3.2 Email vs. "write once so many can read" - managing your distance

All of us are very used to using email for common correspondence. Someone sends a message and you respond. Students attach assignments and you review them. Sounds pretty simple–doesn’t it?

You should realize that a course sets up a ratio of 1: the number of students in course. Without some management strategies, you will have a large number of individual messages in your in-box each week over the course of the semester. Remember, if the course is entirely online you won’t have the opportunity to informally talk with students before/after class or during the break. If you accept assignments as attachments, you will also have to develop some type of management strategy for all of the attachments.

Distance courses allow you to‘write once so many can read.”Using the Announcement and discussion board features, you can provide information and/or answer questions by posting one message. You do have to provide information to students about the tools you will use and the expectations you have for them to read and review discussion forums dedicated to questions.