The 2 most important things in my opinion for establishing a pattern of communication would be:
1. clear and consistent expectations of how the teacher and students should communicate
2. netiquette, for students that are not used to conversing in netspeak this can be very confusing and weird if everyone is using abbreviations and shortened words. especially if the course is not in their primary language. ive also seen too many forums go from an interesting discussion to an absolute mess from rude or mean comments. i see too many act differently on a forum or social networking site than they would in a face to face situation. there should def be clear rules for avoiding situations like that.
I think two important issues in dealing with communication online are being timeliness and courteous.
Questions and posts need to be answered in a timely manner to make it relevant.
Being courteous is a must in the online environment due to the fact that no one can see or hear the others in the classroom. There are no tone of voice, or nonverbal cues.
I think that the following are important when establishing a pattern for communication.
1. It's important to determine then communicate the best medium for handling different types of information. This should save time, cut down on frusration and provide a good model for effective communication.
2. It's also important to establish norms for interaction. These should model professional, well-thought out interaction appropriate to the setting and situation.
Charlene,
Right on! When the students know what is expected of them and how to achieve the learning outcomes, they are more likely to be successful. This is accomplished through effective communication. Providing examples for students is beneficial. Thanks!
I believe the two most important items to consider are making the expectations known in the very beginning of class and posting examples. Also have what the definitions of Netiquette listed not only in the Course Syllabus but posted within the course itself, maybe under a Course Questions tab. Some students may be able to grasp to their best communication style by view examples. I would post examples of student to student communication that was acceptable and unacceptable for their review.
I feel that providing clear guidelines of what you expect as an instructor is most beneficial. It protects the instructor through a policy, and it also gives structure to the student.
Important factors to consider would be one the cultural background of the learner. Although, a nettiquette could be grounded, there are still minor expressions or wording that, for example, someone of a hispanic heritage may consider offensive, when in reality was a factual idea.
Being professional and a courteous i believe is another extremely important thing encourage your students to be. Obviously that is taught by example and strict rules.
Kendra,
I understand completely. In my syllabus I provide examples of good and bad discussion board answers that enhance the communication. I also make it clear that the communication that occurs in class is professional communication void from texting language. That has helped me. Thanks!
Kim,
Yes. The students must understand the expectations, rules, and regulations up front. The first piece of communication is typically the syllabus. This is a place where you can refer students to when they "forget" the rules and regulations. Communication is essential. Nice job.
There are several issues that have come up in my online courses. The two that take the most time to address deals with getting students to write out complete thoughts using complete sentences. The other is the use of text-messaging language in their discussion posts and essays. The line between appropriage academic writing and informal slang is becoming very blurred.
I think that each instructor should let students know the "rules and regulations" in regards to patterns of communication including boundaries in regards to acceptable times of receiving phone calls, Skype messages, etc...
It is also important to document the communication and provide the student with a "transcript" if you will, of the communication to insure that nothing was lost in translation.
Kim
Rachel,
You are right on target. netiquette and respecting others is extremely important. Communication cna be misunderstood more easily online and we all have to be carefule to show our respect. Thank you.
I believe that the two most important items to consider are Netiquette and addressing incivility. In order to facilitate the virtual classroom environment, we must realize that interactions may not be the same as in face to face. Providing a tutorial or link to a Netiquette resource can help the students understand expectations and proper methods of communication within the on-line classroom environment. Additionally, incivility must be included since this can be very detrimental to the spirit of on-line learning.
Charlotte,
Right on! Being a role model through the communication process is essential. Communication involves providing the syllabus, setting expectations, developing rubrics, using the discussion board, email, etc. Thanks!
When communicating with students, I always try to be a role model. My emails, live chats, etc. are professional, supportive, and grammatically correct. I urge my students to act professionally as well. I encourage my students to be somebody that I would like to interact with by remaining positive and on-task.
Mark,
Thanks for your input! The instructor and students both need to understand the expectation and how to communicate effectively with each other. The syllabus is typically the first step in effective communication.
Dr. Crews,
Modeling is one of the most efficient mechanisms for achieving the desired results from our students.
Thank you for your support.
I think the two most things to consider are (1) what is expected and (2) what is acceptable in establishing a pattern of communication.
Students must know what is expected and the details like how often, what quality of communication.
As far as what is acceptable I think that is up to the instructor to not only tell them but to show them
Miriam & Mary,
You are right on with being role models and setting the tone for professionalism. It's essential to show students the importance as well. Thank you for your input.
Miriam & Joel,
Thanks for continuing the conversation in this forum. You bring up great points to discuss.
