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\nEvery year instructors carefully plan what they\u2019re going to teach during the semester. Then something significant happens that makes us pause and we have to resist the temptation to teach what was planned for the next day.<\/p>\n
\nEvery year instructors carefully plan what they\u2019re going to teach during the semester. Then something significant happens that makes us pause and we have to resist the temptation to teach what was planned for the next day.<\/p>\n
The perfect storm was created over the past two weekends at Queen\u2019s University, with\u00a0large student gatherings during homecoming that violated public health regulations<\/a>, saw excessive drinking, risk taking and misogynistic attitudes and behaviours displayed by some of our students.<\/p>\n Our attempts to teach what we had planned seemed irrelevant. As\u00a0instructors who teach<\/a>\u00a0and research peer processes<\/a>\u00a0in aggression, curriculum transformation and how to leverage curriculum to respond to local and global challenges, we felt the need to respond.<\/p>\n We had deep concerns about the behaviours and attitudes that were demonstrated, and were saddened that this didn\u2019t reflect our experiences with the students as we know them in the classroom. That urged us to have discussions that required critical thinking and reflection about what had happened and the impact it had on the students, the university and the community.<\/p>\n What is teaching for if not to facilitate deep learning, critical thinking and personal growth in moments where we witness the values that we stand for crumble?<\/p>\n We need to have classroom conversations now, and make bold and innovative changes to identify long term solutions. What happened at Queen\u2019s University these past two weekends can\u2019t happen again.<\/p>\n These gatherings are not new but there is a heightened sense of urgency to be more effective and intentional in how we address them. These conversations could start by unpacking with students\u00a0why people behave differently in groups than when they are alone<\/a>.<\/p>\n When people act in groups (like the students that gathered on the streets<\/a>), they are more likely to see themselves as anonymous and\u00a0this reduces their sense of responsibility and accountability<\/a>.<\/p>\n When people are in a group they are more likely to engage in aggressive and risky behaviours they may not normally do on their own. This is likely because they think\u00a0they won\u2019t be seen or will not be caught<\/a>. They also behave in ways that conform to the group which may or may not be consistent with their own morals and ethics.<\/p>\n In large groups, there is also a sense of diffusion of responsibility \u2014 people are less likely to take action or intervene when in the presence of a large group. All of these processes\u00a0are intensified with increases in emotions, alcohol use and crowd size<\/a>. Big homecoming parties happen on university campuses across Canada with a total disregard for pandemic restrictions. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Nicole Osborne<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n The teachable opportunity here is helping students understand why some may have behaved as they did and help them reconnect with their individual sense of identity and values. By shifting the attitudes and behaviours of the majority we can begin to shift the culture.<\/p>\n This requires working together to enhance students\u2019 understanding of their behaviour, help them take responsibility, make amends and have discussions about how they can obtain their goals for connectedness and celebration in a safe and positive way.<\/p>\n The way forward likely involves a\u00a0harm-reduction approach<\/a>. Students will party. A harm reduction approach recognizes this need for young people to gather and socialize but sets up environmental conditions to ensure that it is done with minimal risk.<\/p>\n In this case, it would focus on bringing students together safely in a way that minimizes health and social harms rather than condemning or ignoring them. We need to continue to create safe environments for students on campus where we can manage alcohol consumption and behaviour while still promoting coming together and celebrating \u2014 be it homecoming or other important events.<\/p>\n We also need to empower students to stand up. Bystanders play a critical role \u2014 by\u00a0being present they are reinforcing the behaviour and inadvertently supporting it<\/a>. There were students during the homecoming events who had the courage to stand up, intervene and take action. Those are the people we need to empower, the stories we need to tell and the messages we need to amplify. Community members have painted and strung homemade anti-misogyny signs at Victoria Park.https:\/\/t.co\/EQhk9gXNdg<\/a><\/p>\n — Kingstonist (@kingstonist) October 23, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n People behave differently in groups<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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A harm-reduction approach<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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