CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY POLICIES

Dr. Stephen Owen

I strongly believe in the value of technology and in the role it plays in the educational process.  Here are some of my policies on a variety of technological issues:

1.  E-mail:  E-mail is my preferred form of communication.  On weekdays, I check my e-mail frequently (unless I am out of the office).  On weekends, I generally check at least once a day.  Therefore, aside from stopping by during office hours, e-mail is probably the best way to reach me.  When you send me an e-mail, there are several important things to remember.  First, put a subject in the subject heading - this will help me distinguish your very important e-mail from the annoying spam that collects in my account.  Second, be sure you sign your full name at the end of the e-mail.  A first or last name is often not sufficient for me to identify you (because, obviously, there are many people with the same first name, and many others with the same last name), and it is tedious to have to determine who you are from your e-mail address.  Third, please use reasonable grammar and spelling in your e-mails.  While e-mail is often viewed as an informal mode of communication, it is appropriate to treat it as a professional form of communication, to which the normal standards for written communication should apply.

2.  Cell Phones/Pagers/Etc.:  I do not require that you turn off your cell phones - but I do ask that you silence the ringers.  As you know, it is distracting to the class (and embarrassing for the individual) when a cell phone or other device begins to ring.  Please do not text message during class; again, this is a very distracting practice.  Please refrain from responding to calls, text messages, etc., unless it is a legitimate emergency.       

3.  Recording of Class:  If you wish to make an audio or video recording of a class, please ask for my approval first.

4.  Notebook Computers:  Some of you may wish to bring notebook computers to class to aid in your note-taking.  If you do so, be aware that they should only be used for class-related purposes!  If you are working on e-mail, the internet, other assignments, or anything else unrelated to a day's class, I will count you absent from that class.