Criticism and Learning
It is my intent that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. I will try to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.
Receiving feedback and criticism of one's design work can be an unpleasant and difficult experience. This class may be the first time you have had to present and explain your work in person. Speaking from experience, it can be easy to feel like the criticism is personally directed, even if it is not intended to be so. As your instructor, it is my job to provide verbal and written criticism of your work so that you can grow as a student and designer. However, my job is also to try and create an environment of safety and trust, so that students can positively benefit from my feedback and the feedback of their peers. If I say or do something that you feel is inappropriate or hurtful, I humbly request that you bring it to my attention so that I can learn from my mistakes.
Community Agreement
Below are community agreement guidelines to help us be good communicators, coworkers and peers in our educational setting. Following these guidelines will help us develop a safe and effective space for learning and teamwork. These statements are adapted from the Sacramento State Hornet Honor Code:
- We are present and participatory
- We are direct, honest and compassionate
- We respond to, and challenge ideas, not people
- We honor the uniqueness of our colleagues
- We are brave and take risks
- We share the air and are aware of the space we take up
- We are mindful of the words we use and invite others to help us be more inclusive
- We respect the confidentiality of the space
Which one of these pledges resonates the most with you?
Netiquette
In addition to these ground rules, it is important to consider your etiquette online. Watch this quick video that explains “Netiquette”
Communication and Netiquette Expectations for the Course:
With freedom to voice your opinion and personal thoughts on the web comes responsibility. Keep the following guidelines in mind:
Identify yourself by your real name. Be mindful of your personal safety, and avoid including personal information, such as phone numbers or addresses, in discussion forums. All online communications should be transmitted with the intent to inform, inspire, etc. - not to offend or breach personal privacy. Never use private information about other individuals and be sensitive to the information you share about yourself.
Write in the first person (this is your opinion).
Use humor, joking, or sarcasm with caution. We often rely on non-verbal cues such as facial expressions to communicate joking or sarcasm; but these cues are not always clear in an online environment. These cues can be simulated with emoticons to reduce misunderstandings.
What you write is public—respect your audience and be mindful of proper netiquette. Netiquette, also known as 'net etiquette,' includes using language free of profanity, proper tone and mechanics (including full sentences), as well as courtesy and respect for others' opinions. Instructors may interpret breaches of netiquette as "disruptive behavior."
Be Professional, Clear and Respectful. Clear and effective writing translates to clear and effective communication. Writing the way you would speak is a good rule of thumb, use a positive tone and adhere to the same rules you would follow in face-to-face communications. As well, use proper grammar, spelling and formatting - checking all communications before sending. Check messages and respond in a prompt manner. Your professional image is an important part of credibility and all of your communications will factor into the big picture.
Read and Formulate Communications Carefully. Take the time to think about the information contained in all of your online communications. This will allow you to thoughtfully consider all points, reduces confusion and prepares you for a valid response. You can in return, research your facts and provide citations for information stated within your communications. This promotes a robust academic environment and adds credibility to any course. Re-read all communications before sending to avoid emotional and or "all capital letter" statements and keep communications meaningful and to the point.
Be Tolerant and Cooperative. Keep in mind that every student is participating to learn and anyone can make a simple mistake in research, knowledge or communication. Address the idea/concept, not the person. Keep an open mind and focus on the task at hand - learning. When adverse conditions arise and communications get strained - try to help rather than hinder. True cooperation means working together to the same end - everyone wants to be successful in any given course.
Remember, This Course may be partially Online. Your instructor and fellow students may be located around the world or have very different schedules than you do. You may not always receive an immediate response. Make sure you plan for this and don’t put things off until the last moment.
Use Proper Headings and Subject Lines. Emails and Discussion Forum topics should have subject lines that reflect the content of your message. “My Week 1 Reflections” is better than “submission” and “Week 3 Reading is Missing” is better than “Help!” Provide Context For Your Responses. If you are sending a reply to a message or a posting be sure you summarize the original at the top of the message, or include just enough text of the original to give a context. This will make sure readers understand when they start to read your response. Giving context helps everyone.
Provide Enough Detail in Your Messages. When asking for help, either from your instructor or from technical support, be sure to provide as much information as possible in order to help resolve the issue. Make sure to include the course name and activity name, what you were attempting to do, the full text of error messages and your browser/version information (if a technical issue), a screenshot displaying the problem, and any other relevant information. It may take a little more time up-front to compose your question, but it can help to eliminate some of the back and forth communication.
Refer to additional resources on diversity and inclusion at Sacramento State here:
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