Classroom and Forum Guidelines
Guidelines for creating a safe space in the online classroom
Adapted from Dr. Susan Shaw, Oregon State University
- Make a personal commitment to learning about, understanding, and supporting your peers and instructor.
- Assume the best of others in the class and expect the best from them.
- Acknowledge the impact of sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, and ableism on the lives of class members.
- Recognize and value the experiences, abilities, and knowledge each person brings to class. Value the diversity of the class.
- Participate actively in the discussions, having completed the readings and thought about the issues.
- Pay close attention to what your classmates say. Ask clarifying questions, when appropriate. These questions are meant to probe and shed new light, not to minimize or devalue comments.
- Think through and re-read your comments before presenting them.
- Never make derogatory comments toward another person in the class.
- Do not make sexist, racist, homophobic, or victim-blaming comments at all.
- Disagree with ideas, but do not make personal attacks.
- Be open to be challenged or confronted on your ideas or prejudices.
- Challenge others with the intent of facilitating growth. Do not demean or embarrass others.
- Encourage others to develop and share their ideas.
- Be willing to change.
Additional guidelines for the classroom
- Being late is rude. Please be on time or risk losing the daily attendance point.
- Respect others' physical space by keeping your computer closed when not needed for class. Also, keep your feet on the floor and leave food outside the classroom.
- Talking out of turn makes discussions unruly. Please raise your hand and wait to be called on.
- Also, only raise your hand when you have a question related to the topic of the moment.
- Other comments, tangents, and notes can be dealt with when the instructor asks for questions/feedback.
- Sleeping is not allowed in class. Please go home to sleep if you are tired.
- Participating is required. Students must participate in all group activities.
- Each person will have an opportunity to be the spokesperson for a group at least once during the term.
Debate format
Due to time constraints we will not continue rebuttals indefinitely. Debates can be continued outside class as you wish. We will use the following format, as it is similar to the format required for the paper/presentation.
We will attempt to have at least one student help judge the groups' presentation/adherence to the format. We are not judging opinions or ideas as much as we are the number of points used which follow the format. This format is used to aid to decision-making.
| Spokesperson: | Met | Somewhat met | Did not meet | Cases | Rebuttal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilitarianism addressed | |||||
| Social Contract addressed | |||||
| Kantianism addressed | |||||
| Case 1 | |||||
| Case 2 | |||||
| Case 3 | |||||
| New information introduced during rebuttal (not allowed) |