CU-SeeMe Etiquette 101

• Appropriate language, questions and comments are a must.

• Be aware of the image you are projecting to the "world" - avoid faces and gestures which would appear inappropriate to those watching.

• Announce who you are and your location when you begin talking to another site so they know with whom they are conversing.

• The name above your video window should indicate information about your site - its name and/or location so that others can easily identify your video image on their screen. (Individual users may wish to label their window with their own name.)

• Use the name of the site (see the information above their window) to begin your comments or questions if you do not know the individual in the video window. This helps others on the reflector know to whom you are speaking.

• If you do not want to be disturbed with conversation from all sites or wish to have a private conversation with a site, click on the appropriate microphone or speaker buttons.

• Wait to ask a question or make a comment until you are reasonably sure that the person talking is done. Try listening for verbal clues. At times the term "over" may be used to indicate that the speaker is done. When a question is asked that is usually a signal that the speaker will wait for your response.

• If you are engaged in a active conversation and must leave, let others know - do not just disconnect. It is always nice to indicate you must leave either verbally or by typing a message just the same as you might end a phone call.

• When you join a reflector site which has participants already engaged in conversation, do not jump in and begin talking. Wait until you are addressed or until there is a break in the conversations before you begin a dialogue. (Lurk before you leap!)

• Check the transmission send and receive rates in the area under your video window or in the preferences menu to see that they fit the reflector standards. Some reflectors will ask you to keep your rate low or specify rates so that you help conserve bandwidth.

• Do not leave a message crawling across the screen. This also use bandwidth and the capacity on the reflector.

• Don't stay connected for hours unless invited to do so - especially if you are not going to be in front of the camera to interact with those on the reflector.

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  ©1998 Carla Schutte, Technology Specialist at Moton Elementary School
  cschutte@k12.cnidr.org November, 1998