Perspective Article

Disruptive players: How Classroom Incivility impacts Educator Engagement and Performance

I. Anell<sup>1*

1</sup> Department of Geoscience, University of Oslo, Norway

*Corresponding author. E-post: Ingrid.Anell@geo.uio.no

Copyright © 2025 The author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords: Classroom incivility, active learning, student-teacher relationships, lecturer enthusiasm

DOI: 10.5324/njsteme.v9i3.6414

In business, the use of sports metaphors is a common occurrence. “Let’s not jump the gun, we want to keep the ball in our court, stay in pole position, we are almost neck and neck with the competition at this stage”. In teaching, not so much. I have yet to walk out of a lecture theatre, pat myself on the back and think, “boy, I sure knocked that one out of the park”.

Yet I cannot help but think about how similar sports teams and classrooms really are. Teaching is not an individual feat, it is a complex and dynamic interactive process between class and educator, between team and coach. I should know something about this, as I have had a foot in one, and a foot in the other for most of my life.

I reflected recently upon how I experienced changes in myself in response to changes in those around me. In two consecutive practices in the volleyball team I coach, I felt there was a difference between night and day. The only actual difference was the participation of a highly enthusiastic player. She brought an amazing energy and vibe, contagious enthusiasm, whooping with delight at every new exercise. It amazed me how much it affected me. I became a better coach. I became more involved, more vocal, more enthusiastic and engaged. I overcame the calm quiet Nordic observer role and dove into constructive engaged feedback mode.

The following week I lectured CO₂ storage in a late undergraduate/early MSc class. Knowing that CO₂ storage can be subject to scepticism, as it can be seen as a temporary fix which does not address the fundamental problems and diverts cost away from green energy solutions, I always introduce and encourage understanding the complex multi-faceted aspects of geo-engineering solutions. Unlike previous years, this class met the lectures with scepticism that bordered on hostility. The class was not engaged, they did not respond much or participate. The vibe that was being projected was that I was the face of green-washing; I was the well-dressed head of PR from the oil company, the fancy green stickers on the side of the cement factory, the freshly painted façade of the local coal plant. It came out of left field. I hate to admit it, but it did affect me. Immediately I saw changes in my teaching. I became unfocused, second-guessed myself, sped up the pace, or lost momentum. One might say, I dropped the ball.

In the interaction between educator and class there is a two-way dynamic. Success requires a co-committed dedication to create a positive spiral. The mutual energy, drive and enthusiasm between students and educators who commit and engage in the learning process creates a positive feedback loop. A demoralizing, negatively spiralling lacklustre learning environment can be created by the opposite.

What I experienced can be classified as classroom incivility. Classroom incivility covers a range of behaviours, at its apex verbal and physical abuse (Feldman, 2001; Schroeder and Roberston, 2008; Segrist et al., 2018). Meanwhile, the lesser disruptions include talking to others during class, using cell phones, eye-rolling, being late to class, sleeping, sarcastic comments, and packing up or leaving before the class is over (Clark and Springer, 2007; Connelly, 2009; Knepp, 2012; Nordstrom et al. 2009; Cahyadi et al., 2021). Usually, a sleeping student does not faze me much; they certainly aren’t reaching their learning targets, but they are fairly harmless. Hostile scepticism, on the other hand, clearly jolted me. This is not surprising since classroom incivility is a bit of a ‘slippery concept’. (Bjorklund and Rehling, 2009). What one educator perceives as problematic another might be unfazed by. Similarly, an educator’s perception might not mirror that of the students, or have any impact on the actual learning (Bjorklund and Rehling, 2009).

On observing new faculty cope as teachers, Boice (1996) says: Classroom incivilities emerged as a major factor, frequently dominating classes, often making or breaking novice teachers. I remember wondering: Why isn't this problem the subject of more study? Why don't we recognize its commonness and cost in higher education?

There are a range of studies on the effect of the lecturer on students’ motivation and engagement (e.g. Wood, 1998; Mahler et al., 2018; Patrick et al., 2000; Marty-Dugas et al., 2024). There are also multiple studies on student boredom and consequences on learning (e.g. Kanevsky and Keighley, 2003; Tze et al., 2016; Farr-Wharton et al. 2018; Sharp et al., 2018; Tam et al., 2020). It has been shown that engaged and enthusiastic lecturers are pivotal in promoting intrinsic motivation and positively influencing both achievement and behaviour (e.g. Patrick et al., 2010; Keller et al., 2014). It is in fact hard to find anything remotely negative about engaged and enthusiastic lecturing.

