Title: Guidelines for Participating in Our Online Class
Course: AAAP 406 (Fall 2020; 10440) Special Problems > Section: START HERE: Welcome to [Course Title Here]

General Guidelines for Online Class Participation

1. Participate and Contribute: Students are expected to participate by sharing ideas and contributing to the collective learning environment. This entails preparing, following instructions, and engaging respectfully and thoughtfully with others. More specific participation guidelines and criteria for contributions will be provided for each specific activity.

2. Use Proper Netiquette: Please use good “net etiquette”: identify yourself with your real name and use a subject line that clearly relates to your contribution. Write or speak in the first person when sharing your opinions and ideas but when addressing other students or discussing their ideas, use their names (e.g. "I think red is the most important term in the poem, but I also think Kate is correct that blue is important, too"). Respect the privacy of your classmates and what they share in class. Be respectful of each other. Understand that we may disagree and that exposure to other people’s opinions is part of the learning experience. Good netiquette also means using humor or sarcasm carefully, remembering that non-verbal cues (such as facial expressions) are not always possible or clear in a remote context. In addition, your language should be free of profanity, appropriate for an academic context, and exhibit interest in and courtesy for others’ contributions. Be aware that typing in all capital letters indicates shouting. Certain breaches of netiquette can be considered disruptive behavior.

3. Interact Professionally: Our learning environment provides an opportunity to practice being professional and rigorous in our contributions. As much as possible, use correct spelling, grammar, and style for academic and professional work. Use discussions and activities as opportunities to practice the kind and quality of work expected for assignments. Moreover, seize the chance to learn from others and develop your interpersonal skills, such as mindful listening and awareness of one’s own tendencies (e.g. Do I contribute too much? Too little?).

4. Expect and Respect Diversity: All classes at the University of Oregon welcome and respect diverse experiences, perspectives, and approaches. What is not welcome are behaviors or contributions that undermine, demean, or marginalize others based on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, ability, or socioeconomic status. We will value differences and communicate disagreements with respect. We may establish more specific guidelines and protocols to ensure inclusion and equity for all members of our learning community.

5. Help Everyone Learn: Our goal is to learn together by learning from one another. As we move forward learning during this challenging time, it is important that we work together and build on our strengths. Not everyone is savvy in remote learning, including your instructor, and this means we need to be patient with each other, identify ways we can assist others, and be open-minded to receiving help and advice from others. No one should hesitate to contact me to ask for assistance or offer suggestions that might help us learn better.

Specific guidelines for using Canvas Discussion

1. Use subject lines that clearly communicate the content of your post
2. Write clearly and concisely and be aware that humor or sarcasm often doesn’t translate in an online environment.
3. Be supportive and considerate when replying to others’ posts. This means avoiding use of jargon or inappropriate language, and it means disagreeing with respect and providing clear rationale or evidence to support your different view.
4. Keep focused on the topic and reference readings and other class materials to support your points (as applicable).
5. Try to use correct spelling and grammar and proofread your submissions.  A recommendation is to use Microsoft Word to compose your postings so that you can use the spell check tool, then copy and paste into your Canvas submission.
6. Contribute and interact often!

Specific guidelines for using Zoom

1. Please test your video and audio prior to joining a live class session. You can learn more about testing your audi oand video by visiting the UO Service Portal.
2. Try to be on time when the meeting starts. It can be distracting to have participants join late.
3. Be mindful that others can see you and your surroundings if your video is on. Try to find a quiet setting without lots of noise or busy activities in the background. Please minimize distractions like eating or multitasking and speak and use gestures like you would in person.
4. Use a microphone or speak closely to your computer microphone so that others can hear you. If you have video on, try to look at your camera, not the screen, when you are contributing.
5. Mute your audio when you are not actively contributing. When contributing, avoid making other noises such as typing or eating or having side conversations with others that might be present with you.
6. Use chat to pose questions or offer insights“on the side” while others are contributing.
7. If you prefer to use a static image instead of video, you can keep your video off.
8. For help and troubleshooting with Zoom, visit the UO Service Portal.