Activity 2: Communication during online classes

Online VET will require you to communicate with others, that is, the head teacher, teachers, peers, employer and maybe even clients. Contact with each group requires different rules.

Before you contact each of these groups via Internet make sure you have checked and followed all the points below:

When contacting the head teacher:

• Keep the conversation serious
• Do not use colloquial expressions 
• Do not interrupt 
• Present your view, or suggestion, and wait for a reply
• Make sure you are also comfortable
• Prepare yourself for the interview with the head teacher –  write down on a piece of paper your expectations, concerns, points of disagreement
• Before you start, check who is “present” on the instant messenger
• Keep in mind that the other learners in your group may have access to the channel through which you are communicating and may ‘walk in’ without your knowledge
• Check the reach of your webcam 
• It is absolutely forbidden to take photos, record your conversation or share screenshots showing the private space of the head teacher’s home. 

When contacting your teacher:

• Schedule the meeting in advance and make sure you have a safe space and a secure connection
• Get your teacher’s attention in a calm, polite way
• The teacher may tolerate colloquial speech – your language does not have to be so official
• Check the reach of your webcam 

When contacting your peers:

• Contact with peers online is completely different 
• It is sometimes more common to use colloquial, unkind, sometimes even vulgar words if needed
• Remember, you are not anonymous on the Internet
• Always ask yourself if you would like to find yourself in a situation of the person you are all laughing at – would you have the courage to say the same thing face-to-face? 
• Be polite
• Before moving on to the actual topic of conversation, ask how your colleague is doing, ask how he/she is feeling, and talk about what has happened recently.

When contacting your employer:

• Pay attention to whether you understand the employer’s instructions well – he or she will show you how to carry out your professional tasks
• If you are not sure what to do, ask questions. 
• If you have a problem with the availability of certain materials or software, let your employer know. 
• During such a conversation, stay focused, use a formal tone of speech, do not use colloquial expressions and, of course, do not use vulgarisms.

When contacting a client:

• If an employer delegates you to contact a client, it means they trust you
• Before the interview, make sure what the employer expects, what the outcome of your meeting with the employer’s client should be
• Ideally, take notes before the meeting and make sure your internet connection is stable. If you have a problem with this, consider how it can be improved
• Run the meeting efficiently, ask specific questions, take notes
• Use official language
• Be sure to turn on the camera, and introduce yourself at the beginning of the meeting; your employer’s client doesn’t know you.