Hum Unit 2

One of the biggest challenges I find in having successful online communication is utilizing the nonverbal clues that you would find in a traditional setting are not present in the online environment all the time. Like I have previously stated in another assignment, I sometimes find it difficult to depend on the written text to convey the messages or thoughts of others without being able to hear their tones or manner in which they are speaking. This opens up an area for misunderstandings or the miscommunication of thoughts or ideas.
Another challenge to me is remaining focused and organized in the online classroom environment. Since there is no weekly commitment to attend a classroom at a set day and time, it can be quite easy to allow yourself to fall behind on assignments. Since this is an open forum, if you do not have a personal commitment and ownership of the material you will not be successful.
So far I have worked to conquer these two challenges by logging into the assignments and having the abilities to respond at my own pace, reading and re-reading has allowed me to search for clues I may miss on the first attempt. I can collect my thoughts over the course of several minutes, hours or days in order to have a well thought out answer. I also have been keeping myself on a strict timeline, logging into the site multiple times per week and not waiting until the last minute to fully complete the assignments.

One controversy in online course posting is content versus grammar. Should grammar and spelling be a part of the discussion board grade? Why or why not? Would you read a posting that contained incorrect grammar and spelling, but had good content?

I definitely think that grammar and spelling should be counted as a part of the discussion board grade. I would consider college classes to be a formal educational setting, not a simple text or email to a friend. If you were replying to your boss, would you use good grammar and appropriate spelling?