Navigating sensitive materials in the curriculum and classroom

According to the 2020 University of Sydney working group,

sensitive materials are those reasonably expected to cause distress, with the potential of hindering learning or causing psychological harm.

Some sensitive materials can be readily anticipated by the teacher, for example in content that deals with genocide, sexual violence, racial discrimination, child abuse, loss of pregnancy, domestic violence, discrimination, cruelty to animals or humans, suicide, illness, death and dying, euthanasia, and other trauma-inducing events. At other points, sensitive topics may arise unexpectedly through the broader classroom environment and the potential discussion dynamics, such as identity-related remarks or personal histories.

What to do

• Map where such materials appear across your expected readings, lecture notes, case studies, assessments and feedback.
• Frame the “why”: In the ‘weekly schedule’ or ‘additional information’ section in your unit outline and on Canvas, state clearly why and where sensitive materials are included and how they serve learning outcomes. Repeat this framing before specific classes.
• Intentionally plan how to facilitate discussion with the full teaching team, remembering that some tutors may be inexperienced and the context can shift with world and local events very quickly.

Our classrooms can and should be both intellectually rigorous and pedagogically positive for all students. This requires ensuring that students achieve a sense of belonging at the start and throughout their studies, focusing on the student-teacher relationship and making teacher care visible.

What to do

• Normalise discomfort when encountering difficult ideas, helping all students engage with, rather than avoid, topics. For example, in a silent classroom, one strategy is to have students write (on a Padlet or index cards) about “one thing I think I’ve been reluctant to say…” (Fox 2014).
• In the classes before debates on current events, help to prepare students to understand why discussions of controversial topics are important and how the class will engage. You might have a “discussion about discussions” (Howard, 2015) – such as good and bad prior experiences students have had with tricky conversations in the past – and develop guidelines for participation (Fox 2014).
• Use analogies from books and movies, for example, on topics such as warfare or crime, to teach sensitive concepts one step removed from the real world.
• Model discussion norms: Model how to critique ideas, not identities, and be explicit that discrimination and other forms of vilification are unacceptable in class and online.

The literature on trigger warnings is mixed (Brigland et al., 2024). There is some evidence that suggests warnings can sometimes themselves prime anxiety or vulnerability beliefs, instead of reducing distress. However, advance notice, transparent framing of the purpose, and meaningful options can be seen as a courtesy that can help students prepare. This advance approach supports students while acknowledging the possibilities for a strong affective response (Nolan & Roberts, 2024).

What to do

• Provide advance indicators of sensitive content that describe the nature of the content and state its learning purpose.
• Offer engagement options that do not imply avoidance as the default, such as access to the topic through alternative formats.
• Consider where private reflective activities, such as self-identifying or disclosing behaviours, may present personal risk.
• While permission for students to step out may be offered, consider if this is possible to do so safely.

The Code of Conduct is binding for all staff and sets out expectations to act with integrity, fairness, respect and diligence, to provide equity of access, and to prevent bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct. These obligations apply directly to curriculum resources, classroom discussion, and feedback practices. Similarly, it is a condition of enrolment that students understand their responsibilities and observe the Student Charter.

What to do

• Set boundaries: No student is obligated to disclose trauma; never put students “on the spot” to speak for an identity group.
• Embed conduct expectations for students and teaching teams:
  • Link to the Student Charter in Canvas and unit outlines when describing student responsibilities and the professional behaviours expected during in-class and online discussions, peer review, and group work.
  • Link to the staff Code of Conduct in tutor and demonstrator training and provide opportunities for educators to attend the MPLF module “Supporting diverse experiences in learning and teaching”.
• Uphold class behaviour expectations, wellbeing and safety, and academic freedom when teaching sensitive or contested material or facilitating classroom conversations.

Inclusive, equity-centred curriculum design is not an add-on; it’s what good university teaching already strives to be: explicit about purpose, designed for diversity, clear about boundaries, and anchored in evidence and professional obligations. These foundations help students prepare for and practice engaging with sensitive material.

