E-mail is Educational
There is a special kind of learning that takes place when students interact
via e-mail. The obvious learning activities include writing and typing.
Writing can be divided into many categories: interpersonal communication,
written conversation, question and answer, short essay, etc.
Some less obvious learning opportunities are also available when
students have e-mail. Some of these are explained in
this paper titled "Interpersonal Exchange"
by S. Patterson and L. Swanson. Examples are:
- Impersonations: interchange with
others who are in character. This is a fantastic way to learn
about great people in history, different
cultures, etc.
- Daily Media: electronic newsletters delivered
via e-mail. There are hundreds of these. Students can share what
they learn from
these with others in the
class. Examples might include a daily: fact, word, historical event,
poem, political
quotation, and many others.
- Electronic Pen Pals: an experience to learn
about another person one note at a time. Connection services exist
on the internet to bring together students from different parts of the world to participate in this activity.
Here is a link to the Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections web site. The ESLoop also lists several different pen pal sites for student e-mail.
- Question and Answer: includes everything from ask a reporter to ask a scientist.
There are many companies and individuals willing to communicate with students
who ask questions. Pitsco also offers a wonderful site called Ask
an Expert.
- E-mail Mentors: a few projects exist to match successful
adults with students who can benefit from the interchange.
- Electronic Appearances: communication that stems from online involvement in
a webcast event, such as a summit meeting on education,
child
abuse, feeding the poor, etc. Students follow the event
and then make an electronic
appearance
by sending their comments to the event via e-mail.
More opportunities
are being created all the time. For more information on this subject,
visit the Community Learning
Network.
Interpersonal exchange, especially via e-mail will be a significant
part of student's lives. GaggleTN.com makes it easy to
provide a safe educational experience with e-mail.
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