Facilitating Help-Seeking

A challenge that continues to face all faculty concerns "effectively" encouraging students to seek academic assistance.

How often have we felt that those students who could benefit most from seeking help do not ask take advantage of the opportunities available?

Actually, help-seeking may take one of two forms: instrumental or executive help-seeking. Instrumental help- seeking represents competent, problem- solving behaviors that help students acquire and master increasingly complex skills. It takes the form of hints, guidance, and tutoring provided that leads students to self-discovery. Executive help-seeking, on the other hand, occurs when the intentions of the help-seekers are to have someone else solve the problem for them. While students may mistakenly come to our offices in search of the latter, faculty know that it is the former, instrumental help-seeking, that truly helps students learn. For an article on student help-seeking and academic support systems, contact the CIRT.

Influential Circumstances

Research suggests that several factors influence students' tendencies to seek assistance with their schoolwork. These factors include: how teachers promote or react to helping situations; whether students perceive helping episodes as self-esteem threatening experiences; whether they associate lack of intelligence with their ability to succeed in a particular class, and the personal/social environment within which they live. For example when students feel unwelcome or intimidated they tend not to seek help. Similarly when students experience performance anxiety or fear being questioned, they also tend to avoid asking for assistance. Sometimes students attribute academic problems to factors beyond their control. This occurs when students believe an assignment is too difficult or unfair; their performance is based on luck; achievement is not related to effort; the teacher is biased; or adequate instruction wasn't provided. These beliefs result in students concluding that help is of little value. Finally, students cite their busy work and class schedules as the primary reason for not seeking help. Basically, when students perceive the costs associated with seeking help as out-weighing the costs associated with not seeking help, they generally do not pursue it.

What Can Faculty Do?

Faculty who want to facilitate the help-seeking process might consider the following suggestions:

Provide frequent feedback. When examinations are the only basis for assessment, students may not sense they need academic assistance in time to prevent failure. The earlier the need for intervention is realized and sought, the better is a student's chance for success. Ask the CIRT for Classroom Assessment Techniques for providing early feedback.

Use collaborative learning teaching strategies. Research indicates that active learners are more likely to seek help. When collaborative strategies are employed in the classroom, students become active participants in the learning process.  Difficulties are shared. As a result help-seeking becomes more socially acceptable. Readings on collaborative learning are available in the CIRT library.

Respect students' feelings. Students with low self-esteem are more likely to feel embarrassed when they contribute to class discussions in front of their peers.

Disassociate responses from the person. Students need to know all contributions have value. Nudge them in the right direction by providing positive responses to build confidence and rapport.

Dispel the innate ability myth. Encourage students to realize that difficulties initially experienced in courses are often due to a lack of familiarity with a new discipline.  Remind students that these difficulties are task related and can be overcome with appropriate persistence.

Eliminate intimidation. Shifting responsibility away from students makes helping episodes less threatening. Instead of saying "Do you understand?" try "Did my example make sense? Let me try to explain this more clearly."

Demonstrate concern. Students can sense the difference between perfunctory and sincere offers of help. When students perceive their instructors as distant and impersonal, help-seeking attempts are less likely. Many students actually assess instructor concern before they care how much they learn.

Discuss faculty responsibilities. Some students are reluctant to approach faculty during their office hours. These students believe their academic problems are of lesser importance than the other responsibilities faculty face. To prevent misconceptions talk to students about faculty responsibilities.

Keep scheduled office hours. Make announcements in class when other responsibilities interfere. Post notes on your office door when you have stepped out for a few minutes so students will know to wait for your return.

Create a welcome atmosphere. Keeping an office door open and having a neatly organized office are non-verbal signals of welcome.

Publicize tutoring center hours. Promote university and departmental tutoring facilities. Publicize operating hours. Post notices on bulletin boards, office doors, and in syllabi.

How the CIRT Can Help

Sometimes teachers are not aware of the inter-action patterns they use with students. Research indicates that some instructors treat high and low achieving students differently. Do you know if you pay as much attention to poor performers as high performers? Do you call on them less frequently? Do you give them as much time to answer questions? The Classroom Observation Program available through the Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology can help you answer these questions. You can have a student interview your students or observe or video tape your classroom to raise your awareness. All consultations are completely confidential and can be scheduled by contacting the CIRT.

Conclusion or Final Comments

Faculty cannot force students to seek academic assistance, but they can actively promote help-seeking as a natural behavior associated with problem solving. Faculty can begin by making sure students are aware support is available. In order to facilitate the help-seeking process, faculty should become sensitive to the problems that students face as they decide whether or not to seek academic assistance.

This Teaching Tip was contributed by Susan Moncada from the Accounting Program/ Analytical Department, February 7, 2000.