Mid Michigan Community College Online Protocols

Students taking distance education courses are expected to follow these protocols for behavior in an online environment:

• You are in charge of your own learning. It is your responsibility to contact instructors.
  
• Deadlines exist, even in online courses. If you experience problems trying to submit an assignment, contact your instructor or online@midmich.edu.
  
• Computer problems are not an excuse for missing a deadline. Take this into account when planning your time..
  
• Respect others when communicating. It is not acceptable to “flame” others.
  
• Wait at least 48 hours for a response to an e-mail or discussion board posting.
  
• Always keep copies of your work and save frequently.

Communication is an integral part of your online courses. Remember:

• Be concise when communicating online. The longer a post or a message, the less likely others will read it.
  
• Carefully read all messages that you receive and re-read messages that you post or send. It is easy to misinterpret information in an online environment.
  
• Check your e-mail at least twice per week, and respond in a timely manner.
  
• When posting or e-mailing, include a descriptive subject line so that others know what you are referring to (e.g., "Response to Chapter 1 Homework" or "Question about Week 2 assignment").
  
• Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Proofread and use a spell check tool before sending an e-mail or posting to a discussion board.
  
• When asking questions, be specific. Remember to end your questions with "?".
  
• Insert a blank line between paragraphs and break large amounts of text into multiple paragraphs to avoid confusion.
  
• Check your CAPS LOCK key. Typing in all caps is difficult to read and is interpreted as SHOUTING at someone.
  
• When e-mailing, make sure that you are sending the message to the appropriate person(s). Hitting "Reply to All" will send your response to everyone who initially received the original message and checking BCC to entire class will send the message to everyone in your class.
  
• Always include your full name at the end of your messages.
  
• Do not respond to or forward "chain" e-mails.
  
• Only open attachments from people you know and that you are expecting. If you are unsure as to why someone would send you an attachment, ask the person if s/he sent it to you.
  
• Do not send personal or confidential information (such as social security or credit card numbers) via e-mail.