Oral communication happens via telephone or video conferencing in some online colleges, but many institutions do not require it. This leads to virtually all communication being conducted through the written word on computers. The lack of oral communication poses a challenge to instructors because some students do not e the time to read the work or emails as needed. Some instructors command attention with their presence in the classroom, and communicating orally is part of this. This does not happen in the online classroom, and some instructors may find this aspect of online learning frustrating.
Creating community in an online classroom can be a difficult task. Students all be located all over the world and posting discussions at different times of day, and across different time zones. Because students usually are not communicating in real time, it is difficult to establish a community in the classroom. Before-class chatter and getting help from classmates does not happen in a virtual classroom, which eliminates getting to know others very well. Many classrooms include "student lounges" where students can communicate with each other, but because of the at-your-own pace nature, many students neglect this area of the classroom.
Most communication in online classrooms is done by message board postings that are assigned to students. Because students are not seen by each other, or the instructor, they are more likely to post inappropriate statements. Online classrooms have netiquette rules, but many students neglect to read these rules or choose to override them by bashing other students, calling names, or making unacceptable comments due to viewpoint conflicts. Online instructors can send private emails to violators and delete posts as needed, but due to the lack of face-to-face communication, some students will continue to ignore netiquette rules.
Using chat lingo in the classroom is another issue college instructors are faced with. An instructor can post an announcement and send emails requesting that students do not use chat lingo or emoticons, but many students will not obey this rule and continue to post acronyms such as LOL, OMG, and TTYL. Because online communication is often casual, many students do not break this habit in the classroom. This type of language, especially in English courses, hinders the instruction of strong grammar and writing skills.