Strategies for Effective Use of Email in Webbased Courses

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Strategies for Effective Use of Email in
Web-based Courses

• David Reavis, CCP, Ph.D.
• Charles Mohundro, J.D., Ph.D.

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Introduction

• 69.6 of people in the United States use the
  Internet
• Internet World Stats, January 2007
• http//www.internetworldstats.com/stats2.htmnor
  th
• Email usage is an integral part of Internet usage
• How do we adapt email technology to the Web-based
  instructional environment?

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Email Tools

• External
• professor_at_university.edu student_at_university.edu
• professor_at_gmail.com student_at_gmail.com
• student_at_myjob.com
• Internal (Course Management Systems)
• ANGEL
• BLACKBOARD
• DESIRE2LEARN
• E-COLLEGE
• I-LEARN
• ISOPH BLUE
• MOODLE
• SAKAI
• VISUAL ONE
• WEBCT

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External Tools

• Microsoft Exchange - Outlook
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Eudora
• The Bat!
• Lotus Notes

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External Tools

• Benefits
• All email is in one place (i.e. your school email
  account)
• Email is archived or retained based on normal
  operating procedures.
• Products such as Microsoft Exchange provide
  features not found in many Internal Course
  Management Systems.
• Advanced search features
• The use of Stationary

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Stationary

• Efficient means of saving and retrieving common
  semester-to-semester class correspondence
• Organize by class/week/chapter etc.
• Efficient means of keeping students connected to
  course (I typically use two mail outs each week)
• Auto reply for assignment acknowledgement

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Stationary in Eudora
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External Tools

• Drawbacks
• Students may not clearly indicate what course
  their question is about.
• Senders may not clearly identify themselves.
• Could you check my answer for question 5 on the
  quiz? Thanks, Joe. (email address
  joecool_at_hotmail.com)
• Which Course?
• Which Joe?

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External Tools

• Drawbacks
• Creating a Mail list requires more effort than an
  internal tool.

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Internal Tools

• Benefits
• Email that is specific to certain classes is
  contained in the class email area.
• Users are clearly identified by their user name.
• Mail may be forwarded to an external account.
• A list of all students in the class is easily
  available for mass emails.
• No SPAM filters for students (I never received
  that message.)

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Internal Tools

• Drawbacks
• Multiple places to review email
• Internal tools are not as feature rich as
  external tools.
• HTML support
• Attachment restrictions
• Spell checking features (dictionary)
• Access to External mail for forwarding
• (Many features in External email are not needed
  on an internal system. These include SPAM
  filters, encryption, and multiple address
  capabilities.)

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Internal Tools

• Drawbacks
• Internal tools are not as robust as external
  tools.
• Creating folders
• Previews
• Themes (Color Coding)
• Create a calendar Item from a message (outlook
  2007)

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Internal Tools

• Drawbacks
• Students may not check their course email
  frequently.

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Tips for Using External Systems

• Require students to format the subject line
• Set up an automatic response based on the subject
  line
• Create folders (or groups) for each course

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Tips for Using External Systems

• Require students to register provide a valid
  email address for class communication
• Clearly post your email address in the course
  management system (Syllabus, Course Information,
  Header)

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Tips for Using Internal Systems

• Check email for classes regularly
• For complex messages to the class consider
  posting a notice on the class home page
• Establish a pattern that students can predict
  (i.e. Monday morning, Just after a test)

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Tips for Using Internal Systems

• Let students know how email will be used in the
  course.
• Example 1
• Email will be used in this course to communicate
  with individual students about questions or
  concerns regarding assignments or other course
  related issues.

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Tips for Using Internal Systems

• Let students know how email will be used in the
  course.
• Example 2
• Email will be used in this course to notify
  students of any changes in assignments or due
  dates. Students may use course email to request
  information from the Professor or clarify grades
  during the semester.