Asynchronous discussions take the form of posts and responses to a discussion forum. In this type of discussion, the instructor will pose a topic and require students to post a discussion, respond and perhaps critique and evaluate their peers submission. Asynchronous discussion may be used to generate discussion solely among students. For more information, we invite you to complete the following tutorial:

• Using the Discussion Board

Synchronous discussions are similar to chat rooms. The instructor will organize a time for a virtual meeting and will provide topics for discussion. Synchronous discussions move rapidly and responses must be read quickly, thus emphasizing the ideas being expressed rather than who is expressing them. Students can send private questions to the instructor and receive a private response. Instructors will often record and archive chat sessions for students to review if needed. For more information, we invite you to complete the following tutorials:

• Using the Lightweight Chat
• Using the Virtual Classroom

(Adapted from Harasim, L., Hiltz, S.R., Teles, L., & Turoff, M. (1995). Learning Networks: A Field Guide to Teaching and Learning Online. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.)

This refers to your efforts to create a sense of online community. Positive climate building can reduce anxiety about communicating online, and contribute to a positive collegial environment. Climate building can be developed by:

• Use of first names by participants.
• Responding promptly to messages sent to you.
• Use of reinforcement phrases (i.e., "Good idea!" or "Thanks for the suggestions," etc.).
• Use of personalizing remarks (i.e., a reference to where you are working -- home, office, terminal, what is happening around you, the weather, etc.).
• Avoiding hostile or curt comments. No objectionable, sexist, or racist language will be tolerated.
• Displaying humor.
• Promoting cooperation by offering assistance and support to other participants and by sharing ideas.

• Demonstrating courtesy online is fundamental. (Absolutely no abusive or libelous comments will be permitted.)
• Use only your real first and last name online.
• Confidentiality: No one else should be given access to any of the conferences (either viewing onscreen or in print), without the previous consent of all participants and conferees.
• Copyright & Plagiarism: Don't use the words or text of others without proper acknowledgement of the source (if this was in some public source), or -- if private (as in a conference) unless you first have the author's permission.
• The use of humor can be very tricky; sometimes it is seen as sarcasm or derision rather than as funny. Symbols or parenthetic phrases (e.g., :-) or "ha! ha!") can help to convey emotional tone and help to prevent misunderstandings.