I strongly believe that the very first communication sets the tone for the class.  In my first email message I will include the information about the course and follow up with a phone call to verify contact information with the parents. I will use a digital spreadsheet to document ALL communication to adhere to the program’s policy.

Communication Guidelines are:

Welcome email- this is the first means of communication for students, parents and facilitations.  This email sets the tone for your class and introduces the online instructor. In addition, it outlines important information about policies and the instructor’s contact information for the semester’s course.

 Personal vs Mass Communication- I provide personal or individual notes when giving feedback.  If a student isn’t doing well, I send a personal note or call to motivate them or give some helpful positive pointers or praise.  This type of personal communication is reserved for students with individual concerns.  On the contrary, mass communication is for announcements that concern the entire class such as holiday reminders, schedule changes, deadlines and overall positive messages. 

School Policies- Instructors need to pay very close attention to the school communication policy regarding communication with all stakeholders. This is the time to make all stakeholders aware policies. I would never discuss grades in any email communication to avoid violating school policy regarding FERPA.

Stakeholders- In order to maintain consistency, including all stakeholders in important communications is beneficial.  Stakeholders will appreciate the information about how to monitor their student’s progress by linking their email accounts.

Tools available for effective communication- I really like Smore for sending out messages and course updates or newsletters.  I am impressed with the capability to upload videos and images in addition to text and links.  I will also use Remind 101 and Google Voice for phone calls to organize and document the communication with stakeholders.  Jing videos are also an excellent way to answer questions or clarify concepts.