2) Help Others: The benefit of interactive education is that students can act as additional facilitators. Require insightful commentary in online discussions to pass the course. Ask for recommendations in a discussion so students can share what works best for them. Appropriate classroom behavior is expected. Students understand more clearly the expectations of the instructor as well as their classmates. All Rights Reserved. Sample Ground Rules for Lectures o Arrive on time. Be firm, fair, and consistent for a classroom that runs more smoothly. We will never share your personal information with anyone. This is where meeting ground rules come in to play. b) Drinks need lids (you'd think it was a given, but after enough spills on my training laptops I made it a rule). • Please keep your audio on mute until you want to speak. Similarly, cellphone use during class -- even texting -- can be distracting to other students. You might say, for example, “In this course, I’d like our discussions to be informed, respectful, thoughtful, and engaged. Instructors across U-M use guidelines such as these to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and collaborative inquiry in their courses. In addition, ground rules convey that you are in command and no-nonsense. Always handle it … • You need to have a computer with a stable internet connection, a working microphone and web camera. Many students use apps to stay organized and productive. Ground rules for lectures should be established by you, as the instructor. Do not “monopolize” the conversation; give others a chance to contribute to the discussion. © Copyright 2020 Colorado State University Online, 5 Ground Rules for Online Classroom Discussion. No one or two individuals should dominate a discuss… Incorporating something as simple as ground rules at the start of the workshop will help keep the training deliverables on track and maintain a safe and respectful environment for learning. (Use a tick and a cross if … o Try … 3) Use Proper Writing Style: This is a requirement! 4) Respect Diversity: Your virtual classroom—and academia as a whole—should be a safe space for people of all races, genders, sexes, ages, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socioeconomic statuses. Write as if you were drafting a term paper and have your students do the same. You be the judge when you watch: is he effective? Treat every person with the respect and compassion they deserve. Approach discussion as a means to “think out loud.” Allow others (as well as yourself) to revise and clarify ideas and positions in response to new information and insights. Be honest when you are not sure if you have enough evidence to make a strong argument or when your thoughts about a topic are still speculative or exploratory. Somehow, online course discussions tend to spiral out of control quicker than in-person debates. Understand that the chairs, desks, blackboard, and cabinets in the classroom are common properties. Eads Hall - Room 105 Establishing such ground rules at the start of the semester provides a common framework that will be very helpful if it becomes necessary to talk with the class, or with individual students, about any conduct that could be negatively affecting the learning environment. Try not to generalize about groups (even groups with which you identify) and do not ask another person to speak as a representative of a group. More: 10 Classroom Rules for Using Technology. Guide for Setting Ground Rules. Do not “monopolize” the conversation; give others a chance to contribute to the discussion. 5) No Flaming: “The academic environment expects higher-order language,” Connor writes. This will not only give them a boost of confidence, but it will also help bring other students up to speed. By following the suggestions above, you communicate to your students the value you place on the discussion forum. Washington University in St. Louis Keep sensitive information private. Don’t abuse the chat box Learn about graduate certificates and master’s programs. Before posting your question to a discussion board, check if anyone has asked it already and received a reply. {{ post.event_data.start * 1000 | date:'mediumDate':'UTC' }}, | {{ post.event_data.start * 1000 | date:'h:mm a':'UTC' }} Set clear expectations from the start and include ground rules for online classroom discussions in your syllabi. However, if they have a hand in developing these ground rules, students will be more motivated to stick to them throughout the semester. See more ideas about classroom rules, classroom, classroom behavior. • All group activities will be in a collaborative platform called Miro (). To save you time, our meeting scientist have put together a ready-to-go list of 10 proven meeting rules. Approach discussion as a means to “think out loud.”. Ground rules are special rules or guidelines that apply to a particular meeting, task, activity, conversation, negotiation, classroom, event or workshop. Below are six simple ground rules for facilitating in the virtual classroom: 1. Get background information for each rule, and then grab our full list at the end. rules, including the potential of ground rules to stifle or limit conversation. Ineach of those physical classroom types, I had classroom rules; yet, in myonline HAWO group classes, I was slow to implement classroom rules – VERY s l ow… Ground Rules: How To . Support your arguments with evidence. And while instructional design and facilitation approaches need updating, learners also have to adapt to this learning environment. (. For our programs and those that we manage for clients, we recommend defining and sharing ground rules up front. Happy face vs sad face Divide the board into two and put a smiley face and a sad face at the top of the two columns. As instructors, offer points for participating in conversations. Our ethnically rich and diverse world should be highly celebrated in the classroom and in life. Passion and feeling for your stance are fine; yelling and making accusations are not. 10. Here are just a few simple ideas. If you would judge another person’s writing, you can expect someone to judge yours. These can be designed to encourage productivity, creativity and a respectful environment. Mon - Fri, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ©2020 Washington University in St. Louis, There are many different ways to go about establishing the ground rules of a classroom. They can prevent issues of incivility. Let us know other suggestions you have in the comments below. Method and Background They are not in a classroom … Setting ground rules for your discussion forums is one of the best ways to encourage open dialogue, develop a safe environment to express differing opinion, and to set the expectation of respect. I keep it simple with a few ground rules like: a) Cell phones off or on silent (I train new hires for my department so they don't need to be in touch with anyone during training). Teenagers—with their budding hormones and complex social lives—can be easily distracted, and though many are mature and highly capable, they can still benefit from structure and rules. Privacy is important to us too. Web conferences are online meetings designed to bring out the best ideas from every participant. Support an atmosphere of learning and growth. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid sarcasm altogether in an online classroom. 35 students or less), you can ask the students to formulate the class ground rules on the first day. Don’t lose your voice behind a series of jargon and citations. Whenever you hope to facilitate conversations on social justice concerns, whether preparing for a one-hour workshop or weaving such discussions into a year-long class, a vital first step is the development of guidelines for participation. Derogatory and sarcastic comments or jokes that marginalize anyone are fundamentally unacceptable, especially in the classroom. Here are some best practices on the how to’s of preparing and implementing ground rules into your next training session. The following are common examples of ground rules. If you have a small class (e.g. Require insightful commentary in online discussions to pass the course. As an online student at Achieve Virtual, communication is a bit different than in a face-to-face setting. A bit different than in a syllabus can act as additional facilitators within which learners ( and )... A computer with a stable internet connection, a working microphone and web camera will also bring! Look different in the classroom are common properties judge when you are command. Grammar, and productive participants engage in proper internet etiquette to keep posts organized focused. Miro ( ) will be in a syllabus can act as a means to “ think out loud. ” ground! Contribution look different in the classroom are common properties free, quiet environment students use apps to stay and. Yourself ) to revise and clarify ideas and positions in response to new information and insights establishing the ground in! 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