Online class etiquette is of utmost importance today because of the rapid switch that educational institutions have made to the online medium during this COVID scenario.

Like in the case of in-person classrooms where students are familiar with a set of etiquette to follow, online classes demand a separate set of etiquette to ensure the smooth progression of the session.

While in-person etiquette is acquired because of the student’s familiarity with their campus life, online class etiquette needs to be instilled in students during their first few sessions on an online education platform.

While this seems to be a natural step that all institutions would follow, the rapidity of switching to online education because of the spread of the pandemic has led to online class etiquette being undervalued in many cases. Here is a quick list of online class etiquette that all students should be briefed about before their first few online education sessions.

Basic Online Class Etiquette that all students should follow

1. Be on Time:

The first and foremost online class etiquette to follow is to be on time. Just like in an in-person classroom, being late to an online class is a sign of not being punctual. It may be easier to be late to an online class than to an in-person class, so be extra careful and log-in early enough so that a slow internet connection will not delay you.

In case there is an unforeseen difficulty that is going to make you late to class, make sure to inform the teacher in advance. Do not forget that teachers have the option to block late-entries in many online class platforms, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and arrive a few minutes earlier than the scheduled time.

 

2. Be Presentably dressed:

While some online classes require the student to switch on their webcam and make themselves visible to the teacher, not all online classes do. Regardless of this, dressing professionally is a good online class etiquette to practice. This need not mean that you have to be in full uniform. Instead, you have to be in proper attire that is not your typical lounge-wear at home. Dressing up increases one’s ability to focus on the online class and creates a conducive mood for learning.

 

3. Keep your microphone muted unless specified:

Most classes have one teacher and many students and therefore, remember that your online classmates need to hear the teacher as well as you want to. For this purpose, it is advised for all students to mute their microphones while the teacher is speaking. This ensures minimal disturbances to the class. This online etiquette goes a long way in increasing the effectiveness of an online class, therefore it must be given attention.

 

4. Be alert and respond when called upon:

To keep the class uninterrupted, always be alert so that you can un-mute yourself and speak up when you are asked to. Failure to follow this online class etiquette will not only disrupt the teacher but can also your fellow-learners’ flow of thought and cause delays.

 

5. Questions and doubts:

Use the Raise Hand tool that most online education platforms have to let the teacher know that you have a question for them. Unlike in an in-person class where teachers can regulate the process by which students ask questions or doubts, online classes can be easily interrupted if students un-mute themselves in between classes. That is why it is an important online class etiquette to

keep a note of one’s questions and doubts and ask them only in the time allotted for their clarifications. Alternatively, the chat-box may be used for this purpose.

 

6. Practise Self-monitoring:

Keeping oneself on-track is the most important online class etiquette. While in an online classroom, the student has an increased responsibility to put in the effort to concentrate and make the most out of the teacher’s efforts. It is the student’s responsibility to take notes, participate and keep oneself engaged.

While most of these online class etiquette are straightforward, first-time online learners need to be made aware of them before their first few classes. Student cooperation is an integral component that contributes to the success of an online class and following well-defined online class etiquette can ease the process of online interaction and help maximize the advantages of using online modes of education.

 

Follow this up with a fun YouTube video on online class etiquette by Jason Siwek by Clicking Here

For more tips, first-time online teachers Click Here and first-time online learners, Click Here .

 

Picture source: 123RF

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