Instructional Design Resource

Sample Student Handout

Dr. Robert Bramucci

NOTE: This handout can be modified, reproduced, and distributed to students in classes where the use of university computer resources is required.

INTRODUCTION

Who
This document applies to any student who accesses the course web site located at _____________.

Access to this Course is a Privilege, Not A Right
Access to university computers and/or software is a privilege and requires that individual users act responsibly, including the conservation of computer resources, data, and consideration of other users.

• "Computer resources" include hardware, software, and communications networks.
• "Data" includes all files or database records, regardless of size or storage media, including e-mail, chat, bulletin board, personal homepages, group homepages, calendars, course rosters, course grades, or system logs.
• "Consideration of other users" means your communications should reflect high ethical standards, mutual respect and civility.  Note that the College's code of conduct applies online as well as the classroom.

You are Responsible for Obtaining Equipment and Access
In order to access this course, you must obtain access to a computer with a connection to the World Wide Web.  Though the college offers many computers for student use, it is your responsibility to secure access to a computer and a web connection.

ACCOUNT INFORMATION
You will add your own student account to the web site by completing the online course registration process. 

• Don't give false or misleading information when applying for a course account. Don't use someone else's computer account or let anyone use your account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the password and account, and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your password or account.
• Close your internet browser at the end of each session in your online course. If you don't someone else could use your account, and you'll be liable for any loss or damage that arises.
• You agree to immediately notify your instructor of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security

COMMUNICATION

General

• Realize that typed messages lack the vocal and nonverbal cues that normally carry a lot of meaning in a face-to-face conversation.  Without this supporting context, satire or sarcasm can come across as meanness.  Try using "emoticons" (also called "Smileys) to make your emotional intent more obvious (e.g., make it clear when you're joking ;-).
• Read the FAQS ("frequently-asked-questions").  People generally have little patience for answering the same "newbie" (new user) questions again and again, so FAQs were created as a place where you can receive answers to common questions.  So before you post a question, check the FAQs.
• Remember that direct person-to-person contact is best for handling sensitive, complex or highly emotional issues.
• Don't criticize people's sspellingg.  Typos are more accepted on the Internet, so sending a message pointing out all the spelling errors or grammatical mistakes in someone's messages is considered gauche.
• Even so, spell-check your own messages and quickly review them for punctuation and grammar.
• DON'T USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS!  Occasional capitals are OK for emphasis, but typing in all caps is the Internet equivalent of shouting (plus messages in all caps are hard to read).
• don't use all lowercase letters, either.  it's viewed as mumbling.
• Don't use text features like boldface, italics, underlining, or diacritical marks---many online systems won't display them
• _Underscored Text_ indicates underline or italic.
• *asterisks* are used in place of bold text.
• Define terminology that may be unfamiliar to other people.
• Be brief and to the point.  People expect brevity and won't read lengthy messages. Plus, it's harder to read words on a computer monitor than on paper.
• Don't upload huge files that will slow down or disrupt the system for other users.
• Don't have an only copy of important files.  Computers crash and things get lost in cyberspace, so have backup copies of files and email messages.

Subject Lines

• Keep subject lines short.
• Make subject lines informative (e.g., don't title messages "FYI", "Important", or anything else that doesn't indicate the content of the message). 
• Make subject lines clear and unambiguous, and don't use misleading subject lines or titles. Clear subject lines aid in prioritizing, filing, cataloging, cross-referencing, and retrieval.
• Keep your message focused. If a new topic is introduced it should be under a separate message with a new subject heading.  Similarly, don't post replies dealing with multiple subjects in one message.

Quoting

• Quote when you reply.  It may not be apparent to everyone else who you're replying to or what you're replying about.
• > Lines of text with brackets
  > preceding them are used to denote a
  > quote from a previous message.
• Don't overquote:Don't quote long messages in their entirety---quote only the relevant portions of the message.

EMAIL

• Be careful when addressing emails.  One character out of place, or a ".com" suffix when the person's email really ends with ".edu", and your message won't be delivered
• Keep your emails brief.   People might cherish lengthy "snail mail" letters but are accustomed to short emails and are less likely to read long email messages.
• Say hello at the start of your message and goodbye at the end.
• Don't mark messages "Urgent" unless they really are.
• Unless you are explicitly given permission, don't publicly post email sent to you in private.
• Don't use "HTML" code in your message unless you are sure that the recipients' email programs can understand "HTML" correctly.
• Recognize that instant delivery of email does not guarantee an instant response.  Don't "dun" people for responses before an acceptable amount of time has elapsed.
• If it is going to take considerable time to reply fully, try to acknowledge receipt of a message promptly and let the sender know that you will answer.  However, it is not necessary to reply to every email message. Avoid trivial responses.
• If you are sending information from another source, pay attention to whether the material is copyrighted (copyright laws apply to email, too).  Cite sources.
• If a message is particularly important, you might want to compose several drafts of it in a word processor and spell-check it.
• To prevent losing long or important emails in the event of a technical problem, compose them in a word processor and cut and paste the finished product into your email program.
• Don't leave your email account open when you leave your computer. Anyone could sit down at your keyboard and send out any libelous/ offensive/embarrassing message under your name.

