Preparing future instructors to manage difficult conversations is already challenging. In a fully online course, where real-life practice is limited, it becomes even harder. For Megan Stuffle, this challenge surfaced quickly when she took on a graduate course in the Master's in Nursing Education program.
Early on, Megan noticed that students weren't getting realistic practice for the kinds of difficult conversations they would face as instructors. Scenarios included meeting with a student at risk of failing, addressing unprofessional behavior, or supporting someone who felt overwhelmed. Unlike their other courses with in-person labs and clinical time, this one was fully online, and students worked through these scenarios in Canvas discussion boards.
Written responses allowed them to carefully script polished, textbook answers rather than genuine exchanges. Missing were the complex realities of responding to students whose academic struggles are often intertwined with jobs, family responsibilities, or personal challenges. Privacy restrictions also kept students from observing real instructor-student conversations, leaving them without valuable models that can help build confidence.
