NPTT Online Expectations for Decorum and Netiquette NPTT students are expected to observe the following: •
Please participate in online discussions as you would in constructive face-to-face
discussions.
•
Please be professional and courteous.
•
Online communication lacks the non-verbal cues that provide much of the meaning in
face-to-face conversations. Choose your words carefully, phrase your sentences clearly,
and keep your sentences and paragraphs brief.
•
State the main topic of your posting in the Subject line.
•
State your purpose for writing at or near the beginning of your message whenever
possible.
•
Proofread what you post. You may want to use a word processor to draft what you intend
to say, check your spelling and grammar, and then paste your text into the Message
section of your posting.
•
Please do not use all capital letters. It makes it hard to read, and it comes across as though
you were shouting.
You should be thinking about the following while participating in course discussions: Course discussions account for a significant portion of your grade in many NPTT courses. It is important that each NPTT student contribute quality postings in order to contribute to the knowledge community in each course. We have developed a table of guidelines to assist students in developing quality posts by following the guidelines as stated in the chart on the following page. Please note that participation in course discussions in expected throughout the week, not all in one day. The expectation is that students log in daily and contribute to course discussions. While posting, please observe the following table of guidelines for quality posts. Quality of Postings Table Clear indication that the posting is motivated by the particular
Focused on
topic/question/assignment reading and that the writer has taken a particular slant on that
reading and developed it.
There is a sense in the posting that ideas lead to each other and that
Organization of
there are connections being made.
ideas/thoughts
The posting is just not a summary but an attempt by the writer to
Critical thinking evident
push toward a particular personal meaning.
in responses
The posting refers consistently to the reading and to particular ideas
Correlations of
contributions to assigned and situations within the reading that have made an impression.
readings
The posting makes connections to information, writers, and other
Use of other
texts the writer has read or seen.
resources/citations
Evidence of graduate-level thinking that relates the writer’s life to
Thoughtfulness in
the social environment in which the posting was written.
interactions
The posting illustrates that the writer has been paying attention to
Listening to others
those who have interesting and provocative things to say.
Responses incorporate quotes from other students’ postings.
The posting(s) integrates multiple viewpoints and weaves both class
Synthesizing
readings and other participants' postings into their discussion of the
subject.
Few grammar or sentence mechanics errors—none that interfere
Grammar/mechanics
with the meaning the writer wants to convey.
Guidelines and table adapted from: Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (2010). Academic Technology Center: Teaching with technology collaborator. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/ATC/Collaboratory/Idea/gradingdiscussions.html