Definitions of communication

Email etiquette is important in an educational setting.  All communication from the teacher to students and parents shall be professional and formal.  It is important to put a proper heading on the email so that those receiving the email have an idea of the subject and can give it the correct priority.  I write email like they are a short letter.  I write a body with complete sentences in paragraph form.  I sign my name with an appropriate conclusion.  I usually put "Respectfully," but in less formal email use other closings.  The key to email though is to keep it brief.  Email should usually be a line or two or at most, a paragraph or two.

Tone is especially important in online communication.  Without face to face interaction, nuance is difficult.  It is best to avoid sarcasm in text based communication.  A good way to gauge the tone before sending electronic communication is to read the text aloud back to oneself.  

It is important to communicate in an online setting, particularly a teaching setting.  While asynchronous methods can deliver lots of good information, communication is essential to see that students are getting that information.  This is true to see if they are getting the ideas and it is true to make sure that they are completing the assignments.  Keeping students, parents, and other interested parties informed of progress and requirements requires active communication between all stakeholders and the teacher.  Stakeholders are all those that hold a vested interest in the learning success of the student.

It is easy to be connected in society, but still feel alone.  I think this is particularly true in an online education setting.  Students get information and a few opportunities for live or semi-live communication, but without personal contact, they often feel that they are on their own.  This gives lazy students a signal that they can slack on their work.  This frustrates students with questions and no immediate answers.  The only way to overcome this is with active communication (both real time and asynchronous) from the teacher and perhaps with other students.