For Students in Email Tutorial Groups
Produced 24 December 1999

Introduction
While it is not expected that such behaviour would be a regular occurrence, it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to deal with situations of disruptive behaviour in email tutorial groups. Disruptive behaviour can include, but is not limited to:

• use of inappropriate email formats (e.g. MIME and HTML) and large attachments which restrict the participation of other members of the group;
• inappropriate comment on other students' work;
• inappropriate contributions to the tutorial group on matters unrelated to the main function of the group; and
• persistent uncritical presentation of a single perspective without critical consideration for other perspectives being offered by other participants.

Please note: While a spirit of community is to be fostered in email groups (e.g. through personal introductions etc.), encouragement will be given by tutors for such communications to be related to the content of the unit (e.g. in terms of context for action and reflection).

Tutor Initiated Process

1. When the first instance of disruptive behaviour occurs and is observed by a tutor, it is appropriate for the tutor to gently raise the matter in the tutorial group with the student. Students may not realise that their use of email may be inappropriate. The reason for raising the matter in the group is to alert the student concerned and other students to:
   • the specific issue and the reason for it being a problem;
   • your awareness of the issue; and
   • the matter of appropriate participation in the group.
2. If the student is unable to understand or rectify the issue or persists in the same behaviour, it is appropriate to raise the issue more firmly and/or offer specific advice in an email directly to the student (i.e. not through the tutorial group).
3. If the behaviour persists in the group, it is appropriate to make a clear statement within the tutorial group and notify the Dean of Postgraduate Studies (or the National Director where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is the tutor) that:
   • the behaviour is inappropriate and has caused disruption in the group;
   • the student is to be excluded from the group for a period of 4 weeks; and
   • the student concerned may appeal this decision with the Dean of Postgraduate Studies or the National Director where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is also the tutor.
   • The Dean of Postgraduate Studies will unsubscribe the student from the group for a period of 4 weeks whether or not there is an appeal pending. If an appeal is upheld, the student will be re-subscribed to the group and an extension granted on the completion date for assignment work, provided that maximum extensions have not already been granted.
4. If the student returns to the group and the behaviour persists, a clear statement should be made within group, and the Dean of Postgraduate Studies (or the National Director where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is the tutor) notified that:
   • the behaviour is inappropriate and has caused disruption in the group;
   • the student is to be excluded permanently from the group; and
   • the student may appeal this decision with the Dean of Postgraduate Studies or the National Director where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is also the tutor.

The Dean of Postgraduate Studies will unsubscribe the student from the group whether or not there is an appeal pending. Where tutorial participation is an assessable component of the unit, students will be required to furnish their notebook/journals as evidence of the coverage of the material in this unit and as an alternate assignment for assessment. If an appeal is upheld, the student may be re-subscribed to the group, or the option given of completing the unit without email participation provided the notebook/journal is furnished where necessary. An extension will be granted on the completion date for assignment work, provided that maximum extensions have not already been granted. An alternate tutor/assessor may be assigned. Alternate tutorial groups are not usually available.

Please note: The Dean of Postgraduate Studies monitors all email tutorial groups. Where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is also the tutor, the National Director is the monitor. It is unlikely that a matter would be appealed that the monitor of the group had not already taken up with a tutor where necessary.

Student Initiated Process

When a student observes an instance of disruptive behaviour within a tutorial group, it is appropriate for the student to:

• raise the issue within the tutorial group; and/or
• contact the tutor through an email directly to the tutor and not through the email group to raise the issue.

The tutor should follow the process outlined earlier for dealing with disruptive behaviour where s/he concurs with the student's assessment of the disruptive behaviour.

Where the tutor's opinion varies from that of the student raising the issue, advice may be sought from the email tutorial group monitor (normally the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, or the National Director where the Dean of Postgraduate Studies is also the tutor) by either the tutor and/or the student.

The monitor shall determine whether the behaviour was or was not disruptive and, where necessary, advise the tutor to follow the tutor-initiated process as outlined above.

© 1999 Coolamon College