Transition Planning Considerations: Email Communicationsmast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/PPT-Williams-Transition... · Transition Planning Considerations: Email Communications

Transition Planning

Considerations:

Email Communications

PowerPoint Slides

to be used in conjunction

with the

Facilitator’s Guide

Copyright © 2012, East Carolina University.

Recommended citation:

Williams, S., & Henderson, K. (2012). Transition planning

considerations: Email communication – A PowerPoint

presentation for professional development. Modules

Addressing Special Education and Teacher Education

(MAST). Greenville, NC: East Carolina University.

This resource includes contributions from the module

developer and MAST Module Project colleagues (in

alphabetical order) Kelly Henderson (Facilitator Guide

Editor), Tanner Jones (Web Designer), Diane Kester

(Editor), Sue Byrd Steinweg (Project Director), Bradley

Baggett (Graduate Assistant), and Sandra Hopfengardner

Warren (Principal Investigator).

Session Agenda

• Introduction

• Session Goal and Objectives

• Transition Planning

• Research

• Written Communication

Session Agenda, continued

• Pet Peeves

• E-mail Tips

• Lesson Plan

• Summary

• Evaluation

Introduction

It is often only a matter of time before a college instructor

receives an e-mail similar to this one from a student.

Introduction, continued

• When students transition to the college

setting, even one right in their hometown,

they experience a culture change.

• College administrators, professors, and

advisors expect students to be

independently motivated, self advocates,

and able to interact professionally.

• Written communication is one way students

convey information about themselves to

these postsecondary professionals.


• Written communication, especially via e-

mail, is becoming one of the most

commonly used forms of communication

on college campuses between faculty/staff

and students.

• Students are expected to have this skill

internalized before coming to campus, but

direct instruction about how to

communicate effectively in writing will be

required for some students.


• It can’t be assumed that all students in

transition will develop this skill

automatically.

• When students compose e-mails or other

forms of written correspondence, they

are communicating something about

themselves beyond the specific content

or question they want to share.


• This module is focused on helping

students ensure that they accomplish

what they intend to communicate.

Introduction, Activity

• Read over the email examples.

• Describe how you would react to

receiving it.

• Share your first impressions of the

writer and the scenario.

Session Goal

• Goal: to explore common uses for e-mail

communication in postsecondary

education settings (e.g. community

college, college, university) and to

share/provide ideas for helping students in

transition adjust effectively to this new use

of written communication.

Session Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Identify common uses of e-mail

communication in postsecondary

education settings;

2. Identify common pitfalls of new college

students in regard to effective e-mail

communication;

Session Objectives, continued

3. Identify 10 basic guidelines to teach to

students regarding e-mail

communication in the college setting;

4. Evaluate implementation of the

guidelines in sample e-mail scenarios; a

5. Demonstrate understanding of the

module content and its relation to

transition planning and cited research

literature.

Transition Planning

• Transition planning must begin to be

incorporated into a student’s

Individualized Education Program when

that student reaches 16 years of age

(Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act, IDEA 2004).

• However, states and school systems have

the option of beginning this process much

earlier.

Transition Planning, continued

• A proactive process to transition

preparation is critical for most students –

especially students for whom post-

secondary education is a consideration.

• Even as early as middle school some

students begin to participate in classes

and select programs of study that will have

a direct impact on if they have the

necessary coursework to apply for college.


• Key Transition Planning Considerations

include (but are not limited to):

– The development of appropriate and

measurable postsecondary goals in relation

to training, education, employment, and

(where appropriate) independent living

skills.

– Identification of transition services that will

be necessary for the student to reach the

selected goals.


– A statement, written no later than 1 year before the child reaches the age of majority under state law, that the child has been informed of his or her rights, and that these rights will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority.

– The articulation of a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance [SOP], including recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting postsecondary goals.


• For a student with a transition goal in the

area of education and/or training to “go

to college”:

– Services to ensure that the student takes

the correct high school classes and help

the student to secure recent

evaluation/eligibility data are important, but

may not be sufficient.


– Other transition planning may involve helping

the student to understand the culture and

requirements specific to the postsecondary

environment - including attention to potential

changing communication needs in that

environment.


– Up to this point, communication regarding

the student’s academic needs and

questions may have been done for

him/her.

– Opportunities for written and verbal

communication experienced may also

often have been informal in nature.


• Transition planning can include direct

instruction and practice opportunities for

students to build effective professional

communication skills that are appropriate

for postsecondary learning environments.


• We cannot assume that students will

automatically and effectively transfer

use of a technology that has previously

been used for social purposes to using

the same tool as a learning technology.

Transition Planning, Activity

• Watch the video at

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/media/

4photos.html .

