Chat Etiquette

1.    If you show up late or get kicked out and have to start over, don't interrupt the conversation with "Hi,"  "Hey guys," "Sorry I'm late," etc.  We all know you are having trouble or that you are late.  Watch the conversation until you are ready to join in constructively.  

2.    Take the teacher's lead.  Read everything you see come across the screen and try to figure out the direction the teacher is going.  However, teacher will not always lead the conversation.  Occasionally, especially at the beginning of the conversation, teacher may allow a free-for-all until teacher sees what the topics of interest are in the class.

3.    Allow others space to participate.  Sometimes teacher will call a specific name for response.  Watch for this and allow the person called on to respond.  Teacher will use this format:

                        Bob?????

to indicate a specific person who is expected to respond.

4.    Don't draw on the whiteboard unless teacher directs you to.

5.    Don't click the navigation arrows at the top of the whiteboard unless teacher directs it.

6.    Don't change the web page showing in the whiteboard unless teacher asks you to take us to a web page you are interested in.

The Chat is at Blackboard.ulm.edu under the Communications button.  Click the Communication button, click the Virtual Classroom link.  Wait for Chat to load.  If you are late, the Chat will sometimes come up on the screen, but not load the conversation in progress for several minutes.  So be patient.

Some browser services (esp. AOL) have trouble running the Virtual Classroom Chat.

To view previous Chats, Click the Communication button, click the Virtual Classroom Archive link. 

Do not print chats out.  Much of a Chat is insubstantial.  Instead of printing out, select portions of the Chat that you think useful and paste them into a word processing window.

Back to Things You Need to Know