What to do

• Diversify your exemplars and learning resources: Choose examples and readings that represent diverse voices and avoid stereotyping.
• Prepare discussion prompts and explicitly rule out all forms of religious vilification, as well as sexist and racist frames, such as collective blame.
• Be prepared with strategies for hot moments. It is OK to pause a discussion and circle back to it at the next class. Minute papers are also helpful to bring down the temperature of a class (“Let’s take a minute to write some thoughts about ‘What do you think is happening here and what is one thing you want to know more about?’)
• Don’t assume the world you teach is outside of the classroom. You will have students with lived experience of the topics and curriculum you cover.
• Make it easy for students to access our reporting channels and support services.
• Where relevant to your topic, build students’ ability to analyse and respond to bullying, racism, and discrimination.

Provide written or oral assessment and in-class feedback that is task-focused and actionable to support learning. Be mindful of how identity and student backgrounds may shape the way feedback is received.

What to do

• Use rubrics and exemplars to anchor comments in criteria and “next steps”.
• Keep identity references out of evaluative feedback unless a student explicitly requests it or it is required in reflective or professional identity tasks.
• Although it is important for educators to check offensive or erroneous statements made in student discussions and assessments, consider how you might “call in” students to both steer the class back on track and signal that you care about them.
• Use feedback to communicate to students that you have high expectations for them, you will support them to succeed, and you know students can reach them. This evidence-based approach helps all students, but especially those from equity groups (Yeager et al. 2014).

Students may bring distress from many sources, not only course content, and this may be amplified by local and international events.

What to do

• Include a paragraph in the unit outline with support links and an invitation to speak with the teaching team early; mirror this in the Canvas landing page and introductory lecture slides.
• Introduce a class norms activity tailored to the context of your unit.
• Before in-class discussions that may veer into sensitive or harmful topics, equip your teaching team with short interventions (e.g., “Let’s pause and go back to the evidence and frameworks” or “Let’s revisit the discussion guidelines that we developed together earlier this semester”).
• After large-scale emotional events – such as global conflict and the Bondi Beach shooting – it can be tempting to move on with class content. However, a brief acknowledgement of care and concern for students using, for example, a Canvas announcement, acknowledging the distressing event, is appreciated by students and can help them move forward with the lesson (Huston & DiPietro, 2007).
• Make sure the team is aware of available support for students, including how to refer a student for support and where staff can access support themselves.
• Consider a debriefing session at the end of the teaching session or module with the team to talk through issues and strategies ahead of the next iteration.
• Attend and provide opportunities for your team to attend the MPLF module “Supporting diverse experiences in learning and teaching”.

Bridgland, V. M. E., Jones, P. J., & Bellet, B. W. (2024). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of trigger warnings, content warnings, and content notes. Clinical Psychological Science, 12(4), 751–771. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026231186625

Fox, H. (2014). “When race breaks out”: Conversations about race and racism in college classrooms. Peter Lang.

Howard, J. R. (2015). Discussion in the college classroom: Getting your students engaged and participating in person and online. Jossey-Bass.

King, P. M., & Kitchener, K. S. (1994). Developing reflective judgment: Understanding and promoting intellectual growth and critical thinking in adolescents and adults. Jossey-Bass.

Huston, T.A., & DiPietro, M. (2007). In the eye of a storm. To Improve the Academy, 25: 207-224.

Nolan, H. A., & Roberts, L. (2024). Trigger warnings as tools for learning—Theorising an evolving cultural concept. Medical Education, 58(2), 185–195. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.15172

Yeager, D.S., Purdie-Vaughns, V., Garcia, J., Apfel, N., Brzustoski, P., Master, A., Hessert, W.T., & Williams, M.E. (2014). Breaking the cycle of mistrust: Wise interventions to provide critical feedback across the racial divide. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(2): 804-824. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033906