"Spam"

• Don't "spam" (send unsolicited generic email).
• Don't reply to spam, even to demand that they stop emailing you.
• Don't open email chain letters, and don't forward them to other people.
• If you're replying to an email that was sent to dozens or hundreds of people, make sure you're not replying to all those people!
• Don't forward jokes, petitions for "good causes", or other similar material to multiple persons.
• Don't advertise in places where advertising is not appropriate.
• Never forward a rumor unless you know it to be true (especially rumors about viruses). 
• If you really must distribute a message to many people, don't paste all the names into the "CC" field of your email program (where people can see everyone else's email addresses). Always use "BCC" (blind carbon copy) instead.

Attachments

• Don't send huge attachments
• When you're replying to a message that has an attachment, don't include the attachment again.
• If you're forwarding a message with an attachment, consider whether the attachment is really necessary.
• Don't send attached files that lack filename extensions (that's because some computers won't be able to open them).
• Don't send attached files that other people don't have the software to open. 
• If you're not sure whether your audience has the correct software to open an attachment, try converting it to an HTML document so it can be opened in a browser. If the document is large, you could post large the document on the Web in HTML format and email the URL instead of the file.
• Refrain from adding too many attachments.

Flaming

• Don't flame!  Flaming refers to derogatory, abusive, threatening, sarcastic, rude, or otherwise mean-spirited messages directed at people.
• Be cautious when using sarcasm and humor. Without facial expressions and tone of voice, they do not translate easily through email and may be perceived as flaming.
• Don't post when you're angry.  When you've calmed down, you'll wish you hadn't written that response and you probably won't be able to delete it.
• Don't write anything that you won't want other people to be able to see for a long time (posts can be archived for years). 
• If a message provokes a negative emotional response, put it away for a while, then reread it and see if you're misinterpreting it.  If you don't understand a particular item, ask the sender for clarification before replying to an incorrect conclusion.
• Don't respond to people who are deliberately trying to get your goat.   If the bully gets a flood of angry responses, the real conversation gets sidetracked and the bully wins.
• Don't consider your messages to be secure.  Remember, it's very easy for someone else to forward messages you thought were confidential.  Think of email and bulletin board messages as postcards rather than letters. 
• Don't rant without warning.  If you feel so passionate about something that you can't refrain from an emotional diatribe, at least bracket your rant with something like *WARNING:  RANT*" and  "*RANT COMPLETED*"
• Apologize.  If there's been a misunderstanding or miscommunication, you can often nip a flame war in the bud by a brief apology.

DISCUSSIONS

• Lurk before you leap.  Lurking is visiting without participating.  While it's rude to make a habit of lurking, a little lurking can acquaint you with rules and procedures, help you get the "lay of the land", and prevent embarrassment.

• Don't post non-informative messages on bulletin boards.  Chat is more like a telephone, so saying "Me, too!" or "I don't know" is accepted.  But on bulletin boards, people don't like to read postings that aren't substantive.

CHAT

• Remember that chat rooms are "logged" (i.e., a record is kept of conversations).
• Don't disrupt the chat rooms by pasting large blocks of text into the input box (thus causing the screen to scroll faster than other users are able to type ) or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users' ability to engage in real time exchanges.
• If you are having a conversation that is off the main topic, please move to another chat room.
• If you are a fast typist, please pause occasionally to let slower typists contribute to the discussion.

ADMINISTRATION

Privacy

• As with all use of the university's computer systems, users should be aware that computer use may be subject to review or disclosure in accordance with local, state, and federal laws; administrative review of computer use for security purposes or in regard to a policy or legal compliance concern; computer system maintenance; audits and as otherwise required to protect the reasonable interests of the university and other users of the computer system.
• Anyone using the university's computer systems expressly consents to monitoring on the part of the university for these purposes. 
• If such monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity, university administration may provide that evidence to law enforcement officials.  
• The university is unable to guarantee the protection of electronic files, data or e-mails from unauthorized or inappropriate access (i.e., hackers).

Other Rules and Laws Apply

In addition to the policies in this statement, other policies and laws may apply, including:

• University policies regarding computer use (including any procedures which govern computer usage at a particular facility on campus).
• University policies on student conduct (e.g., harassment, plagiarism, and unethical conduct).
• All existing federal, state, and local laws, including not only those laws and regulations that are specific to computers and networks, but also those that may apply generally to personal conduct.
• In short, don't break the law.  The same kinds of behaviors that are illegal off the Internet (e.g., discrimination, slander, copyright violations) are illegal on the Internet, too, including:
• discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, appearance or religious persuasion.
• illegal use of copyrighted software or other copyright infringement,
• obscenity,
• libel and/or slander
• stalking, threatening, or harrassment
• attempts to "hack" into the computer system
• purposefully uploading computer viruses to the system

Don't help other people do any of these things, either.

What Will Happen If You Violate These Rules

• The University reserves the right at any time to limit, restrict or deny access to its computer resources, as well as to take disciplinary and/or legal action against anyone in violation of these policies and/or laws.
• Infractions may result in the implementation of the university's disciplinary process as outlined by the Office of Judicial Affairs.