Netiquette and Communications Standards

First, what you can expect from me:

  • I will interact with this learning community to the best of my ability.

  • I will provide as much facilitation and guidance as possible.

Next, what I expect from all of us:

First, a definition (from wikipedia):

"Netiquette (neologism, a morphological blend formed from "Internet etiquette") is a catch-all term for the conventions of politeness and respect recognized on Usenet, in mailing lists, in live chat systems, and on other electronic forums such as Internet message boards. These conventions address the relationship between personal behavior and group phenomena, (emphasis added) and outline a dynamic set of guidelines for conduct that is conducive to pleasant, efficient and agreeable interaction."

To that end, please follow these netiquette guidelines:

  • Politeness

  • Don't flame Links to an external site. (personally attack) someone. It is possible to disagree with an idea without flaming the person espousing the idea.

  • Use emoticons and acronyms Links to an external site. to convey your emotional intent in order to avoid misunderstandings. For example: to indicate that you're smiling, use :)

  • to indicate you're winking / or making a joke or kidding, use ;) or JK (Just Kidding)

  • to signify you found something funny/amusing, use LOL (Laughing Out Loud)

  • to signify that you're gently expressing an opinion, use IMHO (In My Humble Opinion)

Remember that "politeness" and "appropriateness" are culturally-defined concepts. What is considered polite or appropriate communication in one culture (educational environments are a culture as well and, as such, are also included in this statement) may be impolite or inappropriate in another. When in doubt, err on the side of uber-caution when you are composing a message. And, when reading someone else's message, try to remember that written communication is easily misconstrued: so, if you find yourself responding poorly to someone's message, request clarification of their meaning before you get upset and respond with a flaming message. :)

Communication Style

  • Listen actively Links to an external site.. Listening is an important communication skill. Actively listening is not always easy and should be practiced.

  • Think critically Links to an external site.. Critical thinking, grounded in intellectual integrity, is expected. In other words, seek clarity of meaning and understanding. For example:

    • Question ideas, not people.

    • Attempt to see things from other perspectives

    • Use supporting relevant information

    • Attempt to recognize and assess implications of your ideas

  • Think creatively Links to an external site.. Creative thinking is encouraged.

    • Brainstorm possibilities

    • Consider how to make the impossible possible (dream)

    • Be supportive of ideas you don't get (don't understand) and try to understand them.

  • Communicate assertively Links to an external site.. A person communicates assertively by not being afraid to speak his or her mind or trying to influence others, but doing so in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others (from Wikipedia entry on assertiveness).