How to 'Online Student': Netiquette

None of us would have envisioned that the pandemic would end up upending our plans—for life and school—the way that it has. As we venture into online education for the new school term, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what learning might look like for us. Amid all the uncertainty and frustration, there are some things we can do to ensure that we create an optimum and respectful learning environment for ourselves, our peers, and our professors. Thus, we have prepared some tips to help guide you on your online learning experience, including advice on how to practice good 'internet etiquette' or netiquette.

Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning would require you to attend online lectures at a scheduled time. Much like an in-person class, the class would require you to be on time and for you to be mentally and physically present for the class. Here’s how you can help yourself create the headspace for thriving in online lectures:

1. Create the Classroom

During a scheduled session, find a desk or a location where you would experience minimal disruption. That means nestling in your bed is probably not the best way to attend the lecture! You will learn better if you try to treat the class with the same sense of responsibility as you would treat an in-person class. This also means logging in a bit early or right on time since being virtually late is just as bad!

2. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Depending on your professor, you will have scheduled breaks to get away from the glare of your screen. However, until then try not to leave your computer during a scheduled session, especially if the video is on for everyone. Your professors are trying hard to maintain a classroom environment with online lectures and your presence and attention are pertinent to accomplishing that.

3. Follow the Standard Classroom Etiquette

It’s probably a bad idea to have personal, unrelated chats with friends about how much you hate Zoom while a lecture is running. It might be easy to get away with binge-watching your favourite show with the subtitles on or online shopping since you do not feel ‘seen’ during an online lecture, however, you might accidentally disrupt the lecture and hinder your own learning in the long run. Rule of thumb? If it’s a bad idea in the classroom, it’s still a bad idea in an online classroom.

4. Call Me by My Name

While it might be tempting to have everyone refer to you as the ‘Lord of Darkness’ for the duration of the course, for professional reasons, you should use your own name for your Zoom profile. You could also add your pronouns next to your name!

5. Patience is a Virtue

The pandemic has been hard on everyone in one way or another and no one could have anticipated the situation we find ourselves in. Online learning might be tedious and frustrating—things will be slower and there will be buffering and miscommunication. Your professors and some of your peers might not be technologically adept, or at the worst times, your internet will fail you. Hence, online learning requires us to be patient with ourselves and others.

Netiquette for Discussions in Online Lectures

To keep the lecture engaging, instructors might initiate discussions over lectures or they might use the breakout rooms in Zoom to facilitate peer interaction. Here are some things to keep in mind if the need for verbal participation arises:

1. Engage!

Given your bandwidth and comfort levels, try to be as present as possible during in-class discussions. Being active in discussions will not just boost your participation grade but it will also ground you to the lecture similar to an in-person class and help you absorb the material better. If you do not want to talk over Zoom lectures, find other ways to engage so that your professors—who are trying very hard to make learning accessible for you—know that their efforts are appreciated.

2. Tell Me When It’s Over

Since it’s not as easy to perceive body language and social cues over Zoom, it’s easy to accidentally interrupt people as they speak. To fix this, if you are speaking, try to indicate that you are reaching the end of your thought. You can maybe say 'I am done talking' or 'Thank you for listening to me' so other people know when to start talking. To that end, please do not interrupt others while they speak. Tip: In case you do end up talking over someone, try to address them by their name and let them have the stage while you wait your turn!

3. Find a Way to ‘Raise Your Hand’

Depending on the instructions from your professors, find a way to ‘raise your hand’. There’s a special feature for that on Zoom but you could also indicate in the chat that you have a question or want to speak on the matter being discussed. If you are unable to make your point, do not be discouraged and consider bringing it up with your professor via email or during virtual office hours.

Asynchronous Learning

While asynchronous learning does not require us to attend online lectures, we should still strive to maintain a schedule with asynchronous courses. It’s important to put in some effort to stay connected and to communicate especially since the course itself is devoid of face-to-face interactions.

1. In ‘Sync’ with the Asynchronous

Most asynchronous courses outline a weekly response schedule, but even if your course doesn’t demand it, it’s worth making your own schedule. The good part is you get to decide your own convenient timings! Set two days a week to log into your course site and go through the lecture notes and other posted resources. You can also set a specific time to read all discussion posts and comment on them. A schedule will help create a sense of responsibility and tether you to the course even if it’s all online.

2. Be ‘Seen’

Even though asynchronous courses do not require you to interact, try to introduce yourself to your professor and to your peers. If you communicate regularly, it will be easier to ask questions and voice concerns later. To that end, practise good email etiquette (please see this article on how to effectively communicate with your professors via email).

Netiquette for Discussion Posts

Understandably, both synchronous and asynchronous courses might require you to engage in discussion posts. These discussion threads allow you to acknowledge your peers’ opinions and get feedback on your own. It’s important to approach these discussions respectfully and to make them meaningful interactions. Here’s how you can accomplish that:

1. Grade is in the Details

Be detailed in your participation responses, whether on forums or other platforms. Cite evidence and resources if you can. The more thought you put in your response, the more discussion your comment will generate. If you agree with someone’s opinion, it’s not sufficient to say ‘I agree,’ rather you should explain why the comment resonates with you to further the discussion thread and contribute meaningfully.

2. Use Proper Language

Online discussion space is still very much a formal learning environment and your language should reflect that. Linguistic shortcuts or grammatical errors might undercut the validity of your point. It’s worth proofreading and editing your comments for clarity and grammar.

3. Wording Matters

Be courteous, even in disagreement. Be clear with your point and avoid using ‘You-statements’. If you disagree with someone rather than saying ‘You are wrong,’ say ‘I see your point but I imagine things are so and so’ such that you take personal accountability for your opinion without attacking the other person. Thus, try to be as clear and polite as possible (which means NO CAPITALS).

4. Remember Me

Cliché as it might be, if you won’t say it to the person’s face, do not say it online (it’s worth thinking something twice over even if you would say it to a person’s face). Do not direct any hate towards your peers or professors. Please recognize that online learning is hard for everyone. The fact that we are deprived of in-person interactions calls for a greater effort to connect and a greater sense of responsibility towards our peers and professors. If you don’t understand something, ask; if you disagree, explain why. The end goal should be to help each other grow and make the most of online platforms.

Why Does This Matter?

University is a place to have fun, but it is also where you acquire important life and professional skills. At the risk of sounding like a 21st-century governess, virtual veiling doesn’t justify foregoing the etiquette and professionalism required by university learning. We should strive to make learning easier on ourselves and our professors and the fact that we are obscured from each other requires greater self-awareness, mindfulness, compassion, and effort for communication. We should also remember to be human—in every good sense of the word—during these perpetually digital times. Trust us, your peers, professors, and grades will be grateful for the effort!