Student Tone
Online learners also demonstrate tone and voice in their writing. Many students are unsure of what is expected in the academic online world. Younger students have been texting and using the computer socially since high school but are still unsure what is expected in an online class. Other students have had little experience online, and are equally unclear about expectations. Are texting abbreviations okay? How about acronyms? What if I make a mistake in spelling or grammar?
Assignments
The most formal of student activities is an Assignment. These papers and lesson plans should be completed in APA format (or whatever standard your institution uses) with proper citations if needed, as well as appropriate spelling, grammar, and mechanics. Abbreviations are inappropriate in formal writing. Spelling, mechanics, or other typographical errors count against the student grade.
Blogs
Blogs are slightly less formal than assignments. These are personal reflections which are published for the class (and in some cases the world) to review. Obviously they deserve spelling and grammar checks before publishing, and based on their wide audience, should avoid the use of informal abbreviations or jargon.
Forums & Discussions
Forums are less formal than assignments and blogs but still more formal than an email to a friend. It is expected that discussion posts in the forums will include appropriate grammar and spelling. There is a spellcheck available in the Sakai forums and it should be used before posting. Check the options available in your LMS.
Students (and facilitators) occasionally forget to spellcheck and include typos and other errors. Generally these errors are minor and do not interfere with the ongoing conversation. As a facilitator we generally have a few typos of our own to contend with, so it's good to give participants a bit of leeway in this area.
If poor grammar, spelling, and/or typos are interfering with the ability to understand a student's post, then points should be deducted. If grammar issues are persistent, you may need to do more than deduct points, depending on what level you teach. For example, if you facilitate at the graduate level, your expectations for grammar should be higher than someone who teaches for an online high school. Graduate students should be able to write clearly and with minimal errors; those who cannot may need additional writing support outside of your classroom.
Break Room
The Break Room is part of the Forums but is considered less formal, since it is not tied to content, but simply a place for participants and the facilitator to enjoy each other's company "outside" the classroom. Fun posts and general silliness are appropriate here. Encourage your students to explain terminology that might be confusing to others.
Chat
The least formal online environment is synchronous chat. There is no spellcheck, and even the act of re-reading your own post before hitting return is an easy step to miss in the quick back-and-forth of chat. Obviously there will be spelling and typographical errors. Just keeping up with a fast moving chat has even the best typists tangling their fingers. Points should never be taken for typos or grammar in a synchronous environment. There are more details on Chat in Module 4.