Expectations for Online Communication

Be timely 

Be sure to allow necessary time before the scheduled meeting start to make sure your technology is working properly and that you have the necessary items you need at hand to participate in the synchronous meeting.

the basics 

1. Bring the same measure of courtesy to your fellow online participants as you would extend to/expect from them in a live setting.

2. If using the chat feature to pose or answer questions;

• Employ appropriate and respectful language.

• Never write anything you wouldn't say aloud.

• Do not “shout” (type in ALL CAPS). 

• Don't get distracted or be distracting.

• Be mindful of spelling, formatting, and other mechanics.

• Adhere to faculty-determined guidelines for their course's chat management.

3. If using the microphone to pose or answer a question, be sure not to talk over other participants or monopolize the conversation.  

4. Always employ language that is appropriate to the classroom environment.

5.  Mute your microphone IF:

• The instructor requests you to do so for a segment of the meeting;

• Another person is speaking (the course instructor or another student giving a              presentation);  

• You are in a noisy area, are using your computer’s built-in speakers (instead of a headset), or if you  have a cold (and are coughing/sneezing a lot). 

(To mute the microphone, click the microphone icon at the bottom of your screen; when muted, the icon will be disabled (red). Click again to unmute.)

6. Turn off your video feed IF:

• There is distracting activity around you (family members popping in and out, co-workers, etc.);

• You are ill and having strong symptoms of sickness (excessive coughing, sneezing, etc.)

You can turn off your video by selecting the video camera icon at the bottom; when off, the video icon will be disabled (red). Click again to turn the webcam back on.

Communication

Your Voice

• • Realize that typed messages lack the vocal and nonverbal cues that normally carry a lot of meaning in a face-to-face conversation. Without this supporting context, satire or sarcasm can come across as meanness. Try using "emoticons" to make your emotional intent more obvious (e.g., make it clear when you're joking ;-).

  • Avoid criticizing people's spelling. Typos are more accepted on the Internet, so sending a message pointing out all the spelling errors or grammatical mistakes in someone's messages may be counterproductive.

  • Even so, spell-check your own messages and quickly review them for punctuation and grammar.

  • DON'T USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS! Occasional capitals are OK for emphasis, but typing in all caps is the Internet equivalent of shouting (plus messages in all caps are hard to read).

  • Avoid using all lowercase letters. It's viewed as mumbling.

  • Avoid using text features like boldface, italics, underlining, or diacritical marks---many online systems won't display them.

  • _Underscored Text_ indicates underline or italic.

  • *asterisks* are used in place of bold text.

  • Be brief and to the point. People expect brevity and won't read lengthy messages. Plus, it's harder to read words on a computer monitor than on paper.

  • Have backup copies of files and email messages.

Quoting

• • Quote the original message when you reply. It may not be apparent to everyone else who you're replying to or what you're replying about.

  • When quoting, always provide the original author's name, and whenever possible, a full citation.

Flaming

• • Do not flame! Flaming refers to derogatory, abusive, threatening, sarcastic, rude, or otherwise mean-spirited messages directed at people.

  • If a message provokes a negative emotional response, put it away for a while, then reread it and see if you're misinterpreting it. If you don't understand a particular item, ask the sender for clarification before replying to an incorrect conclusion.

  • Messages are not secure. Remember, it's very easy for someone else to forward messages you thought were confidential. Think of email and bulletin board messages as postcards rather than letters.

  • Apologize. If there's been a misunderstanding or miscommunication, you can often nip a flame war in the bud by a brief apology.

Discussions

• • Lurk before you leap. Lurking is visiting without participating. While it's rude to make a habit of lurking, a little lurking can acquaint you with rules and procedures, help you get the lay of the land and prevent embarrassment.

  • Avoid posting non-informative messages on bulletin boards. Chat is more like a telephone, so saying "Me too!" or "I don't know!" is accepted. But on bulletin boards, people don't like to read postings that aren't substantive.

Chat

• • Remember that chat rooms are "logged" (i.e., a record is kept of conversations).

  • Do not disrupt chat rooms by posting large blocks of text into the input box (thus causing the screen to scroll faster than other users are able to type) or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users' ability to engage in real time exchanges.

  • If you are having a conversation that is off the main topic, please move to another chat room.

  • If you are a fast typist, please pause occasionally to let slower typists contribute to the discussion.