E-Mail for class communications
First question to ask: what are your goals? This helps choose a technology:
- individual e-mail instructor <-> student
- good office-hours alternative
- good for student homework submission by e-mail
- listserv-style mailing list for whole class -- professor posts
- good for distribution of course information
- good for followups to lecture
- listserv-style mailing list for whole class -- everyone posting
- bulletin board (USEnet news)
- good for group discussion
- . . . etc . . .
Some concrete suggestions
- establish a majordomo-based listserv, and require students subscribe early in quarter
- have escape clauses for students with directory restriction
- set minimum and maximum participation limits (# of messages and # of lines)
- make it (a small) part of the grade
- make informal e-mail assignments
- manage expectations for amount of access
- point to CC documentation for help with technical issues
- monitor group discussion and intervene (only) to retard flames or correct errors
- set up instructor's e-mail to protect instructor's time
- if e-mail for homework submission, send receipt messages and tell students they must save them
- don't assume students can send attachments/files by e-mail
- don't assume that what works in a class of 50 will work in a class of 150
Do what works for YOU.