Today's guest post is from Karen Nichols, Distance Education Coordinator in Xavier's Center for Continuing Studies & Distance Education
In 2015, I gave a presentation in CAT which included Netiquette Rules for faculty to apply in their discussion board posts and email correspondence with their students. The suggestions were fairly common sense:
- Be polite, respect others’ opinions
- Don’t use slang or vulgar or texting language
- Be careful using humor and sarcasm as they don’t always come across correctly in written form
- DON’T USE ALL CAPS—IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING
Fast forward five years later and we have a whole new layer of Netiquette Rules for live video conferencing. Meredith Hart just posted a blog last week sharing video conferencing etiquette. Here are her tips:
Video Conferencing Etiquette
- Mute yourself when not speaking.
- Be on time.
- Ensure your technology works correctly.
- Use technology to fully engage remote participants.
- Choose the proper software and hardware.
- Wear work-appropriate clothing.
- Frame the camera correctly.
- Have the right light.
- Look into the camera.
- Pay attention.
Let’s discuss a few of the tips.
- Wear work-appropriate clothing. I’ve taught online for over 25 years and even now, when I have virtual office hours, I put on make-up, wrap a scarf around my neck (I am a French instructor after all), and put on a pair of earrings for my students. They don’t have to know that I’m still wearing my slippers, but I want them to know I made the effort for them, even if they are online in their pajamas and wrapped in a blanket.
- Frame the camera correctly. This pertains to both you and your surroundings. Zoom allows you to check what others will see before you join the meeting. How do you look? Is the camera pointing up your nostrils or at your left ear? What do you see in the background? Everyone has been commenting on me in my big easy chair (with a floral curtain pattern behind it). I don’t have zoom meetings against my huge bookshelf with my artwork and urns of my deceased pets lined up. While comforting for me, they may not be to everyone else’s taste.
- Have the right light. This is something I struggle with. I wear eyeglasses and too much light causes reflections in the lenses and it’s hard to see my eyes. Too little and you can’t see my face well. That’s a work in progress for me.
- Look into the camera. This can be tricky if people are sharing screens but try not to be looking off in the distance at your television or out your window at the squirrels playing.
- Pay attention. Yes, it’s so easy to be distracted while at home. How many of us have had to quiet barking dogs or children coming in to ask questions while we are on a zoom conference? But do your best to stay focused on the meeting at hand and to stay in the present moment and try not to multi-task too much—stay engaged, especially if you’re online with the students.
- This one is most important and not on the list but should be. Be forgiving of yourself and each other when mistakes are made. We have all been asked to accomplish a great deal in a short space of time, and no one can be expected to be an expert immediately.
Continue to take care of yourselves and your families. #KeepTeachingXULA