Journal Artical #6: Don't Feed The Trolls

Richardson, Karen W. (2008). Don't Feed The Trolls. Learning and Leading With Technology, 7, Retrieved 07/28/2009, from
http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=May_No_7_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=3972&ContentID=20817&DirectListComboInd=D

The article Don't Feed The Trolls deals with the issue of online civil discourse. The definition of a troll according to Wikipedia is a "person who posts rude or offensive messages on the Internet, such as online discussion forums, to disrupt discussion forums or to upset its participants." The article offers several guidelines, rules and suggestions in dealing with the issue. The article cites a writing program called MOOse Crossing that also promotes online civil discourse. According to MOOse Crossing, one of the most important things we can tell children is to review the rules that are already in place. This can broken down into the phrase, "don't say or do anything online that you wouldn't do at recess at school."
The following are several rules presented by the article in regards to proper discourse: Use "I" statements to clarify what you are saying and who is saying it; Avoid labeling groups of people; Don't use name-calling; Discuss ideas and not people; Don't respond to provocations-the best way to deal with trolls is to ignore them; Stay on topic; Be willing to really listen to points of view that differ from your own; Realize that what you say may be taken differently than what you meant.
The article also encourages self monitoring. Students should constantly be using self restraint when engaged in online discourse. A rule of thumb is, "if you think that maybe you shouldn't post something, then you shouldn't." Students should be taught to think before they post. Students should also be encouraged to reflect about online conversations; they should be asking themselves 'what could I have said differently to avoid a miscommunication next time?' Teachers should also model civil discourse whenever the opportunity may arise. Lastly, teachers need to provide opportunities; civil discourse forms the foundation of a democratic society.

How are students supposed to handle a situation in which they have posted a comment that has been taken the wrong way? I would imagine the best way to handle this is to write another post explaining the miscommunication and apologizing for misunderstanding. I would like to know if there is some sort of etiquette or guideline that is in place for this sort of thing. I can imagine that I may someday post something that is taken the wrong way-I've done it several times with text messages.

At what age should students be trusted to engage in online discussions? It seems that online discussions involve a certain amount of tact that some students may not be mature enough for. Should third graders be allowed to post messages, or should they become more fluent in the subtleties of discourse first?