Guidelines for proper communication in the

online environment
In the classroom, your words, gestures, posture and facial expressions communicate your
thoughts and observations to your classmates and teachers. But how do you express yourself
online, where the written word is all they see? Non-verbal cues are important. Without the
additional meaning that non-verbal cues bring to a conversation, the words written in a chat
box, forums, open discussions, google meet, etc are open to misinterpretation.

How to prevent your typed message being

misinterpreted
a. If you wouldn’t say it face to face, don’t say it online 
When you are receiving classes online, you are safe behind a screen, but that is no excuse
to be ill-mannered or say things you would never say in public. Do not transmit an online
message that you would not be willing to communicate in a face-to-face environment. Treat
your teacher and classmates with respect in emails, discussion boards or any other
communication.
● Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying
● Always use your teacher’s proper title: Mr., MS., or Mrs.
● Make posts that are on topic and within the scope of the course material.
● Take your posts seriously and review and edit your posts before sending.
● Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own.
● When you disagree with someone, you should express your differing opinion in a
respectful, non-critical way.

b. Minimize the use of all caps

All caps (“I’M SHOUTING”) and exclamation points (“Give me a break!!!”) can be misinterpreted
as intense anger or humor without the appropriate context. Most readers tend to perceive
it as shouting and will have a hard time taking what you say seriously, no matter how
intelligent your response may be. If you have vision issues, there are ways to adjust how
text displays so you can still see without coming across as angry.

c. Do not spam
Please do not take advantage of your connection with the other students in your online
classroom to forward emails and links regarding memes, yokes, viral videos or
advertisements.

d. Respect others’ privacy.

Do not give out another student’s personal email address or phone number without
permission.

e. Avoid sarcasm
Sarcasm has been the source of plenty of misguided arguments online, as it can be
incredibly difficult to understand the commenter’s intent. What may seem like an obvious
 joke to you could come across as off-putting or rude to those who do not know you
personally. As a rule of thumb, it is best to avoid sarcasm altogether in an online classroom.
Instead, lean toward being polite and direct in the way you communicate to avoid these
issues.

f.  Take security seriously

Remember that your password is the only thing protecting you from pranks or more serious
harm.
● Be careful with personal information (both yours and others).
● Do not send via email or post any confidential information.
● Don't share your password with anyone.
● Change your password if you think someone else might know it
● Be careful with what you share in WhatsApp groups, remember, if it is on the internet, it is
everywhere

How to prevent yourself from misinterpreting a text

message
 

As it was said before, with text communication, there is a complete absence of facial
expressions, tone of voice and body movement to refer to. So, the reader is left to interpret the
text as he hears it in his own head. At the end of day, it is all about perception, so here are
some suggestions to help you identify the meaning and avoid being affected emotionally by a
typed message.

a. Forgive and forget. 

If you are offended by something another student says online, keep in mind that you may
have misunderstood their intentions. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

b. Think about the sender

Once you identify the sender, think about the type of relationship you have with this person.
Text messages can be very easy to misread. Past experiences with a particular person can
change the meaning of the text completely, either positive or negative, and everything in
between.

c. Control your emotions. 

 Whatever the content of the text is, be sure to read it in an assertive way rather than in an
emotional way. It is all about perception and it is up to the reader to take it as it really is.
Having a good or a bad day will determine your outlook on life and everything around you.
Do not let your personal emotions determine the meaning of the information. When in doubt,
be sure to ask the sender for clarification––this will avoid confusion and an unnecessary
argument in the future.

d. Wait before responding

Take some time to think before replying; in the end, it is better to be late than sorry. Often
when we re-read the information after a little while, our perception changes completely and
the meaning of the text will do too. More times than not, your reading of it will soften with
the passing of the hours and it won't seem such a harsh comment.

e.  Draft your reply

Again, once you reply, you cannot take it back. Be sure to answer with your head and not
with your heart, as you may regret any rash comments in the future. Therefore, draft a
message so that you can edit as many times as you want.