Lesson 3.3:
Professional Behavior

Handling audio concerns professionally is important in online classes. Managing the noise in your environment means that you will not disrupt your professor or classmates but will also be able to focus and learn while on your Zoom call.  

• Mute your microphone so that background noise from your environment doesn’t disturb others 

• If you would like to participate, you can unmute yourself to speak and then mute yourself again when you are finished.  

• If you have a question, consider using the “raise hand” function in Zoom rather than unmuting yourself and asking.  

• If you’re in a common space like the library or cafeteria, use headphones to help focus on what’s being said in class.

It’s hard to build community on Zoom when you can’t see any of your classmates. Professional behavior in a Zoom meeting means being visible and engaged during class time. 

• You should enter a Zoom class with your camera on and keep it on during class. 

• Dress appropriately for your online class, just as you would for an in-person class. 

• Consider who or what is going on in the background of your video. A safe bet is to have a blank wall behind you or to use a virtual background on Zoom.  

• When a person walks on screen when you're using a virtual background, it can sometimes cut through and become visible on your camera. Keep this in mind if there are many people around. 

• Try to stay in one place during the whole class and be seated during class time rather than being in bed or walking around.  

• Engage in the class by asking and answering questions and taking notes. 

Using respectful language is essential in an online class. Sometimes things like humor or sarcasm don’t translate as well online as they do in person, so carefully consider your tone and approach when communicating during a Zoom class. 

• Avoid using slang or text language. When writing something in the chat, ensure that it is spelled correctly and is grammatically correct 

• Address your professor and peers respectfully. Use Professor [last name] for your instructor and the name written in Zoom for peers 

• Unsure of how to pronounce someone’s name? No problem! When referencing someone it’s respectful to ask them how to pronounce their name correctly. Remember to try to use the right pronunciation going forward 

• Consider a peer’s pronouns before referencing them in class. Consider writing your pronouns into your Zoom name so that you can be appropriately referred to as well. 

• Be careful what you write in a Zoom chat. Double-check—are you sending the chat to the professor? The whole group? A private chat to a peer? If you are in doubt about sending something that may not be respectful, it’s best not to send it at all. People can screenshot your statements, and oftentimes a professor can download chat conversations (even your private peer-to-peer ones!) after class.

• Arrive on time for your Zoom class. It’s important to be punctual and ready to learn at the start of each class 

• Avoid multi-tasking and being on social media during class time 

• Don’t disappear. If you don’t show up for several classes, your professor won’t know what’s going on. If you are going to miss a class, it’s important to write to your professor to inform them of what is going on.