06+Netiquette

=Netiquette =

Educators should be cognizant of internet safety issues. Incorporating collaborative internet application without teaching students safety expectations is dangerous. Almost universally, teachers communicate classroom expectations, model these behaviors and provide students with opportunities to practice these behaviors. This process of teaching appropriate behavior does not end in front of the keyboard. Students need to understand online behavioral expectation. Documenting your expectation for online behavior on your class wiki is essential. Below is a list of rules penned by Virginia Shea in Netiquette (ISBN 0-9637025-1-3). This list is a good start, but you will need to adapt it to your students.   Corollary 1 to Rule #1: It's not nice to hurt other people's feelings. Corollary 2: Never mail or post anything you wouldn't say to your reader's face. Corollary 3: Notify your readers when flaming.
 * RULE 1: REMEMBER THE HUMAN-** Never forget that the person reading your mail or posting is, indeed, a person, with feelings that can be hurt.

Corollary 1: Be ethical. Corollary 2: Breaking the law is bad Netiquette.
 * RULE 2: ADHERE TO THE SAME STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR ONLINE THAT YOU FOLLOW IN REAL LIFE**

Corollary 1: Netiquette varies from domain to domain. Corollary 2: Lurk before you leap.
 * RULE 3: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN CYBERSPACE**

Corollary 1: It's OK to think that what you're doing at the moment is the most important thing in the universe, but don't expect anyone else to agree with you. Corollary 2: Post messages to the appropriate discussion group. Corollary 3: Try not to ask stupid questions on discussion groups. Corollary 4: Read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document. Corollary 5: When appropriate, use private email instead of posting to the group. Corollary 6: Don't post subscribe, unsubscribe, or FAQ requests. Corollary 7: Don't waste expert readers' time by posting basic information. Corollary 8: If you disagree with the premise of a particular discussion group, don't waste the time and bandwidth of the members by telling them how stupid they are. Just stay away. Corollary 9: Conserve bandwidth when you retrieve information from a host or server.
 * RULE 4: RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME AND BANDWIDTH**

Corollary 1: Check grammar and spelling before you post. Corollary 2: Know what you're talking about and make sense. Corollary 3: Don't post flame-bait.
 * RULE 5: MAKE YOURSELF LOOK GOOD ONLINE**

Corollary 1: Offer answers and help to people who ask questions on discussion groups. Corollary 2: If you've received email answers to a posted question, summarize them and post the summary to the discussion group.
 * RULE 6: SHARE EXPERT KNOWLEDGE**

Corollary 1: Don't respond to flame-bait. Corollary 2: Don't post spelling or grammar flames. Corollary 3: If you've posted flame-bait or perpetuated a flame war, apologize.
 * RULE 7: HELP KEEP FLAME WARS UNDER CONTROL**

Don't read other people's private email.
 * RULE 8: RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S PRIVACY**

The more power you have, the more important it is that you use it well.
 * RULE 9: DON'T ABUSE YOUR POWER**

You were a network newbie once too!
 * RULE 10: BE FORGIVING OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MISTAKES**