Professional conduct and netiquette
How to behave!
Knowing how to behave professionally can be a challenge and varies in time and location; normal behavior in one time or place is unacceptable in another. This document aims to give you some simple guidelines as to how to behave in your interactions with lecturers, students and employers, both in person and on-line.
In all my modules, I identify an online forum where module discussions should take place. If you ask questions here, other students should answer. If there is no good answer within a few days, I will answer.
On most academic programs, students will also setup their own independent chat on social media. Occasionally, these forums may go bad, with toxic behavior. If this occurs, leave the forum and if there are serious issues, notify your lecturer.
In recent years political correctness has emerged to describe the ever-changing view of what is acceptable and appropriate; it’s a moving target which can be excessively applied. In this document, we are going to give some very simple guidelines.
Firstly, the law is paramount; you need to adhere to the law in Ireland AND in the jurisdiction in which you are based. This document does NOT constitute legal advice!
The only thing your lecturer is intolerant of is intolerance. You can expect us to treat you professionally, fairly and equally and respect your culture and background, we expect you to reciprocate with staff and other students. Most institutions refer to Virginia Shea’s book "Netiquette", where she defines ten rules for network etiquette. Do some reading on-line and get a feeling for what the term means.
In our course, the following rules apply.
Make every effort not to cause offense to others.
As everyone will be adhering to rule 1 (!) if anyone causes you offense, it is probably inadvertent. Do not over react, a professional must find common ground and resolve interpersonal problems. Resolve the issue in the most reasonable manner you can and involve the lecturer if you think it’s necessary.
A “flame war” is where two or more people have a public shouting match on line. This will result in all parties to the flame war having their discussion board access rights restricted in the interest of the other students.
In our course, we expect professional conduct to include;
Tolerance!
Respect for the diversity of others
An ethic of consistent hard work and honesty
Punctuality
Integrity
Adherence to dress and behavior codes which are appropriate to the environment you are in
A last word; you have strong technical skills and you know how to do a wide range of things. As the super-hero movies say, with great power comes great responsibility. In Ireland, we have some of the strictest laws on hacking in existence. You may not access or scan any user’s computer system without written permission, even if you are doing so for ethical reasons. In Ireland, such activity carries a custodial sentence of up to ten years.
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