Communicating online
Studying at Deakin means much, if not all of your studies will take place online. This guide has tips on online etiquette to help you communicate effectively and responsibly when using some common tools at Deakin.
Your responsibilities
"People can't see your body language through the screen. When you only have words to convey a message, tones become everything.”
― (Germany Kent 2015, p. 112)
At Deakin, you have access to a number of digital tools that allow you to connect with students, lecturers and tutors. You will be communicating with people from many different backgrounds including different nationalities, religions, cultures and ages. The university expects staff and students to be respectful of others, and not use words or share content that is offensive or inflammatory. If you disagree with someone's ideas you are expected to discuss the ideas constructively rather than criticise or attack someone personally.
Find out more about your responsibilities as a student at Deakin
Kent, G 2015, You are what you tweet : harness the power of Twitter to create a happier, healthier life ; effective tools and daily habits for creating a positive social media experience, Star Stone Press, Culver City, CA.
Unit discussion forums
Your unit site will have one or more discussion forums and much of your learning will take place on these forums. You may be asked to comment or post to a discussion forum as part of an assessment.These discussion forums are part of your formal studies and writing and responding to discussion posts with a large audience needs careful thought. Remember that all students and staff in your unit can read your posts so always use a respectful tone.
On unit discussion forums you can:
- participate in learning and assessment activities
- ask questions about what you are learning and your assessments
- start a conversation by adding a new post related to a unit topic
- build conversations by responding to other student's ideas and opinions.
Tips for posting on a unit discussion forum
- Keep posts on matters about your unit e.g. lecture materials, readings or assessments. For personal matters that impact your studies, contact unit staff directly.
- Scan posted items and check your unit guide for information before you post a question; you may find the answer to your question is already there.
- Have a question that hasn’t already been posted? Ask it on the forum rather than emailing your lecturer so all students can benefit from your lecturer’s posted response.
- When disagreeing with another students' ideas, do it in a constructive and compassionate manner. Consider: how would I expect another student to respond to my posts?
- Privacy matters – don’t post personal information to discussion forums.
Writing a discussion post
- For general posts about your unit - use a less formal writing style but still construct your post carefully to avoid misinterpretation. For example don’t use text shortcuts as your audience may not understand your meaning.
- For posting as part of an assessment - your lecturer may expect you to use a more formal, academic style of writing. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate how you are engaging with and understanding unit learning materials, so try to provide a reflective, detailed response to the topic and to other students' posts.
- For writing longer posts - try constructing your response in a document first. That way you can draft, edit and proofread for errors and tone before you post.
- If you quote text from another source, remember to show where it came from. If it’s from the web, include the URL or provide a full reference.
Useful phrases
| Be positive and encouraging | When you are responding to others, identify positives in what they have put forward before you offer constructive criticism.
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|---|---|
| Keep the discussion flowing respectfully | When disagreeing, rather than rejecting another person’s ideas, suggest alternatives.
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Useful links
- Read the CloudDeakin guide to discussion posts and learn how to access, post and filter discussions.
- Did you know you can practice posting to a forum in UniStart?
- Browse the Digital Tools topic in UniStart.
Emails
You might need to contact a lecturer to discuss a matter that can’t be shared on a unit discussion forum. Always use your Deakin email account when communicating with staff, as it’s a good idea to keep all of your Deakin-related communications in one place.
Tips for emailing staff
Before emailing questions about assessment tasks, check your unit guide and unit discussion forums for details.
- Clearly state the purpose of your email in the subject line. Using ‘Hi” or “A question” is too vague.
- Sometimes you may want to email staff with a complaint. Remember the person receiving your email may not be able to fix your issue immediately. Be polite and respectful just as you expect them to be with you.
Suggested email structure
Subject line:
| Subject: EAD111 Trouble accessing database for Task 1 |
|---|---|
Use an appropriate term of address:
| Dear Dr Grossi, |
Email body:
| I am a student in EAD111 Digital Literacy: Finding, Evaluating and Interpreting Information. I am having trouble accessing the suggested database recommended for task 1. A number of other students are also having the same issue and have posted this on the discussion forum. Are you able to assist? |
Sign off:
| Thank you for your time, (Student number 123456) |
Based on Brick, J 2016, Academic culture: a student’s guide to studying at university, Palgrave Macmillan, South Yarra.
Useful links
Online classes
You may be asked to participate in an online classroom using the platform Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. You might also want to use Deakin Skype for Business for student group tasks or for online consultations with Study Support. While these two tools have different purposes they do have similar features such as talk, video, chat message and watch presentations in real time. Some online classes may be recorded so it’s helpful to know what’s expected and how you can communicate appropriately.
Etiquette and tips
BB Collaborate Ultra and Skype for Business student guides will help you set up your device for the best experience and understand the different features of these platforms. You can also browse the Digital tools topic in Unistart for ideas on using a number of collaboration tools.
Here are our top tips for online etiquette when participating in either an online classroom or video conferencing with a Deakin staff member or fellow students.
Before the online class/meeting
- Add a profile image for both BB collaborate and Skype for Business to create a friendlier more connected environment.
- Find a quiet space to participate in your online class or consultation.
- Make sure you have a reliable internet connection (Wi-Fi may not always work).
- Use a USB headset with a microphone for the best experience.
- Set up your device well before the class or meeting - familiarise yourself with the platform and run an audio check.
In the online class/meeting
- Introduce yourself or say your name when speaking for the first time.
- Mute your microphone whenever you are not speaking to avoid unwanted noise.
- Don’t shout into your microphone; speak clearly in your normal voice.
- Avoid interrupting other speakers and make sure only one person speaks at a time. You can ask questions to the presenter using the chat feature or in Blackboard Collaborate you can click on the raise hand feature to ask a question.
- If you are using a webcam, position your camera so that your top half of your body is visible. Be aware of what is behind you; a simple neutral background is best.
Useful links
- Participant features in BB collaborate
- Video conferencing IT Help guide
- How to look good on WebCam
- Watch the short Etiquette for video meetings tutorial from Lynda.com
Social media
Deakin uses a number of external social media platforms to communicate and engage with students. When using these platforms it is important that you exercise the same professional etiquette as you would on any official university platform in accordance with Deakin’s student code of conduct. Learn more about Deakin’s Social media procedure
Tips for posting on social media
- Be respectful and think before you post. Social media reaches a large audience within the university so remember that the same expectations, policies and laws apply as with other Uni platforms. Be aware of your own liability as once you’ve posted something on social media, it’s out there on the public record, forever!
- Consider who might read your post. When it comes to social media, the reality is that your posts may reach anyone in the wider community, including prospective employers who often use social media to research candidates. Consider what your posts say about you and the first impression you are giving.
- Consider the effects of your posts on other people. Being a part of a wider community means considering the impact of the content you post on social media, as it is out there for anyone to interpret. Take the time to consider the tone, context and possible interpretations of your post, and think if it is something you would be comfortable saying face to face.
- Protect your privacy. As with all open social media, be very careful not to share private or personal information and be sure that you understand the privacy settings for each of the platforms that you use.