Messaging as a Modern Way of Communication

We all know that to effectively communicate face-to-face in society, we need to follow some intrinsic rules that allow us to act respectfully toward others’ opinions and feelings while trying to deliver an understandable message. With that being said, Netiquette is the same polite and professional behavior applied to the internet.

Technology, nowadays, is a relevant part of our lives, and as normally happens, our counterpart on the other side of the screen cannot see our body language or hear our tone of voice when we are expressing our point of view.

Therefore being very cautious by choosing carefully how to behave in this environment, where anonymity prevails, is very important, and it should be done responsibly.

The implementation of good Netiquette in the classroom is essential for healthy and productive interaction between peers and also with the instructor.

However, bad Netiquette has important connotations in the development of a harmonious and respectful community, impacting negatively on the learning process for all the participants involved. This is a very important reason why the instructor of the course should delineate, at the very beginning, his or her expectations regarding “netiquette,” providing a clear statement of rules and consequences (College Success, 2015).

A clear example of this bad behavior could be the fact that if a student presents a personal opinion about a topic, and some members of the group don’t possess an open mind to accept that we are all different and entitled to our own point of view, he or she may feel scorned and this will prevent them from sharing with the group again (Shaw, 2017).

Other examples of bad Netiquette are:

• Trolling, posting controversial messages with the intention of flaring up others’ reactions,
• Do not use slang, offensive or improper words as well as emojis while participating in academic online communication,
• The use of all caps indicates yelling, which is highly recommended to avoid,
• Do not try to dominate a particular topic, instead give a chance to others to give their point of view to contribute equally to the development of the discussion (Mintu-Wimsatt et al. l, 2010),
• Choose wisely the way you want your message to be received; sarcasm is rarely understood,
• Respect above all, take into consideration the feelings of your receivers by proofreading your messages before posting them,
• If a fellow classmate is in need of help, do not hesitate to give them a hand.

Personally, when I have been addressed with bad Netiquette, I have decided to ignore the comments that were delivered as a personal attack, and consequently, I have reported these people to the person in charge so they were able to act promptly to avoid this happening again.

Contrarily, this may not be the case for other people, as bad Netiquette may cause distress when addressed to a sensible person. This will make them feel judged or rejected and not willing to participate in any other activity that may require their opinion.

Moreover, as an online college student, I firmly believe that the peer assessment learning methodology is a very useful tool to enhance the online learning experience (Mintu-Wimsatt et al. l, 2010).

Therefore, we have to follow the netiquette rules to be able to efficiently deliver feedback, whether positive or, especially, constructive criticism. To do so, having good manners is essential, as that means being respectful of other’s points of view even if in disagreement, trying to always display courtesy, and doing our best to keep in mind that the person who wrote the assignment has feelings. Not only, but I will also provide an insight that I would have previously checked so as to avoid misinformation and will supply my sources, and finally, I will proofread my feedback to be sure I have stated clearly what I am trying to communicate to avoid misunderstanding.

This week’s feedback has allowed me to understand and apprehend more regarding the topic as there were aspects I wasn’t aware of that my peers have brought to light; this made my curiosity grow, and I was feeling good and excited to be able to participate in the discussion. Conversely, during this time at UoPeople, I have been able to gain the basic knowledge to provide in a polite manner reliable feedback to my fellow classmates when assessing their work.

In conclusion, while bad Netiquette would be hard to avoid, good Netiquette provides us with rules that will help us to communicate effectively in this evermore technological world.

References:

1. Mintu-Wimsatt, A., Kernek, C., & Lozada, H. (2010, March). Netiquette: Make it Part of Your Syllabus. Retrieved from https://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no1/mintu-wimsatt_0310.pdf
2. Shaw, A. (2017, August 18). Netiquette Basics. Retrieved from https://ctl.learninghouse.com/netiquette-basics/

Did you like this example?

381

16