‘The Tool of Our Trade’: Defining and Teaching Empathy in College Programs

Abstract

Empathy is a fundamental skill in developing trusting, respectful relationships, which is a required capacity for many college program graduates upon entering the Canadian workforce. However, little is known about how faculty define, value, and teach students to develop and effectively utilize empathy. A grounded methodological approach shaped the gathering of curriculum and interview data to assess relevant faculty understandings and teaching approaches. Faculty generally shared an understanding of empathy as ‘putting yourself in another person’s shoes’, while also valuing attention to emotions and a perspective-taking orientation. All faculty saw empathy as central to their students’ future success in the field, and to the well-being of Canadian society as a whole. A variety of teaching approaches were noted, with an emphasis on experiential methods. Faculty members expressed universal interest in further collaboration with peers.