Guide to Online Communication for Distance Learners
As you adjust to working and learning away from campus you want to consider the best way to communicate with UofL faculty and staff. Since we now have limited access to in-person communication, below are some tips to help you communicate effectively.
Leading with empathy is important as we all adjust to relying ore heavily upon digital communication. Faculty, staff, and your peers are likely to be experiencing an increase in email, and it will take time to give everyone a thoughtful response. Having patience with one another will be critical; try to trust that you will get the information you need, even if not as immediately as one would like.
General Tips
- While many staff and faculty are relying on online communication, they remain available to support students. We really do encourage you to communicate your needs while you are away from campus. This could include questions you have about class, health issues, non-academic challenges, and so on. Both faculty and staff are anticipating hearing form you!
- Do not assume that resources are unavailable during this time! Offices are preparing to offer their services while students are away from campus, and communicating digitally will now be important to access many University services.
- If you are uncomfortable putting particular information in email form or would just like to talk to someone face-face, consider requesting a phone or video call. If you are requesting a call by email, suggest times in the initial message.
- Check your email often (at least twice per day), as it will continue to be the University’s primary means of communication.
- Be an active participant in online communication. It’s okay to send a follow-up message if you have not received a response after 48 business hours. (Place a phone call if it’s urgent!) When you do receive a response, make an effort to confirm your understanding. As with in-person communication, if you are not sure, ask!
Email Communication
When we have the opportunity to talk readily with others in person, we sometimes underestimate the importance of clear and concise email communication. In addition, if you usually prefer to speak with others in person instead of via online, it may take you some time to find your voice in platforms such as email. Below are some quick tips to have more effective email communication.
Remember Tone
In addition to sharing information, emails also convey tone that can either add or detract from your message. Adopting some structure in your messages can provide clarity to the reader. Consider utilizing the following:
- Introductions (e.g., Hi John, ; Dear Prof. Nguyen, according to the addressee’s preferred level of formality)
- Appropriate punctuation (e.g., avoid run-on sentences)
- Avoid using “text talk” and shorthand
- Make clear, respectful requests: When composing your message, consider that the reader may not share your concerns or urgency. Be mindful of how you make requests and convey your expectations.
- Sign offs. At the end of your message, include a sign off such as, “Best”, “Take care”, or something similar to signal the end of your email.
Timing
- Allow at least 48 business hours for a response to your email. Please refrain from sending follow-up emails within this time-frame. If you must send a follow-up email, do so as a reply that includes the original email. This is not rude; it will help the addressee avoid answering you with the same information twice.
- If your email contains urgent information, try to call or send a direct message instead.
Preparing to be a Work-from-Home Student
We understand that students are in the middle of adjusting to living arrangements and other aspects of life in unanticipated ways. We appreciate your willingness to adapt and be flexible, and we wish to support you in that transition. Below you will find some guidance on how to succeed as an online learner.
First, recognize that you, your classmates, and your faculty will all have to work together to adjust. Be patient with yourself and with others during this time. Second, the overarching theme of the guidance below is that you will need to create structure for yourself in order to succeed as an online learner. Consider how your presence on campus normally helps to structure your day in ways which may now be lacking: Your routines with friends, student organizations, and a job will change. If some of your classes move to a format that does not require you to be in class at a specific time, or if attendance policies change, you may not feel the same pressure to structure your life around your coursework.
To adjust for those shifts, you will need to find ways to create that structure for yourself. Below are some suggestions and considerations as you work to do this.
Plan your time
Choose your preferred tool for keeping track of your to-do list, due dates, and schedule. It does not matter if it is a mobile app, wall calendar, or bound paper agenda. The important thing is that it is a format that you will actually use!
Review each of your original syllabi and watch for communications from your faculty on changes to due dates, assignments, and exams. Update your calendar accordingly! Block out class sessions and other time-specific obligations, write down deadlines, and create phone or sticky note reminders for important tasks.
Normally, you might keep a semi-regular schedule that includes things like going to the library several nights per week. Do you really know just how much time you spend on coursework, though? Figure out how much time you typically need to devote to each class and account for when you will need extra time for major assignments or exams. Write this information out in a way that makes sense to you, and use it to draft a daily and weekly task list and schedule. Be realistic about how much you are able to accomplish in one day, and build in extra buffer time when you have big assignments due.
While class times and other meetings may have a predetermined time, it will be up to you to define the structure of much of your day. Once you know how much time you will need to devote to your coursework, think about the best time of day for you to do that. Depending upon your living arrangements, you should consider the schedules of others in your house or apartment.
Schedule time to spend with family and friends, even if it is over the phone or online. There are a few reasons to do this. First, knowing that you have made time for relaxation and socializing will make it easier to focus on the task on hand when you need to be reading or studying. Second, it will signal to your friends and family that you have considered their needs and schedules and that you care about them, but that you also need to prioritize your coursework.
Discuss schedules, boundaries, and expectations with your family or roommates
Whether you are living at home with your family or with other students in a house or apartment, you should sit down and have a discussion about how you can help each other with this adjustment.
Prepare for this discussion by constructing an outline of the amount of time that you will need to devote to coursework and the types of tasks you will be doing. For example, will you sometimes need quiet space so that you can engage in online class discussions using a speaker and microphone? Your family or roommates will be better able to support your learning if they are aware of your needs.
If you are living at home with family members who work or are also in school, consider working during the same hours that they do to help remove the temptation to socialize when you intended to be studying. If other family members are also working from home, plan ahead to share technology resources or favored working spaces.
If you are living in a household with young children or others who require care, be sure to clarify with the rest of your family who will be responsible for providing that care and at what times.
