Skip to main content

Communicate 1 - Communication Guidelines

Create: Reflect on the needs for your individual Communication Plan. Then, construct a general outline.

Welcome email
  • Will post to LMS (Google Classroom) and email to all students/parents once enrolled (recipients BCC'd)
  • Will include course expectations and outcomes, general details on how class will run, expectations on number of required synchronous sessions per unit/term, and a Google Form to collect student/parent contact preferences.
  • Will include a message about our first synchronous session, which will be a Welcome Session in which we address the syllabus, course outcomes, and communication expectations
  • Will include my contact information: email, school phone, personal Google Voice help line, Twitter, Remind messaging codes.

Personal notes versus mass communication to stakeholders
Mass communications to students and parents will be shared via Google Classroom announcements and Remind messages. Students and parents enrolled in these tools may set their preferences on notifications (see "Tools" below)


Individual communications will be delivered by phone or email. 
  • Questions concerning scores or overall grades will not be communicated by email (FERPA). All grading information is posted for student/parent review in the SIS (PowerSchool) and questions about this should be addressed by phone.
  • Students will receive individualized feedback posted on their assignments and during weekly check-in. Questions beyond this should be addressed by phone or email.
  • "Office hours" will be established based on the teacher's course load. These will be shared with stakeholders at the beginning of the term in the Welcome Email, Welcome Session, syllabus, and LMS.
  • While emails may be sent any time, phone calls will only be placed/accepted during office hours. If either party is unavailable, the caller is expected to leave a voicemail. Messages should include caller's name, student first name only, and a callback number.
  • Emails and voicemails requiring a response should be addressed within 1 business day.

School policies regarding communication
  • Grades will be updated weekly in PowerSchool.
  • Emails regarding students will special needs should CC the student's caseload manager as appropriate. Emails regarding academic progress, disciplinary issues, etc should CC the appropriate administrator.
  • Parent/student contacts will be documented in a Google Form. This includes date/time, student name, person contacted, means of contact (phone, email, etc), and a comment on the nature of the contact. Google Form compiles all contacts as a spreadsheet.
  • The corresponding Google spreadsheet of will be uploaded to the secure teacher evaluation platform for administrator review as needed.

Tools available for effective communication
  • Google Classroom - Our LMS utilizes 3 types of posts: assignments, announcements, and questions. Students may also post Class Comments (visible to everyone) or Private Comments (viewable by teacher only) on an assignment, announcement, or question. Notification preferences may be set by individual users:
    • Push notifications with smartphone or tablet app
    • Email notification
    • PARENTS: Opt-in to receive summary emails (weekly or monthly) that contains all updates posted to classroom as well as a summary of students work (completed, graded, missing, etc).
  • Remind - Students and parents are encouraged to enroll in the course Remind group. Again, notification preferences may be set by individual users:
    • SMS message
    • Email
    • Push notifications with smartphone or tablet app
    • Google Voice - Phone system with call, voicemail, and text messaging features. Teacher will use this system rather than giving out a personal cell phone number. All voicemails, text messages, and a call log are accessible in the teacher's school Google account.
    • Google Hangouts - Both the teacher and all students will have access to Google Hangouts through their school-assigned Google account. This virtual conferencing tool will allow students to communicate with teachers, classmates, etc. This tool may be more helpful than a phone call or email when "face-to-face" instruction is needed. As described in this previous post, Google Hangouts on Air will be utilized for all synchronous sessions as they are broadcast live and then archived to YouTube later.


            Labels:

            Comments

            Post a Comment

            Popular posts from this blog

            Navigate 1 - Screen Capture

            Answer:  How does screen capture function in the online classroom? How would the integration of screen capture modify teaching methods? Screen capture and screencasting are an essential part of the asynchronous learning component of an online course. Through a screencast, instructors are able to create, curate, and deliver instructional segments to students enrolled in their courses. Whether it is a 2 minute "explainer video" on how to solve a math problem or a 10 minute video lecture on photosynthesis, screencasts are essential to online instructors delivering instruction. (They are also a way for you to become your own co-teacher! More on that later!) Creation is easy - I've been doing this since my student teaching days in 2011! New technology tools have certainly made this process even more streamlined. Because many people carry a cell phone or a smartphone, virtually everyone has access to a camera. Using a phone, one could quickly record a view of their compute...
            Post a Comment
            Read more

            Participate 1 - Character Traits

            Image Credit: John Shandy https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33393184 "Given our already overcrowded curriculum, finding effective ways to integrate Digital Citizenship throughout the school day will be challenging. But it is a challenge we must take on." 1 The world in which we live, work, and play is now more connected than ever. As citizens in a global digital environment, digital citizenship has become as big a part of our curriculum (and pedagogy) as the content we teach. As we teach our students about the nine elements of digital citizenship, we must remember that as teachers we are digital citizens too; and not just digital citizens, but digital  leaders.  As described in the quote by Impero and Digital Citizenship Institute, teachers must recognize, respond to, and emulate appropriate digital citizenship. Personally, as I read and think about teaching and modeling appropriate digital citizenship, I feel a little overwhelmed. There's Dr. Ribb...
            Post a Comment
            Read more

            Participate 3 - Accessing Digital Learning Communities

            Answer: What types of barriers might impede students’ opportunities to access digital learning? What might we do to eliminate such barriers? The first lesson in accessing DLCs has been an eye-opening experience for me, starting with the research on services available in my area. I've learned a lot about access in general and a few eye-opening things about my area of Georgia specifically, as well as some great strategies for leveling the playing field for people with disabilities. I'll elaborate on these in the sections below. About Barriers in my "Neck of the Woods" I recently changed internet service, in hopes of gaining faster speeds at a slightly lower rate than my previous contract. I've been a little disappointed, by the way, because if anything, service with my new provider seems slower . Maybe it's just me, because the speed test did indicate I was uploading and downloading at speeds close to what was advertised. Anyway... After analyzing the map...
            Post a Comment
            Read more