Communication expectations

When students feel safe and welcome in a classroom, especially an online one, they thrive. They are more motivated and more willing to take risks and express their ideas and insights. Faculty can cultivate a sense of safety and belonging by encouraging and maintaining an expectation of mutual respect and civility. This resource will discuss strategies for setting communication expectations for students.

Setting expectations

A best practice at the beginning of each semester is to introduce, explain and model civil online discourse. This is often referred to as netiquette. The value of providing communication expectations in the syllabus or a welcome module is to demonstrate a commitment to civility early in the semester. Using positive language to do so builds a culture of goodwill and is an effective way to set the tone for a course (Galbraith & Jones, 2010).

Syllabus statements regarding netiquette often include the following elements:

• A description of the desired culture for learning
• A specific list of expectations or recommendations for interacting with each other online
• A discussion of the benefits of meeting these expectations or recommendations

Outside of syllabus statements, you could also invite students to participate in a discussion about netiquette and civility, or students could collaborate with you to develop norms and guidelines on respectful communication. Assignment instructions and rubrics are another way to reinforce your expectations for professional and civil communication.

Mizzou policies and resources

MU | Office of the Provost | Syllabus Information

This syllabus statement appears on the Faculty Affairs website and in Canvas under “Supports & Policies” > “MU Policies and Expectations”; all students in all courses have access to this.

Your instructor and fellow students wish to foster a safe online learning environment. All opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea but you are not to attack an individual. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University’s nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Please consider that sarcasm and humor can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Working as a community of learners, we can build a polite and respectful course ambiance.

Student-instructor communication

In addition to emphasizing expectations for student-student communication, you could discuss and emphasize student-instructor communication. Professionalism in emails from students is a common concern for faculty (Kyaw, 2023). Here are some strategies that you may adopt and use to support and encourage best practices with email among your students.

1. Discussion: Hold a conversation, either synchronously or asynchronously, with students about the characteristics of appropriate communication with all members of the learning community, including you.
2. Authentic assessments: For an assignment or activity, ask students to write an email similar to one they would while in the workforce. Such an assignment would offer a meaningful purpose, genre and audience.
3. Modeling: Write emails and announcements with the structure, language and tone you would like students to use. If a student sends an email you consider inappropriate, reply in the manner that you would prefer to see used.

You may sometimes receive emails from students’ personal email accounts. When you receive these messages, please do not respond to them but instead forward them with your reply to the student’s institutional email address. Personal email addresses raise questions and issues involving the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Emphasize to students that they should use only their school email address to communicate with you.

By using syllabus statements and teaching professional email practices, you can encourage students to use civil and respectful discourse in the online learning environment. With such a culture present, all students can better focus on their learning and prepare for the workforce.