Email is a vital part of most people’s lives. Its inclusion in the classroom can be beneficial to everyone. In fact, students’ use of email in the classroom can prepare them for the future. Here are some greats ways that using email can help your students.
Easily Communicate With Each Other
With email, never before has it been so easy for your students to reach you. If they have a question or need to let you know that they’ll be absent, they can simply send a quick message.
It’s a great way for you to provide them with information as well. You can send out announcements to everyone in the class or provide individual feedback on essays. In this article, Perry Callas, an instructor in Astoria, OR, prefers to provide feedback via email. He says it provides less miscommunication, stating, “When things are written, ambiguity is less likely.”
Encourage Participation Among Students
Email is also a great way for students to communicate with each other. If they have questions about assignments, they can email their peers for a quick answer. They can also help each other with projects. In this article, Lynne Sueoka, a teacher on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, let students use email to their advantages. She created a project for her fourth graders in which they compared stream studies with students on the West Coast and in New York, communicating through email. Sueoka found that using this technology provided her students with an opportunity to learn in a new and exciting way. “I guess it was so engaging for the kids because there’s so much of an authentic audience,” she said.
Introduce Students to a Lifelong Skill
Students will most likely be using email for a long time after they leave your classroom. If they learn how to use it correctly while in school, they might be better prepared for future careers.
Teach your students how to set up accounts, correctly compose messages and maintain proper email etiquette. It will help them learn a skill that will stay with them for the rest of their lives!
Text by Nick Adrian
