Time-Savers for Electronic Communication

Although electronic communication has become a vital part of academic life, we can easily let it consume too much of our time. Here are some strategies that should help you keep a balance between e-mail and newsgroups and your other activities.

Clarifying your policies

  • Decide how often you will check messages. Specify when you will check your messages, e.g., once in the morning and once mid-afternoon. Or limit yourself to checking them two to four times per day. If your e-mail alerts you with a beep or flag each time a new message arrives, consider turning off that feature.

  • Set a reasonable turnaround time. During the week, twenty-four hours is a common and reasonable response time. Specify to your students that you will not guarantee a response quicker than that. You might want to decide not to check messages on the weekend. If you cannot respond promptly, send a brief reply confirming receipt of the message with a promise of a longer reply later.

  • Communicate your policies to your students. When they send you a message, they should know approximately when to expect an answer.

Organizing incoming messages

  • Set up multiple e-mail accounts. Use one e-mail account for academic and professional messages to be checked at school. Set up a separate account for personal messages to be checked at home.

  • Create multiple folders. For example, have separate folders for each course.

  • Use an automatic filter. Set up your e-mail so that incoming messages, particularly those from listservs, are filed automatically in different folders. Read these messages when you have a sufficient amount of time.

  • Keep your inbox empty. When you receive a message, choose to (1) Delete; (2) Reply immediately, then file; (3) File without replying; or (4) File in a “To reply later” folder (and remember to return to this folder regularly).

  • Divide large newsgroup topics into separate threads. At the beginning of the course, establish separate threads for technical issues, Frequently Asked Questions, course administration issues, bibliographic references, and additional resources. Encourage students to be conscious about the new threads they begin.

Limiting the messages you must read and respond to

  • Try to predict students’ questions. Answer these questions in class. Alternately, post or e-mail the answers to the whole class before you get a dozen similar questions.

  • Post your responses to e-mail on the newsgroup. If you get a assignment-related e-mail, consider copying the newsgroup when you reply. Then all students will benefit from the reply—and will not e-mail you the same question.

  • Begin a class by answering common questions you’ve received. Respond to students’ e-mails by noting that you will answer their questions at the beginning of next class.

  • Establish an FAQ. This can be dissemminated as a handout or on a web page. Encourage students to check the FAQs before sending you a message.

  • Establish a repository of set responses. If you prefer to give students a personal response rather than direct them to an FAQ on a website, create a document containing responses to common questions, and cut and paste relevant sections into your emails to students.

  • Contact students who frequently e-mail you. Set up a meeting with these students during office hours to discuss their concerns and questions. Or ask them to post their questions to the newsgroup.

  • Set up peer groups. At the beginning of the course, divide your students into small groups. If students have questions, they should e-mail their peer group first. A newsgroup can encourage this peer-based interaction as well. Encourage students to answer each others’ questions on the newsgroup. You may want to offer bonus points to students who regularly answer postings.

  • Meet with the student in person. If your response would be complex or would require a great deal of interaction, arrange to speak to the student during your office hours or after class.

  • Avoid trivial responses and content-free e-mail. You don’t have to respond to every message. You can assume that the sender trusts you received his or her e-mail.

  • “Copy” other recipients only if they really need to know. By doing so, you help to limit other people’s incoming mail. Ask them to do likewise.

  • Read newsgroup threads that are the most interesting to you. Do not read every message, unless you are expected to assess each student’s participation. This is a good suggestion to share with students who are asked to monitor and contribute to a course newsgroup.

Considering other options

  • Hold office hours only by appointment. Use the amount of time you would traditionally dedicate to office hours for electronic communication instead. Encourage students to e-mail you their questions and concerns, but stress that you will meet with them in person if necessary.

  • Consider setting up a “virtual office hour” in a chat room. Arrange to meet students who have questions or concerns online at a certain time and in a certain chat room.

  • Consider using voice-messaging software. For example, Qualcomm PureVoice, used with Eudora e-mail products, sends a spoken message to recipients as an audio file.