Tone
Give students the ways to improve and be positive!
LaShanta ,
This is a great post! Yes, tone can be positive and negative. Writing in an email or discussion can be misinterrupted.
Shelly Crider
The proper tone I have learned is very important. I have always been know to be a straight forward person and I will tell people that one day 1 of meeting me. I never realize even though I have told people I am blunt and straight to the point, that my tone would make my point sound so rude.
Using the right tone in the right situation can help improve a persons attitude.It can also encourage students to stay in school and do their best.
Having the wrong tone can have a reverse effect on student as well. Always consider your tone when emailing and talking.
L Singleton
Will,
Oh yes!! We as instructors must be a manager of peceptions!
Shelly Crider
Merle,
Oh so true. We must keep positive tone and when we get in a hurry, we may not convey that.
Shelly Crider
I fully agree with you. It is very easy to misinterpret communications in an online environment. However, it is also equally easy to manage perceptions in an online environment. Something that is certainly to the benefit of the instructor, perhaps not so much to the student.
I think that it is extremely important that all communications be reviewed prior to submitting because "tone" matters. Although technology has really transformed our learning system in positive ways, it is imperative that we understand technology's shortcomings. For instance, technology has created an environment where there is less personal interaction...which can subsequently lead to increased misinterpretations and the perception of an instructor. Students should be given specific feedback, perhaps using the "sandwich" technique. If a student is only provided with the negatives, he or she may revert to previous insecurities, which can make "quitting" seem to be the only option. Tone matters because it enables for the appropriate level of intervention. A positive tone will likely encourage the student, while a negative tone (even if its not intended to be negative) can result in unintended consequences.
