Learner Description: These rules provide middle school students with a set of online communication guidelines to follow while participating in an online course. These rules are also recommended to extend outside of the online classroom.
Etiquette is a polite way one should act in and around a group of people. Etiquette is the proper use of socially acceptable behavior and/or language in a public forum. For example, when you are at the dinner table, it is polite to eat your food with utensils and don’t talk with your mouth full.
Netiquette is also the use of proper and respectable behavior and language in and around a group of people. Instead of face-to-face interaction, netiquette refers to Online behavior. Netiquette, or respectful Online behavior, should always be followed in any form of online communication such as class posts, emails, blog posts, and any other online social media forum.
As with any group of people we are around, it is important to have good manners. When unacceptable behavior is displayed online, anyone can read what has been written. Inappropriate words can potentially follow a person forever when posted online. It is important to always be polite and respectful when participating in an online forum. It also makes for a more pleasant and positive learning environment when we follow The Golden Rules of Netiquette.
As we learn and share online together, keep in mind there is a person on the other end of every post. It is important to always be kind, share what you know and do not respond to a post when you feel anger. Make sure to wait a couple of days. Write it down somewhere else if you need to and then edit it when your anger subsides. When you do respond, make sure to always use a productive and respectful tone. Keep in mind there is another human receiving that post. Write a post to someone you would want to receive.
When communicating with classmates and the teacher, it is important to keep a polite tone. Follow these rules below to ensure respectful and positive online interactions.
When participating in quality learning and discussions and projects, it is important to know your facts. When you are sharing your opinion, make sure you can back it up with reliable sources. This adds to the learning of the group and allows for more factual and informed discussions.
When communicating Online, it is important to proofread your work so it is clear and easy to understand. Make sure to use complete sentences and check for proper punctuation and spelling errors. If someone does not understand what you wrote, make sure to clarify any misunderstandings. On the flip side, if you are having a challenging time understanding a post or directions, make sure to ask for an explanation. We are here to learn, so ask for clarification when needed.
Within this course, we will have many lively discussions and sharing of information. It is important, however, to be respectful of people’s time. We are not all participating in our coursework at the same time, so make sure to be thoughtful of your fellow classmates’ time if they do not respond right away.