Say This, Not That: Faculty Friendly Language for Courseware Adoptions

Whether I'm meeting with faculty on campus or over Zoom, my words matter. A great conversation starts with aligning to what instructors care most about: ease, results, and respect for their time and expertise. Not only do I need to respect that I am usually in company with a veteran educator, but I know that professors are usually wary of buzzwords and anything that sounds like "just another tool." Most would say their top priorities are focused on their students' learning outcomes and, like all faculty, they are always pressed for time. I try to begin our conversation not with just a product pitch, but by asking questions that matter and using the right words. Here's an example that worked well for me recently: "I hear that many of your colleagues are looking for ways to simplify how students access course materials and to get a clearer picture of where students might be struggling before the midterm. Does that also resonate with any challenges you're currently facing?" This immediate focus on their challenges, rather than product features, sets the stage for a productive discussion.

Here’s a faculty-friendly language guide to help build trust and drive meaningful courseware adoption conversations:

✅ Say: “Let’s eliminate first-day confusion for your students.”

❌ Don’t say: “It’s seamless.”

Why: “Seamless” is overused and doesn’t reflect real classroom pain points. Focus on specific types of friction that a seamless solution would solve, like LMS integration, student logins, and first-day access to the courseware.

✅ Say: "More engagement with the readings and activities = fewer drops."

❌ Don’t say: “It makes the course more fun.”

Why: While fun is nice, instructors want proof that tools improve retention and outcomes. Tie engagement to success metrics that matter.

✅ Say: "This is designed to support you, giving you back time for the parts of teaching you value most."

❌ Don’t say: “It automates your grading.”

Why: Automation can sound like a loss of control. Position tools as supportive, not substitutive. Emphasize faculty ownership.

✅ Say: “Let’s meet students where they are learning on the go with their phones without making it more work for you to manage.”

❌ Don’t say: “Students love using it on their phones.”

Why: Framing it from the student accessibility lens is more impactful in the academic world. You’re solving for equity and flexibility, not just convenience.

✅ Say: “Let’s align this to your course goals.”

❌ Don’t say: “It comes with pre-built assessments you can just plug in.”

Why: Instructors want tools that support their pedagogy — not to replace it. Lead with curiosity about their goals, then follow with tailored solutions.

✅ Say: “What are your students struggling with the most right now?”

❌ Don’t say: “Here’s what other instructors are using.”

Why: Avoid FOMO selling. Faculty appreciate when you center their course challenges and student population — not the bandwagon.

🧠 Tip:

Faculty appreciate empathy over hype. It is best to listen more than pitch, reflect back what they say, and always tie features to real problems.