Set expectations and be consistent.
I give feedback to students who are not communicating or barely communicating to satisfy the bare minimum. Sometimes students are shy or sometimes students want to get by the course. I reach out to them to encourage them to improve their communication and discussions.
I gained additional insight into facets of communication standards. We have practices built into our school's instructional practices that support the material in this course. It is good to have some validation. I'm curious what other's found to be their weakest area. One area that usually challenges me is how much to interject into discussions the students have each week. I have to be careful that I do not step in and take over the conversation and discourage the students from responding to each other.
I think setting expectations can really help in maintaining professional behaviors in the classroom.
It is good to model healthy and clearly set boundaries when communicating with students, i.e. how often and how quickly responses can be expected.
Highlights in managing Online Classroom Communication is to Set the Standard, Model Appropriate Communication, and Demonstrate Leadership. Enforcement is accomplished through consistency set through communication code of conduct and setting expectations. One of the biggest takeaways in Address the idea - not the person. Another takeaway is the three types of communication management are content -related, process related, and feedback.
Instructors should set standards for communication guidelines between instructor-to-student (I2S), student-to-instructor (S2I), and student-to-student (S2S) to maintain certain boundaries and when the appropriate times for communications to take place.
What I've learned from this section is that it is critical to outline exactly how you expect and want students to communicate. Not every student will come with the experience needed to have successful communication with you and with their peers. It can be through discussion or syllabus, but it needs to be addressed and held firm.
Set clear guidelines and moderate your discussion boards.
Important to have consistent communication guidelines and effectively manage the entire communication process to ensure that instructor-to-student (I2S), student-to-instructor (S2I), and student-to-student (S2S) communication can thrive.
An effective communication process ensures the emergence of an engaged, organized, and respectful, learning community.
One of the key takeaways I gained from this module is the importance of setting clear, consistent communication standards from the beginning of a course. Instructors must model professional communication and outline expectations for how students interact with each other and with the instructor. Establishing guidelines for student-to-student (S2S), student-to-instructor (S2I), and instructor-to-student (I2S) communication helps create a respectful and productive learning environment.
Set expectations, define terms, be consistent.
My take away is that you have to be crystal clear with regard to the rules and expectations of the discussion board. Good communication with students and instructor is very important. I also like the rubrics.
I enjoyed the tips it shared about the discussion board and getting students to understand the important ways of responding in a discussion board.
Hi,
One of the things I have learned in this section is to communicate better with regard to Discussion Board format. Letting students know more specifics about how to post and guidelines for responding to peers is really important.
Netiquette is a new word for me, and implies exactly what we need from people using written online communication.
The first step in managing the communication process is to develop guidelines and a communication code of conduct. It is important to choose the appropriate method and to be consistent and timely with all communications.
Communication is crucial in online courses. Having strong guidelines are foundational
From this module, I’ve learned how critical it is to establish communication guidelines and manage the entire communication process intentionally and consistently in an online learning environment. Civility is not just about being polite—it’s about creating a respectful, supportive space where instructor-to-student (I2S), student-to-instructor (S2I), and student-to-student (S2S) communication can flourish.
One key takeaway is the importance of setting communication protocols upfront, including expectations for response time, discussion board participation, and appropriate behavior. These guidelines help prevent misunderstandings and reinforce academic integrity. I now understand how essential it is to include clear policies—such as FAQ discussion boards, email hours, and academic honesty contracts—within the course syllabus or as a separate assessment to ensure students fully grasp expectations.
Going forward, I plan to apply this by developing a pattern of communication that is clear, consistent, and inclusive. I will use technology tools strategically (like Zoom for check-ins, text for reminders, and email for more detailed messages), and I’ll regularly assess their effectiveness through both formative and summative feedback. I will also prioritize modeling respectful communication and ensuring students understand both the expectations and the consequences for not following them.
By managing communication proactively and civilly, I can help foster a learning community that is respectful, well-organized, and highly engaged.
I learned how important it is to communicate to students about rules and regulations when it comes to communicating in an online environment. I learned that that one way to address this is to include a policy in the syllabus so students understand the expectations. I do include a Netiquette section in my syllabi and address it in the first module of the semester.
