The diversity of the participants in our online courses is a valuable source of ideas, problem solving strategies and creativity. All members of the classroom community, including instructors, deserve respect and to be treated with dignity. Everyone should be treated in a way that’s kind, honest, and helpful.
Even though there are different forms of engagement in online learning that include audio and video, most of the communication between instructors and students, and among students themselves, takes place via written texts.
Typed messages (email, discussion forums, VoiceThread etc.) lack the vocal and nonverbal cues that normally carry a lot of meaning in face-to-face conversations. Without this supporting context, satire or sarcasm can come across as meanness.
Below are some general tips when communicating:
- Typing in ALL CAPS is the Internet equivalent of shouting.
- Avoid using all lowercase letters. It's viewed as mumbling.
- Avoid criticizing people's spelling. Typos are more accepted on the Internet, so sending pointing out spelling errors or grammatical mistakes in someone's messages may be counterproductive.
- Always spell-check your own messages and quickly review them for punctuation and grammar.
Email Communications
- Include a polite form of address when emailing people in the course.
- Be brief, to the point, and polite. People expect brevity and won't read lengthy messages.
- Unless you are explicitly given permission, don't publicly post email sent to you in private.
- Recognize that instant delivery of email does not guarantee an instant response. Don't repeatedly email people for responses before an acceptable amount of time has elapsed. This might be construed as online harassment.
- If a message is particularly important, you might want to compose several drafts of it in a word processor and spell-check it.
- If you really must distribute a message to many people, do not paste all the names into the “CC” field of your email program (where people can see everyone else's email addresses). Always use “BCC” (blind carbon copy) instead.
- Have backup copies of files and email messages.
- Always use subject lines and try to keep them short.
- Make subject lines informative (e.g., don't title messages “FYI,” “Important,” or anything else that doesn't indicate the content of the message).
- 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.
Flaming, harassment, cyberbullying
- Use appropriate language when communicating. Don’t put-down others, even for comic relief.
- Avoid flaming, which refers to derogatory, abusive, threatening, sarcastic, rude, or otherwise mean-spirited messages directed at people.
- A series of angry communications to anyone in the course, including the instructor, might be construed as flaming, and even harassment.
- A single angry message, including to the instructor, can be perceived as cyber-bullying depending on the circumstance.
- 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.
- Agree to take a problem-solving approach when conflicts arise. If there's been a misunderstanding or miscommunication, you can often nip it in the bud with a brief apology.
- Speak from your own experience using “I” statements. Avoid generalizations and including others in your issues to pressure someone to do something, including the instructor. The “we” mentality might be construed as online mobbing and cyberbullying.
- Adopt a problem-solving mentality in your courses as opposed to expecting others to always address the problem.
UMass Amherst Student Code of Conduct
Below is an excerpt from the university’s Student Code of Conduct, under “Guidelines for Classroom Civility and Respect.” For more information on who to reach out to in order to seek clarification regarding policies and courses of action, please click on the link below:
Student behavior or speech that disrupts the instructional setting or is clearly disrespectful of the instructor o fellow students will not be tolerated. Disruptive conduct may include, but is not limited to:
- rude or disrespectful behavior
- unwarranted interruptions
- failure to adhere to instructor's directions
- vulgar or obscene language, slurs or other forms of intimidation
- physically or verbally abusive behavior.
Source: https://www.umass.edu/dean_students/campus-policies/classroom