I think there is definitely something to this. When my iPhone is in my pocket, an incoming message actually tickles my leg, as though a critter is climbing into my phone. We think of e-mailing as a disembodied mode of communication, but it is becoming increasingly embodied. The touchscreen on my iPhone also allows me to use my fingers to interact with my e-mail, flicking it back and forth across the screen in a flurry of text.
Another thing I've noticed is that the number of e-mail accounts we maintain is increasing rapidly. I used to have a single e-mail account, but now I am juggling inboxes on Facebook, other social networking sites, my educational e-mail account, my Yahoo account, my Mobile Me account, and the messages within my online courses. Not only are individual e-mails reproducing, but so are e-mail accounts. I'm surprised that I rarely struggle to manage all of these accounts.
I love e-mail. It is, by far, my preferred method of communicating at a distance. But I recognize that I'm reaching a limit, where my brain is no longer capable of keeping track of all the virtual threads that connect me to my friends, family, students, and fellow teachers.
What does all of this mean for teaching online: E-mail is our voice in an online classroom. It's the primary way that we have one-on-one interactions with students. When we go silent on e-mail, it would be like staring in prolonged silence at a student sitting in front of us during office hours. For me, I think of responding promptly to e-mails as my first priority in my online classes, followed closely by participating in discussions, then maintaining the course (so that students can navigate it efficiently), and then grading.
I'm curious. How does my ordered list of priorities line up with how other people approach online teaching?
I think your priorities are dead on, Jess. So is your reasoning!
ReplyDelete- Dave Trott
Email and discussions are what I do every day first. I don't even think about grading unless it's my scheduled time.
ReplyDeleteHi Jesse, I also check my emails first when I come to class. To me this is the same as a student raising their hand to ask a question (I start my F2F classes with the classic "Are there any questions?"). It would be bad form to ignore them and jump right into the day's lecture.
ReplyDeleteChecking e-mail is first on my list when the computer boots up. Then looking for Q&A discussions. On Mondays, I post what is due that week, even though it is in the schedule, which some students forget about. Mary
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Interesting post! For me, expeditious communication (all forms), course maintenance/management, evaluation, and most of all the array of activities that constitute actually "teaching" (taking learners to the next level( ... these priorities are flat for me, not hierarchically situated in a list.
ReplyDeleteThey are all equally important. Not one more 'important' than another for effective online instruction, IMHO.
I would, though, normally reply to communications via email, phone, txt, discussion before settling into other forms of evaluation (e.g., grading a project).
Jesse,
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else who has responded here, I give priority to emails in the classroom. However, over the years I have learned to avoid getting and having to respond to unnecessary emails. For example, I have noticed less emails since I started posting the due dates for the week's Unit right on the News page. I also included, prominently in this page a quick link to the entire schedule. I also post examples of student work with assignments and links to the grading rubric with student grades.
I am all for responding to students a.s.a.p., but it is nice to avoid those emails that take up a lot of my time but only repeat the basic instructions.
Thanks for all the responses. I think you're definitely right, Carol, that it's good to minimize the number of e-mails we have to respond to in any way we can. I try to keep my course revised so it is as easy to navigate as possible. That way I have fewer logistical e-mails to deal with and more content-related ones.
ReplyDelete