There is not one right way to write a communication policy. The examples below show different ways on how you might want to approach yours.

Example 1: (Anonymous)

Communication Policy FAQs

How long will it take for me to hear back from my instructor?

I will reply to emails and discussion questions within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours over the weekend.

When will my assignments be graded?

All minor assignments will be graded within 48 hours of the deadline for the assignment. Major essays will be grade with in 2 weeks of the submission deadline.

How often will the instructor log into the course?

During the school week, I log in multiple times daily to check emails and discussion questions you may have. Over the weekend, I log in once each evening.

How often will you participate in Discussion Boards?

I will read all discussion threads and respond multiple times throughout the discussion. If you have an urgent/specific question on something, please email me or ask on the "Any Questions" discussion for a quicker and detailed response.

How often do I, the student, need to log on to the course?

This is a completely online course, and it is important to be active in the course throughout the week. The best thing you can do is to log in daily to check for any new assignments, annoucements, and newly graded assignments. There will be new modules opened up each Monday of things to read and do by the following Sunday. By doing small amounts each day, it will help you to stay on top of your work.

How often do I, the student, need to participate in the discussion boards?

All discussion boards require you to answer the question that is asked as well as respond to at least two other students' posts. Try to respond to posts that don't have any other discussions going on yet. You are free to respond to as many students in the discussion. Just be sure to remember our netiquette policy.

Example 2: (Anonymous)

The success of this course is going to ride on how well you and I can communicate this semester. To that I end, I promise to log in at regular intervals during the week. On weekends...maybe not quite so much. During the week, if you email me a specific question, I will do my best to reply to it in a prompt and appropriate manner within 24 hours. Please do not wait until a few hours before an assignment is due to ask questions.

During the week, you can log in at your convenience. There are no mandatory times for you to be online. My suggestion would be that you pick a specific day and time that you log in every week to complete your assignments, tests, etc. You can expect assignments and discussions to be grade within 5 days of the due date.

Each week you will have a discussion to participate in. Please log in early and post your comments. This helps the discussion to get going. Make sure that by the end of the week you have made 5 posts total.

Example 3: (Anonymous)

Email

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me through the mail function on your COMM 2150 canvas site. I will be checking into the course primarily on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (usually more often). You can expect a response within 24-48 hours (except on weekends and holidays).

Log in to Canvas

There is no set meeting time for this class, but you should plan to check in at least three times per week. It works best if you set up a consistent weekly schedule for working on this class. Treat this schedule with respect, as if you were setting aside the time to attend an in-person class. Don’t get left behind…chances are you will never be able to catch up. Print out your syllabus and calendar and look at them frequently.

Every time you enter the Canvas site, check the Announcements and your mailbox. This is how I alert you to changes or upcoming activities. Since we don’t meet together as a class, class announcements are the best way I can communicate class news to you, so don’t miss these. I will send you at least one announcement per week.

Discussion Boards

You will be given a weekly topic to discuss on the Discussion Board. The discussion will require you to submit a short weekly essay and to respond to two student posts. The essay and responses will be due on Sunday of each week; however, please submit the weekly essay by Thursday. This schedule will spark a more productive online conversation. If everyone waits until the last day to submit his/her essay, you won’t have anyone to respond to and the discussion will be less meaningful.

Grading

Check your grades frequently. Read my comments to you as well as your numerical grades. The comments are intended to be a useful learning tool. I will try to grade and comment on all assignments and discussions within one week after the due date. Occasionally, I am not able to be as prompt as I would like. If that happens, please be patient.

Example 4: (Anonymous)

Since this class will be conducted in Webex Trainings, it is very important that we try to encourage good communication during our class meetings. This will be different than communication in face-to-face courses that you might be used to. So, to help us have a good class, I want to encourage you to do the following:

1) Use headphones or earbuds. This cuts down on echo and extra noises while we are using the program. If someone is causing echo or letting in extra noise during the meetings, I will mute them. Please don't be offended if I do that to you. It happens to the best of us.

2) Turn off your microphone if you are not engaged in conversation for class purposes. For the same reasons as above, the turning off your microphone if you are not using it will help everyone hear better.

3) Use Chat. If you can type your question in chat, you can do that. I will try to monitor chat as much as I can. However, if you need to get my attention, feel free to turn on your microphone and ask me. Sometimes, I will miss the question in chat.

4) Use your camera (Optional). If you feel comfortable showing your background, feel free to turn on your camera. This is not required but optional.

As we all get used to using Webex Trainings, I am sure that we can add to this list, but for now, think about these and if there is anything else that would help you adjust to meeting online, let me know and we can add it to this list.