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?
