Robert, I like the idea of emailing all your students an encouragement letter during the first week. Do you find this to be effective and are you constantly sending letters like this during the course? If so, how effective has this process been? Great strategy. I usually reach out to those students who are at risk or appears to need a lift. Thanks for sharing.
What strategies do you use to reduce emails and improve communication with your students?
The strategies that I use to reduce emails and improve communication
When I receive an email from a student asking a question, I decide if there is a possibility that other students may have the same concern. If so, then I will present the question and answer in doc sharing and also on the announcement board. When students first open up the classroom the first thing they will see is the announcement. Now to say that everyone reads the announcements is another lunch topic.
Sometimes if students have a challenging assignment, I would communicate at the beginning, that this week’s assignment is a little more challenging and suggest pages or chapters that they should spend more time digesting and understanding. I may also provide examples that may help the students in advance. If necessary I will remind students of my chat time and office hours for additional assistance. At times this does help alleviate some questions and emails.
One way that I have found communication to be more effective when I allow students to have an introduction discussion board forum at the beginning of the course. This provides visibility, encouragement, and support. I encourage students to provide positive feedback to their colleagues.
Emry,
Proactive communication is key to the online environment. Setting the stage at the beginning of the course is excellent. Thanks for your input.
Ms. Crews:
With regards to e-mails, and the volume that an Instructor is sometimes faced with, to answer, I believe that all Instructors should be proactive, instead of reactive. When there are problem areas in the course, that the majority of a previously enrolled class has found difficulty with, an e-mail sent to the entire class can reduce amount the traffic in the Inbox.
A specific example might occur within an Assignment, where concepts are referred to from a chapter or page in the textbook. Particularly in the beginning of the course, a quick e-mail asking students to pay particular attention to a part of the book can save students the trouble of feeling lost, and having to ask where the material is located.
Cheers
Emry
Barbara,
Good question. I tell my students I (or another student) will answer the discussion board FAQ within 24 hours if it is posted Sunday - Thursday. If anything is posted Friday or Saturday, it may not be answered until Monday. We all deserve a break and shouldn't become 24-7 online instructors. I even did some research with my students and they said it made no difference in their learning if I answered in 1 hour or 24 hours. Something to think about.
If you are replying in a couple hours, does this mean you are only sleeping a few hours at a time and constantly checking email? How do you make this work for you?
Dr. Bucur
David,
Announcements and a FAQ discussion board have eliminated my email overload. Thanks for your input in this forum. Keep them coming.
Thanks!
Hello,
I would have to agree that the announcement board is the best way I have found to reduce emails. I have tried to have students utilize the group area of the course so that the question becomes public but I have not had much luck with peers replying. This feature seems to only delay emails that come as a result of no one answering the questions on the board. I read above about someone offering credit for assistance but I would have hoped students would be generally more willing to help.
Erin ,
Sounds like you are using a variety of methods to "hit all learners." Keep encouraging your students and get them involved. Thanks!
Donald,
Ah - there are ways to reduce your email. I tell my students to NOT email me, but they must post their question on the FAQ discussion board so that every students can benefit from their question and the answer. I give minimum extra credit to students answering other students questions. It has saved me tons of emails. Thanks!
There does not appear that there is anything that I can do to reduce the number of emails. I just respond to the emails as I receive them. I do not know a viable way to answer this question.
Donald L. Buresh
I provide friendly reminders (via email and posted to the announcements on the course main page) right before important deadlines.
I also remind students to check learning materials to model assignments, simplified instructions, and useful videos that walk through the assignment specifics.
Lastly, I encourage students to chat me when I am online using the messaging system, so that I do not have a ton of emailed questions, but can instead answer the questions in real time.
-Erin
Sarah,
Yes, when students see that others have the same question they do, then they know they are not the only one that isn't "getting it" or is confused on something. I use an FAQ discussion board for this same reason. Thanks!
I try to have time at the start and end of each live chat for students to bring up their questions and concerns - that can give a chance to ask questions that might otherwise go in emails and put it in the recording of the chat for those that cannot attend.
It also seems to help sometimes for students to see that most of them have similar questions and that they may have helpful information for each other in addition to information that I give. I have learned a lot from some of the student answers to student questions in my classes. :)
Christen,
It's great that you are archiving the weekly chats for students who cannot make it to the chats or for remediation. Nice job and thanks for sharing.
I have two weekly chats and strongly encourage students to attend. I notice I get more emails from those who do not attend.
I will also point students at the archived or recorded chats if they have questions via email, which saves me having to teach something multiple times (and also means they learn the value of the chats).
Christen Embry
David,
I ask students to NOT email me but post the question on the FAQ discussion board so all can benefit from the question and answer. I tell them that general questions are not beneficial and they must be specific. I also provide minimal extra credit for students who completely and correctly answer each others questions. It works for me and my students.
Thanks for your input.
I am always surprised to see students exhibiting the same short-hand techniques. The email reads "I need some help on the project" that's all she or he wrote. Now I have to take a step backward and ask the student to be more specific. I offer a couple of leading statements to help them but there is usually a couple of emails before we find the trouble is "time."
Stanley,
I do the same. When you encourage students to answer each others' it helps take some of the load off of you and they get engaged in the online conversation. Thanks for sharing.
I use daily announcements trying to anticipate student's problems/questions. Also I maintain a Q&A discussion board and encourage students to respond to each other's questions/problems.
