It is important to value diversity in the online classroom and respect the opinions of classmates. The prospect of a diverse, multicultural learning community is one of the exciting things about online courses. Your peers cultural background, linguistic terminology, or the ability to express oneself in writing may vary significantly in an online course. Make a point to be kind and respectful even if you disagree with someone.
Be sure to conduct yourself with the same politeness as you would in a traditional classroom. The online classroom is still a classroom. This may seem like common sense, however, due to of the level of anonymity and the distance between screens online, it can be easy to forget, especially if disagreements arise. A good guide is to only type something that you would be comfortable saying to someone's face. Continue your professional tone when communicating with classmates.Ī key to good netiquette is following the golden rule - always treat others as you would want to be treated. Unless, your instructor states otherwise, you should always refer to them professionally. Although using the proper title for your professor should be understood, students can tend to forget it once classes are online. Be sure to include salutations, respectful signatures, and use the same manners you would use in person. It is inappropriate to treat correspondence with faculty as an ongoing chat among friends.
When communicating with your online professors it is important to maintain a level of formality. When not interacting with instructors or classmates in person, it can be easy to allow your communication to take on a casual tone. On the flip side, no one likes the grammar police, so avoid the temptation to correct others when they use "there" instead of "their." Additionally, writing in all caps is typically understood as yelling and can be interpreted as rude or impolite. Using proper grammar makes you and your messages appear more professional. It may be tempting to use text-speak when composing messages online, however, you should always try to avoid text abbreviations, and use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. These rules tend to change and evolve over time due to the ever-changing online environment, however, here are a few netiquette rules for online courses that you should try and follow. Netiquette rules help ensure you communicate effectively, and are perceived as a knowledgeable and respectful student who is positioned to excel.
Since most of the communication in online courses takes place online and in writing, these rules are especially important for online students. Netiquette is a social code that outlines a set of rules that define respectful, polite behavior online.