Just Be Nice

Sometimes people use the anonymity of the internet as an excuse to say or do things they would never do in face to face interaction.  This has become such a problem, that there is a new word for internet etiquette, netiquette.  Rudeness online also prompted Real Simple magazine to declare January 9-13, 2012 as  “Be Nice on the Internet Week,” in an effort to encourage people to return to civility.   If teachers plan to incorporate technology into their lessons, it becomes part of their responsibility to teach students appropriate online communication that goes beyond safety to courtesy. 

Teachers should model appropriate online communication to their students.  This can include being careful about the humor they use, as it can often be misinterpreted when the accompanying body language is lacking.  It can also include things like avoiding all caps or excessive punctuation.  It’s important for students to realize that most of the time using “text” language in an academic setting is not appropriate.  As a teacher, I plan to caution students about the kinds of things they post about themselves and others online.  Once it is posted, there is very little they can do to control the dissemination of that information.  They should never post something about a friend without that friend’s permission, and they should understand that whatever they post about themselves can be seen by others, including potential employers, and their parents J (By the way, according to Real Simple magazine, infrequent use of emoticons is okay.)