I have always hated Internet chat rooms and studiously avoided them. To me, they are chaotic, confusing, and frustrating. I have also accepted the fact that on this question I am probably in the minority. The immediacy of chat can be a significant factor in building online community. Short of high bandwidth audio/video conferencing, it is as close an approximation to face-to-face interaction as you will get in an online course. This seemed to be particularly the case in my graduate courses where the give-and-take of open discussion in a seminar format was the typical approach to learning. Consequently, I decided to include a virtual class in the course.

These chat sessions, however, were initially less than satisfying for everyone because of the typical pattern of multiple conversations occurring simultaneously. The sense of community and connectedness was overshadowed by frustration. I wanted to have the opportunity to interact with the students in a more spontaneous manner while still retaining some semblance of order that would replicate a seminar-type environment. To make the course more manageable (and for me, bearable), I therefore devised a protocol for virtual classroom etiquette—or "chatiquette"—based on research on classroom discourse and conversational turn-taking.

Course management systems such as Blackboard continue to develop increasingly sophisticated tools that provide greater control over chat sessions. However, these controls require the instructor to grant or deny access repeatedly for each individual as he or she signals the desire to participate. As a result, instructors typically spend much of their time acting as traffic cop rather than fully participating in the discussion. This moderated approach may be very effective when the intention is to have a very formalized and structured interaction—for example, a lecture session in which student responses are allowed for the purposes of clarifying information. However, the use of such CMS moderation tools in a less formal, seminar-type interaction may become burdensome and stifling to the discussion. The other end of the continuum is an unmoderated approach that allows all participants to be active users and to comment freely at any time. This approach is customarily recognized as chat.

The following protocol offers a bridge between the free-for-all approach of unstructured chat and the constrained interaction that may occur with CMS virtual classroom tools. The protocol allows all members to participate in the exchange without the need for one member (the instructor) to assume control of the interaction. Nor does it require additional equipment or expense for students that the use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video conferencing technologies entail.

Virtual classroom chatiquette is a way of fostering the courtesy and respect expected in a group conversation. It provides overt signals that represent the signals used in conversation in a classroom. If a participant wants to participate in the discussion, he or she can "raise a hand" by entering an exclamation point or a question mark to signal his or her desire to comment or ask a question related to the current topic. If a participant wants to change topics or ask a question on a different topic, he or she can enter "new !" or "new ?". Everyone can observe the sequence of participation and respond accordingly. Turn-taking signals can be entered at any time just as a raised hand might occur in a classroom, and the participants can monitor the order of requests.

The following guidelines are provided to the students as part of the course syllabus. While some of these guidelines might not be necessary for all graduate students, particularly those who have prior experience with chat in online or hybrid courses, they are meant to be easily adopted by instructors and students at various levels of education.

1.) At the beginning of each online chat session, the instructor will clear any prediscussion messages and make an introductory statement. Participants should wait until discussion is invited before interjecting comments.

2.) When participants have a comment or question, they should type "!" for a comment or "?" for a question.

3.) Participants should not type all of their comments before entering it. They should type a clause, phrase, or sentence fragment at a time and then press enter, so that the group does not have to look at white space while typing occurs. This allows the idea to unfold before the group.

For example:

4.) When the complete idea is entered, three forward slash marks (///) will indicate to the group that the next participant may begin. For example, ". . . therefore, we must conclude that Freud was hopelessly insane.///"

5.) Those wishing to comment may ask for the floor by typing "?" or "!" at any time. The first person to enter a "?" or "!" will have the floor to make his/her contribution. In this way the instructor will not have to call on the next participant. Everyone will be responsible for maintaining the flow of conversation. (Alternatively, the principle may be that those wishing to comment may request the floor by typing "?" or "!" at any time. The instructor will then call on the first person who entered a request.)

6.) If a participant wishes to change the topic of conversation, this is signaled by typing "new ?" or "new !". If no one objects by typing "!" or "?" and proceeding with the present topic (in other words, if there is silence), then the participant may proceed with the new topic.

7.) The fact that the discussion is not taking place in each other's presence does not excuse rude behavior. There will be no flaming (i.e., personal attacks or crude language in class discussion). Separate, private chats during the discussion are the equivalent of passing notes and are also unacceptable. Participants are encouraged to challenge other participants' comments in a manner that enhances critical thinking and analysis of the course material.

8.) Online chats conducted independently by class members are not subject to these guidelines. However, participants are encouraged to be polite and respectful in all milieus connected with this course.

It is advisable to have a practice session or allow a few minutes at the beginning of the course's first virtual class to allow the members to become familiar with these guidelines.

Online instructors, particularly those who have recently begun to incorporate online components in their teaching, have good reason to feel concerned about the potential for chat sessions to become less than productive in their courses. However, the protocol of virtual class chatiquette may serve as a helpful tool as they seek to tame the chat beast in their online courses while still ensuring that synchronous communication maintains the immediacy and vitality that is often lacking in asynchronous communication. Although I am still chat room avoidant, these guidelines helped me to overcome my fears and utilize such technology more effectively and productively in my own teaching.