An Instructor knows a humorous story that will highlight a point they are trying to convey to the class. The story is of questionable taste for the audience. How should the instructor proceed?

Professional ethics and the creation of an inclusive, psychologically safe learning environment are paramount for an instructor. Telling a story of questionable taste, regardless of its illustrative value, risks alienating, offending, or marginalizing students. This undermines the instructor's credibility and disrupts the learning process. The potential harm to the classroom environment far outweighs the benefit of highlighting a concept with a single anecdote. The most professional and responsible course of action is to refrain from using inappropriate material.

A. This option prioritizes a single teaching point over the well-being and respect of the students, which is professionally irresponsible.
B. This action would publicly single out and embarrass students, creating a hostile and exclusionary learning environment.
D. This puts students in an awkward position where they may feel pressured to agree, even if they are uncomfortable.

1. Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. John Wiley & Sons. In Chapter 6, "Why Do Student Development and Course Climate Matter for Learning?", the authors emphasize that a negative or chilly climate can be detrimental to learning (pp. 155-158).

2. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. (n.d.). Creating a Productive and Inclusive Classroom Climate. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/creating-a-productive-and-inclusive-classroom-climate/. The guide stresses the importance of instructors being mindful of how their comments and behaviors are perceived by students from diverse backgrounds.