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This represents the first draft of the TIPS guidelines and expectations. By its nature, this document is dynamic and will be subject to change, however, my goal is to keep these guidelines brief and simple and not create an overwhelming set of expectations. Hopefully, these guidelines will assist us in our efforts to self-regulate our behavior on TIPS. Please feel free to suggest additions and changes, however, please remember the goal stated above-to keep the expectations simple and brief.
- This is the most important guideline!! The
guidelines/expectations that follow are suggestions that
hopefully will allow us to continue to make TIPS a
worthwhile resource for all looking to improve their
teaching. THESE GUIDELINES/EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED
TO BE STRICT RULES, NOR WILL I (BILL SOUTHERLY) BE
CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR VIOLATORS. Hopefully, these
suggestions will allow us to self-regulate ourselves and
only on a rare occasion will I be needed to deal with a
repeat offender of the group's expectations.
- TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT. Flaming has no place
on a professional list and will not be tolerated.
- Since email can easily lead to misinterpretations
of the intent of a message, please GIVE THE SENDER THE
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND ASSUME THAT NO FLAME WAS
INTENDED. If you feel you must address a possible flame,
either send a note to the listowner <bsoutherly@frostburg.edu>
or to the individual using private mail. As listowner, I
routinely look for this type of behavior and deal with it
privately when it occurs.
- USE THE SUBJECT LINE TO DESCRIBE THE CONTENT OF
YOUR MESSAGE. If you change the direction of a
discussion, please change the subject line to allow
people to more easily make decisions on whether to read a
post.
- SIGN ALL MESSAGES. Your name and email address
should be included in this signature. This will allow
people to easily contact you with private mail if they
wish.
- When responding to a previous post, PLEASE TRY TO
CUT OUT ANY SECTIONS OF A PREVIOUS POST THAT ARE NOT
RELATED TO YOUR RESPONSE. If this is not practical, then
you may want to consider placing your response before the
previous response so people won't have to move through
several screens of material to get to your response.
- SEND NOTES INTENDED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO THE
INDIVIDUAL AND NOT TO THE LIST. For example, when someone
offers a handout you should respond to that person, not
to the list. In addition, the "me, too" type of responses
are best sent to the individual and not the group.
Remember that every note that is intended for one person
that is sent to the list, generates 1000+ pieces of junk
mail for everyone else.
- When a discussion you are following goes astray,
TRY TO BRING THE DISCUSSION BACK INTO FOCUS JUST LIKE YOU
MIGHT DO WITH A CLASSROOM DISCUSSION. Don't lose sight of
the fact that you, the TIPS subscriber, help determine
what is discussed!
- EXPLORE MAILING PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW YOU TO FILTER
AND SORT MESSAGES BY TOPIC, SENDER, ETC. These programs
are often free and give you much more control over the
problem of information overflow that many of us face.
- RESIST THE URGE TO READ EVERY MESSAGE SENT TO
TIPS! It's OK to delete unread messages.
- If you find yourself sending several messages a
day on a frequent basis, then you are probably posting
too many messages to TIPS. Are you adding something of
value to the discussion with each post? Are you
responding quickly or are you giving some thought to your
responses?Are other TIPSters making comments suggesting
you are posting too much? Have you becomethe student that
"talks too much" in class? Ask yourself questions like
this, and then DETERMINE IF SOME SELF-REGULATION OF YOUR
POSTING BEHAVIOR IS IN ORDER.
- Be patient and understanding of your colleagues in
cyberspace. BE A "TEACHER" TO YOUR COLLEAGUES!!