Meanwhile, there are fewer studies on the opposite end of the spectrum – how students affect their lecturer. How student behaviour can lessen the drive and enthusiasm and lower the self-confidence of the educator. Classroom incivilities are emerging as an increasingly important factor in higher education. It’s been shown to affect both teaching and learning adversely, and it is a stressor, eliciting a range of negative emotions (Sana et al., 2013; Hamid and Azizee, 2024). Incivility has a direct negative impact on educators—physical and emotional reactions, along with decreased self-esteem and loss of confidence in teaching abilities (Luparell, 2007). A key factor in successful teaching and learning is lecturer self-confidence, and a determining factor in whether they use active learning strategies (Sadler, 2013). Educators also experience a loss of enthusiasm and drive, a disconnect from the students, and a tendency to rush through the material (Boice, 1996). Additionally, educators dealing with classroom incivility are more likely to experience discontent, eventually also burnout (Appleby, 1990). This is a natural instinct, met with indifference, hostility, boredom; thus, is it any wonder one would start to question oneself, and one’s own teaching ability?

It is fairly obvious that learning is hampered if an educator has to deal with incivility, which can demand time and energy that is normally spent on learning related activities (Stork and Hatley, 2009). Disruptive or inappropriate behaviour does not just affect the lecturer, but also disrupts other students’ attentiveness and note-taking (Boice, 1996). As a previously occasional eye-roller and expressively bored student myself, I know I never considered the potential effect this might have on my lecturers. Then again, student-centered active learning was not at the forefront during my academic years. So, in today’s more communicative, student involved learning environment, the question arises - do students consider how their behaviour and attitudes affect the educator? Perhaps there is a need for heightened student awareness around the dual nature of the roles, and their responsibility, maybe even accountability, for the learning environment.

So, what is the game-changer? What can one do to counteract even minor incivility, and create a classroom where coach and team are on the same page? In lieu of the decline in civility, Connelly (2009) suggests new students should be introduced early on to a code of expected academic civility. Nordstrom and Bartels (2009) suggest several ideas including clearly communicating expectations for classroom conduct, modelling behaviour by demonstrating inclusiveness and respect, and finally creating course content that encourages student involvement. Student involvement is linked to both improved conduct and learning outcomes. Connelly (2009) stresses the need to present civility as highly important, creating a sense of community around a shared experience in higher education.

As educators, many of us strive to improve our teaching and create more engagement, new tools, and perspectives. Yet like a coach who designs a game plan, we are only as strong as our weakest link. It takes two to tango. A lecture is no longer a riveting monologue, but a nuanced duet with a whole choir. Things were probably simpler “back in the day”. The professor was an all wise brilliant and near-untouchable person, regaling a silent classroom of students. Similarly, the coach was a higher entity, unquestioned, respected and obeyed. Today students are less like marionettes, more akin to dance partners. While this is less simple, it is, hopefully, much better. We feed more off the energy that we get in return. Each year, each term, we are faced with a new classroom and a new unique dynamic. Is there really a single way to create and maintain a winning synergy? What’s more, when faced with a ripple effect of classroom incivility, how long, how much drive can an educator sustain on their own? Is there a way to break a spiralling classroom dynamic?

I feel that reactions to classroom incivilities are often personal, and therefore we need to know and understand our own triggers. An educator needs to decide what they consider unacceptable behaviour. This can be clearly communicated to a classroom, and hopefully, agreed upon. Studies suggest much classroom incivility results from a social norm, acceptable because “everyone does it” (Segrist et al., 2018). When challenged to consider the effect of disruptive behaviour on an educator, and more importantly peers, perhaps a code of conduct can be established. However, I also feel that many minor incivilities can accumulate to create a significant impact. In asking for civility, it is important not to simultaneously squash an active and engaged learning environment, to not demand straight-backed silence. Healthy scepticism, even angry criticism, is not necessarily a sign of disrespect and incivility (Applebaum, 2020). Between this silent obedient classroom and open violent harassment there is a grey-zone of whispered conversations, heavy sighs, and eyerolls that might get under one’s skin. These behaviors can be harder to counteract. On a positive note, I experience that classroom engagement and positive behaviour counteracts and balances much incivility. It took just one enthusiastic player to make me a better coach for everyone, even those not hollering in delight.

After some deliberation my suggestions for counteracting classroom incivility are thus; define your list of unacceptable behaviours, open the dialogue and involve students in creating a civil but dynamic classroom, and imbue them with a sense of responsibility for the learning environment. Finally, I suggest that one solution may be to accept that perhaps one cannot reach and engage every person but instead focus on those who energise and motivate you. "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness," as the ancient Chinese proverb says.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Ayesha Jordan for the enthusiasm throughout the season which inspired me to be a better coach and allowed me to reflect on this delicate balance which I could see mirrored in both sports and classroom.

Citation

Anell, I. (2025). Disruptive players: How Classroom Incivility impacts Educator Engagement and Performance. Nordic Journal of STEM Education 9(3): 308-314. https://doi.org/10.5324/njsteme.v9i3.6414.

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