TITLE:
Responding to introverted and shy students: Best practice guidelines for educators and advisors
AUTHORS:
Marian Condon, Lisa Ruth-Sahd
KEYWORDS:
Introversion; Extroversion; Shyness
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.3 No.7,
November
27,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Experienced
classroom educators are familiar with students commonly thought of as introverted or shy— the noticeably quiet students who are reluctant to speak in
class, and generally shun the spotlight. Many educators find such students
perplexing and frustrating because they rarely raise their hands in class, or
engage in conversation afterward. It is difficult for educators to discern
whether they are reaching such students or whether they are engaged or bored. Introverted
students differ from their more extroverted peers in terms of information
processing, classroom behavior, and preferences regarding assignments and
activities. As educators, we often ask ourselves whether we are doing all we
can, as educators and advisers, to foster such students’ learning and
personal development, and this question is highly relevant in contemporary
education. Introverts are thought to comprise approximately 40 percent of the
student body. In addition, cultural background may foster behaviors similar to
those observed in shy and/or introverted individuals. In this article, introversion,
extroversion and shyness are compared and contrasted conceptually, as well as
in terms of related social and academic behaviors and processes. The questions
of whether introversion and shyness confer problematic traits, whether students
should be helped to overcome or signature strengths, and whether they might
be guided to develop further, are also addressed. Best practice guidelines
intended to help nurse-faculty respond more helpfully to quiet students as
educators and advisors are offered.