Although higher education literature encourages active learning, student engagement, and a learner centered environment, there is seldom discussion about how to help students overcome academic boredom. Titles such as Battling Boredom: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement (Harris, 2011), Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (Barkley, 2010), and You've Got to Reach Them to Teach Them: Hard Facts About Soft Skills of Student Engagement (Schreck, 2011) provide resources can help instructors connect with their students and minimize challenge of boredom. However, there is not corresponding literature explores idea of academic boredom from perspective of student. Rather, in academic environment, concept of boredom is similar to Lord Voldemort in J.K. Rowling's' Harry Potter series. In series, Lord Voldemort is a character of such evil he is referred to as He who must not be named (Rowling & GrandPre, 1998). By being unwilling to acknowledge and discuss consequences of boredom in academic environment, instructors are doing their students a disservice: They fail to help students recognize characteristics of boredom and do not provide them with skills for extricating themselves from those times when students find learning boring. The little research does exist on boredom indicates bored students are likely to experience lower grades, higher rates of absenteeism, and be at greater risk for dropping out (Daschmann, Goetz, & Stupinsky, 2011), which does not bode well for persistence to degree.One of critical stages of beginning a discussion with students is to define boredom. Without a clear definition, students may not be able to identify when they are bored or when they may be suffering from a more serious psychological ailment. Once boredom has been defined, instructors can present some of challenges students may encounter when they face boredom. Finally, instructors need techniques with which to engage with students about idea of boredom and how students can empower themselves to reduce danger from that which shall not be named.Boredom DefinedOne of challenges with concept of boredom is definitions tend to be self-referential. For example, dictionary.com (2014) defines boredom as the state of being bored; tedium; ennui. Merriamwebster.com (2014) defines boredom as the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest. A second difficulty with concept of boredom is it tends to be viewed as a negative emotional condition is something is not discussed in polite company. Individuals tend to avoid identifying another as boring or stating current situation is boring as a way of maintaining social cohesion (Toohey, 2011). Another confounding factor when looking at boredom is different viewpoints relating to boredom from psychological, social/sociological, and educational perspectives.Within psychology, boredom is defined as a or state emotional condition. According to Goetz, Cronjaeger, Frenzei, Ludtke, and Hall (2010), trait emotions are seen as habitual recurring emotions typically experienced by an individual whereas state emotions are viewed as emotions experienced at a specific point in time (p. 45). In relation to concept of boredom in educational environment, instructors should have a more extensive understanding about state condition of boredom. However, for those who are interested in more information relating to of boredom, researchers (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986; Harris, 2000; Mercer-Lynn, Hunter, 8c Eastwood, 2013; Sundberg, Latkin, Farmer, & Saoud, 1991; Vodanovich, 2003) provide a good foundation.Within academic environment, a more powerful definition has been forwarded from Nett, Goetz, and Daniels (2010) who call boredom 'An unpleasant, transient affective state' is characterized by a severe lack of interest as well as difficulty concentrating on current activity (as cited in Fisher, 1993, p. …

(2011). Adult Learning Theory: Applications to Non-Traditional College Students. Journal of College Reading and Learning: Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 87-96.