Email! Email! Email! Many people get frustrated when they hear the word email. These people probably do not have an efficient way to handle their email. Email is the most common method of communication for the online faculty member. Email is a great way to quickly relay a point or to have one-on-one communication between the student and faculty member. Students often complain that the faculty member does not respond to their messages in a timely fashion. Each school has its own guidelines for responding to student emails, which is typically 24-48 business hours. I find it a best practice to respond to all student emails within 24 hours if possible. Even if the message is to confirm the reception of a student’s message and inform them that I will need to look into the issue further, I respond in 24 hours or less. Some schools incorporate their emails with their learning management system, while others set you up with a webmail account. If done correctly, students can benefit tremendously from a faculty member who uses email effectively in their classes.

What are some of your biggest challenges with email? What are some areas that you could improve?