that they had used in order to manage incivility. This paper will therefore provide a better understanding of student behaviour within Higher Education learning spaces, and practical solutions for educators facing incivility in their classrooms.

keywords: uncivil, behaviour, university, lecturer, classroom management