Overview

Teaching difficult and sensitive topics in higher education (HE) is an under-researched area of higher education practice, and there is not as much literature on how to develop professional development opportunities for HE educators as one might imagine. The current political climate means that educators may have reservations about tackling difficult topics with their students.

This is a standalone asynchronous course. Each section explores different aspects of educational theory and brings in real life scenarios to illustrate the ideas discussed. There are articles to read and short clips to watch, alongside activities to reflect on your learning.

Who this course is for

This is a standalone course for anyone with an interest in teaching difficult and/or sensitive topics in higher education. This will be relevant for those in the UK and international colleagues.

This course is designed for a wide range of people with different roles in higher education contexts. This includes:

• Post graduate teaching assistants (PGTA). 
• New academics (sometimes called lecturers on probation). 
• Experienced academics. 
• Visiting speakers invited by module leads to lead sessions.
• Programme managers and administrators. 
• Personal academic tutors.

Course content

Section 1 looks at the fundamentals of teaching difficult and sensitive topics. This includes the role of emotions in the classroom and techniques to create a classroom community.

Section 2 looks more closely at the theoretical frameworks and practical strategies underpinning effective teaching. This includes using active learning and psychological safety in the classroom.

Section 3 delves into the role of leading in higher educational institutions. This could be as a module lead, or a senior leader. It looks at broader issues such as creating a healthy learning culture and teaching excellence. It includes scenarios on addressing feedback and suggests activities such as mapping contentious curriculum content.

Teaching and structure

You can access this course in a way that best suits your experience and goals:

• Section 1 is ideal if you're new to higher education or have limited teaching experience. It provides a gentle introduction to key concepts and practices.
• Sections 1 and 2 together are recommended for those with some experience who want to deepen their knowledge and skills. This option is also suitable if you're navigating a challenge or responding to recent curriculum changes.
• Section 3 is designed for individuals in leadership roles who influence policy, manage teaching teams, or wish to introduce consistency and best practices across departments.

Whether you work through each section in order or choose the parts most relevant to you, the course is flexible and adaptable to your needs.
Certificates and assessment 

Assessment

Each section has a voluntary short quiz to reflect on learning. There are no compulsory assessment elements.

Learning outcomes

1. Understanding and applying theories and frameworks

This course aims to critically explore theories and frameworks for teaching difficult topics so that you can apply these effectively in your own teaching contexts. We will explore the concept of ‘difficulty’ in education and consider how this can inform decision-making about our teaching and learning approaches, choices about curriculum content, and the range of assessment approaches we might take to support learning. Drawing on educational research, we will reflect on how approaches to teaching and learning, informed by social justice frameworks, can be effectively differentiated when including difficult and/or sensitive curricular content.

2. Developing confidence and strategies to overcome challenges

Using UCL’s historic links to eugenics as an example of working with a ‘difficult’ topic, we will explore key educational theories and tools that will help develop your confidence, prepare for challenges, and develop creative teaching responses that will engage students and support inclusive practices.

3. Encouraging reflection and innovation

By the end of this course, we encourage you to reflect upon:

• Your ability to identify and include educational justifications for teaching difficult and/or sensitive topics.
• Your ability to implement a framework for planning for teaching difficult and/or sensitive topics intentionally and ethically.
• Your assessment of your confidence in teaching difficult and/or sensitive topics.
• Your ideas for creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning when working with difficult and/or sensitive curriculum material.

Course team

Helen Knowler

Helen is an associate professor (teaching) in UCL’s Arena Centre. Helen led UCL’s Eugenics Legacy Education Project (ELEP) and her expertise is in inclusive Education. She has published widely on exclusionary practices in a range of education contexts. She specialises in developing inclusive approaches to teaching and learning related to controversial or problematic issues.

Course information last modified: 9 Jun 2025, 11:19