Course Communication

E-Mail Policy:
Typically, I will respond to e-mails between 8 a.m. Monday through 5 p.m. on Friday of each week. Please allow 24-48 hours for a response to e-mails sent during that time. E-mails sent after 5 p.m. on Friday may not be answered until Monday. I will only respond to an e-mail sent from your VSU e-mail address to my VSU e-mail address.
[Add any other course communication policies that you have. Feel free to adjust the above email policy to your specifications. REMOVE these instructions.]

Instruction Interaction Plan
Throughout this course, several methods of communication and interaction will be used to provide updates and maintain clarity of assignments/activities. These methods are delineated below.

Announcements: Weekly announcements will be posted to remind learners of assignments, assessments, and other course events. These announcements will post each week on Monday mornings (by 8:00 A.M).
Virtual Office Hours:  If you need to schedule a virtual meeting with the facilitator, email your available times for this meeting. I will schedule and confirm this meeting with you within 24 hours. Please email me with any questions or concerns. 

Discussion Board: Required discussion forums are included in this course. The discussion forum will relate to the weekly topics and require a post and response to a peer’s post. The initial post must be complete by the designated date (11:59 P.M.) and peer responses must be posted by the due date (11:59 P.M.).

Assignment Feedback: After submitting the assignment after the due date, the learner will receive assignment feedback from the facilitator within 2-3 days. Class summary feedback to the class will be provided on designated assignments. This will be noted in the assignment directions. Auto-graded assignments will include additional feedback for guidance and revisions.

Grade Policy: Learner grades will be posted within 2-3 days after the assignment/quiz due date.

Regular Substantive Interaction 
(ON-A Courses) As this is an online asynchronous course, there will be no real-time interaction between students in the course unless you log on for any optional live lectures. However, Regular Substantive Interaction (RSI) will occur through student-student interaction and student-instructor interaction. Student-student interaction will take place in the discussion forums, where students respond to each other’s replies to the professor’s prompts and/or group assignments.

(ON-S/HYB Courses) As this is an online synchronous course, meaning there will be real-time interaction during live class sessions. Regular Substantive Interaction (RSI) will occur through student-student interaction and student-instructor interaction. Student-student interaction can take place in live class sessions, discussion boards, group projects, etc. Student-instructor interaction can take place through announcements, assignment feedback, virtual office hours, etc.

In these interactions, it is crucial that students pay attention to their “netiquette,” which refers to acceptable behavior for communicating online. It should be noted that in the non-academic world, these standards are not always required, but in this course, the lack of proper “netiquette” will result in an assignment receiving a zero as a grade. Given the importance of “netiquette,” how does a student ensure that their responses are compliant? The following checklist should be followed closely:

• Rule #1 - All communication must be done in a civil, respectful tone.  This means no personal or ad hominem attacks on others.  A student may never call into question another person’s competency, background, or identity.
• Rule #2 - All language used in online communication must be professional; this means it must be respectful of others, avoid colloquial phrases, employ correct grammar, and be written in complete sentences.
• Rule #3 - When you believe that an individual has written something in error, the acceptable response is to politely question the individual on what evidence the statement is based.  You may then state what you believe to be the case.
• Rule #4 - When you disagree with a viewpoint or interpretation, the acceptable response is to politely state that you have another view and then state that view.  You may bring into question the evidence on which another person’s argument is based using rule #2 above.

Interactions between students and the instructor must follow the same “netiquette“ rules. The professor’s planned interactions with students include:

1. Initial video introduction to the course and weekly live lectures.
2. Weekly announcements that summarize course expectations and goals.
3. Feedback on written assignments.
4. Email communications with students, both individually and collectively.

Online Course Responsibilities and Decorum

Online Course Responsibilities:
This course requires significant self-motivation. You must not get behind. Lessons take up to eight hours to finish. Don't try to do them in one day. Please note that not all lessons are created equal. Some may take a bit more time than others. You would normally spend 3 hours per week in face-to-face classes for this course (totaling approximately 45 hours).  Allow yourself at least 8 hours per lesson to complete the lessons online, including the time spent writing for the postings to class discussion forums. Plan additional time to read the text and other course resources. Be mindful that in the beginning, lessons will probably take longer than they will once you are familiar with the course’s layout and procedures. 

Online Courtesy Decorum (Netiquette):
Netiquette, a social code defining “good” online behavior, is something to keep in mind during online course interactions. Writing may be the only means of communication you have with classmates and instructors, so it is especially important to do this effectively. Follow the guidelines below to leave your mark as a knowledgeable, respectful, and polite student who is also positioned to succeed professionally.  https://asuonline.asu.edu/newsroom/online-learning-tips/netiquette-online-students/

• Be Scholarly
• Be Respectful
• Be Professional
• Be Polite
• Be on time and remain throughout the entire course
• Be visually present online (no black screens)

Behind Every Name, There is a Person

1. Respect the privacy of your classmates and what they share in class.
2. Ask classmates for clarification if you find a discussion posting offensive or difficult to understand.
3. Avoid sweeping generalizations. Back up your stated opinions with facts and reliable sources.
4. Understand that we may disagree and that exposure to other people’s opinions is part of the learning experience.
5. Be respectful of each other. We’re all in this together. Before posting a comment, ask whether you would be willing to make the same comment to a person’s face.
6. Keep in mind that everything you write, indeed every click of your mouse, is recorded on the network server. On the Internet, there are no takebacks.
7. Keep in mind that you are taking a college class. Something that would be inappropriate in a traditional classroom is also inappropriate in an online classroom.

Online Communication

1. Be aware that typing in all capital letters indicates shouting.
2. Be careful with humor and sarcasm. Both can easily be misunderstood!
3. Review all discussion postings before posting your own to prevent redundancy.
4. Check your writing for errors by reviewing what you’ve written before submitting it.
5. Acronyms (LOL, etc.) and emoticons (smiley’s) are commonly used online, but be careful not to overuse them.
6. Many communications with your instructor or fellow students are best handled through email. 
7. Only post on the classroom discussion board if the conversation is relevant to others in the class.

Online Course Attendance Policy

Classroom attendance is expected of all students, even students in online courses. Online course attendance and participation are established by discussion forum posts, assignment submissions by the due date, live web meeting sessions (synchronous online courses only), and participation in other course specific online learning activities. An instructor may reduce the grade for any student that does not participate in online course learning activities. 

Technology Requirements

Canvas
This course utilizes many Canvas features through Trojan Link. Please check the email address listed in the course to ensure this is your current address. If additional help is needed to access Canvas, contact VSU Technology Services at 804-524-5210 or Email: VTS_ServiceDesk . Students are required to use the website: https://vsu.instructure.com/

Disclaimer
Some hardware or software firewalls may interfere with curriculum and online lab access. Students are responsible for ensuring that their computers meet compatibility requirements.
All emails must contain the student’s name in the subject heading. Please remember that this is a professional site and conduct yourselves accordingly. Do not misuse the Internet or email. School policies are available in the Library and the Writing/e-Portfolio Studio. Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to these policies. Finally, please do not forward messages to the instructor or another student(s).

Trojan Link
https://www.vsu.edu/trojanlink/index.php