Content Notes for Programmes, Course Units and Specific Activities and Resources
Content Notes (also known as trigger warnings or content warnings) are used to inform students of content that may be distressing to some individuals. This is done both to inform those individuals so that they might prepare themselves in advance but also so that other students can be supportive and sensitive to their peers.
Core Concepts
Some important things to consider, when including Content Warnings:
- Content Notes are not used to constrain teaching or discussion of difficult, distressing or contentious topics but to enable students to responsibility for their course choices and learning preparation.
- It is not possible to predict all topics that may cause distress - but certain themes are widely accepted to merit content notes. (See Below)
- It is important to create a supportive learning environment, where both students and staff feel able to express their concerns with activities, content or learning materials, and to have those concerns addressed with empathy and honest dialogue.
Providing content notes pre-application.
On some programmes it is appropriate to have programme level content notes which are available to students pre-application.
These content notes should be highlighted at the start of the programme and augmented by course unit content notes if required.
Where only some course units merit the use of content notes these should be made available before course unit selection to inform student choice. Content notes on specific learning activities and materials may also be required.
When to use Content Notes?
Content notes should be made available in advance and in writing, to allow students to process and prepare. Where the content notes relate to specific learning activities and materials, a verbal content explanation may be appropriate at the start of the session.
If intended learning outcomes can be met without the use of these materials, then that option should be made available to students if possible. For example, using a transcript where distressing content has been redacted, or providing alternative sources.
Content notes should also be used on reading lists to ensure that students can prepare themselves before engaging with potentially distressing material- particularly as students are more likely to be alone when reading.
If a student’s behaviour changes when particular topics are scheduled, for example a regular attendee misses sessions, then an appropriate member of staff should contact them and offer support if required.
Examples of Content Notes
Here are a couple of examples of the way Content Notes can be used in existing programmes:
FutureLearn Course in Bioethics
" Content warning
This course will cover some sensitive issues and discuss subjects such as termination of pregnancies and issues around disability and discrimination that you may find emotionally challenging or not feel comfortable with exploring.
We encourage you to look at the contents of the course in advance if you think you might struggle with some topics in the course, and want to see what a particular section discusses in order to decide whether you want to engage with these contents.
This course aims to provide an open space for a critical but civil exchange of ideas. We ask that all learners help create an atmosphere of mutual sensitivity and respect. Please ensure that you are respectful of others, and do not use words or share content that is offensive or inflammatory. If you disagree with another learner’s ideas ensure that you discuss their ideas, rather than criticise or attack them personally. Further guidance is available in the FutureLearn Code of Conduct.
- By marking this step as complete and clicking ‘Next’, you are confirming you have read this information. "
HCRI – adapted slightly for each unit
" HCRI is committed to ensuring that our teaching environments are safe spaces for discussing difficult and controversial topics.
Safe spaces are not about limiting critical engagement with ideas, but about ensuring that students and staff from marginalised groups know that their existence will be respected in our classrooms. It is not designed to restrict people from sharing their views, but about ensuring that students know that the expression of openly discriminatory views will be challenged.
This module addresses the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. There is potentially distressing imagery and content material throughout the course, including issues such as death, injury, disease, sexual assault, child safeguarding and injury to mental health. Some challenging ethical issues will also be explored.
If you are concerned about how particular topics are being discussed, or how certain people are expressing their views, you can approach the lecturer in the first instance, confidentially, either at the time or afterwards. If you feel that you cannot approach the lecturer, or that the lecturer has not taken your concerns seriously, you can contact the Programme Director.
Quite regularly in this module, we will be engaging with potentially distressing content. This is the nature of our topic. This is not shown or discussed for gratuitous effect, but in order to enhance understanding in the belief and desire that knowledge can help us work towards creating a world without violence and oppression. We will aim to flag up potentially particularly distressing issues and images before and during our teaching so that students can either opt out or prepare themselves. You can, if you would prefer, absent yourself from a specific topic, because of potential distress over its content. You can approach the lecturer in the first instance, either in person or on e-mail to discuss this. All communications between you and the lecturer are confidential.
These structures and mechanisms are designed to ensure that all students feel supported during their learning experience. HCRI is committed to building a collegial and safe environment for teaching and research. "
Themes likely to require Content Notes
This is not an exhaustive list and assumptions should not be made about the needs of individual students:
- Sexual Assault
- Abuse
- Child Abuse, including paedophilia
- Incest
- Animal cruelty and/or death
- Self-harm
- Suicide
- Violence
- Eating disorders, body hatred, fat phobia
- Pornography
- Kidnapping
- Death and/or dying
- Pregnancy and/or childbirth
- Miscarriages
- Abortion
- Mental illness
- Ableism
- Sexism
- Misogyny
- Classism
- Hate speech
- Transphobia
- Homophobia
- Racism and racist slurs
- Stalking
- Explicit images
- Blood
- Addiction
- Heterosexism