• In small groups, take the perspective of both

the email writer and the faculty member.

• What potentially-appropriate skills or

competencies did the writer demonstrate?

What skills were lacking? What dilemma does

the faculty member face?

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/media/4photos.html


Transition Planning, Activity,

continued • Regardless of the decision reached, this

might not be the sort of self-advocacy we

want our students to face right off the bat

when they enter college – or the type of

impression they will want to make.

• What could be done to help students in

transition avoid being the source of these

sorts of conversations between faculty

members?

Research

• Rather than having to wait for an

appointment or for posted office hours,

students on college campuses can now

communicate conveniently with

instructors via e-mail.

• Some have predicted that this tool will

actually increase the amount of

communication between students and

faculty.

Research, continued

• For apprehensive students, this may have the advantage of creating a nonthreatening way to make initial and ongoing connections with faculty (Duran, Kelly, & Keaton, 2005).

• Although e-mail messages between instructors and students have become a common source of communication, using an e-mail style that is overly casual may do more harm than good (Russell, 2009).

Research, continued

• Overly casual student-generated e-mail

messages were found to cause

instructors to like the students less, view

them as less credible, determine the

message to be of lower quality, and be

less willing to comply with the requests

in the e-mail messages (Stephens, Houser, &

Cowan, 2009).

Research, continued

• Instructors may view casually written e-

mails as careless and cocky, even if

students do not write with these

intentions (Duran, Kelly, & Keaton).

• Instructor impressions based on overly

casual e-mails also do not seem to be

nearly as related to generational issues

as some may think (Stephens, Houser, &

Cowan).

Research, continued

• But some research has demonstrated

that people who send grammatically

correct e-mails are viewed more

positively – even as being friendlier and

more likable (Stephens, Houser, & Cowan).

Research, continued

• Students will not only have the

opportunity to communicate with

instructors via e-mail, but will likely also

use this tool for communication with

other students, disability support service

providers, advisors, and administrators.

• Doing so effectively can make a positive

difference for students.

Research, continued

• Teachers supporting students in transition can help students learn to “flip the switch” (Turner, 2009) between text-talk and standard English when sending e-mails to different audiences.

• If done as a part of transition planning, students may be more likely to enter the post-secondary campus more prepared for different types of interaction and communication.

Research, Activity

• Use www.wordle.net to have small

groups of participants brainstorm as

many words that they can think of that

relate to the terms “communication”

and/or “e-mail”. Use the resulting visual

to frame the discussion for the rest of

the day.

http://www.wordle.net/

Written Communication

• Look at these definitions of

“communication”:

– “the imparting or interchange of thoughts,

opinions, or information by speech,

writing, or signs.” (dictionary.com); and

– “to convey knowledge of or information

about: make known: to reveal by clear

signs" (Merriam-Webster.com)

Written Communication, continued

• Examples of Technology-based Written Communication Frequently Used in College Settings:

– Students frequently use technological tools to communicate both formally and informally in the college setting.

– The following graphic displays some of these different uses of technology for written dialogue and information sharing:



• Now more frequent than ever, written communication in the college setting takes many forms: e-mail accounts, discussion boards, online classes, online advising calendars, even online IM support from university librarians.

• Students need to utilize professional communication that falls somewhere between the casual text lingo used with friends and the formatting used in a business letter.


• E-mail communication remains one of

the most common forms of faculty-to-

student communication.

• College professionals still expect a

professional and respectful tone to be

maintained in these types of

correspondence – just as in face-to-face

meetings.

Written Communication- Activity

• Listen to the audio at http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/media/4photos.html .

• Individually, list the various functions you have facilitated by email communication in the past week, both professionally and personally.

• Share your results, recording on chart paper or white board the many functions supported by email correspondence.



Pet Peeves

• Instructor Pet Peeves: As part of the

development of this module, 15

instructors were informally polled to

share their “pet peeves” regarding e-

mails they have received from students.

• These informal responses aligned

closely with the research literature.

Pet Peeves, continued

• If a student takes the time to contact a faculty member, she or he generally needs some support.

• Learning how to avoid some basic pitfalls that frustrate faculty members may make it more likely that the instructor responds favorably. Giving students in transition a heads-up about these instructor preferences and the content of this module will possibly help them avoid some unnecessary bad impressions!


• Many faculty members report receiving emails with no more text than something like, “hey I cant get into the test”.

• The faculty member recipient has no idea who is having difficulty (no student identification), what class the student is in, or which test is being attempted.

• No capitalization or punctuation is used, and a very informal “hey” begins the message.


• This type of email exemplifies the most

common types of “pet peeves”

described in this informal survey.

• Teachers of students in transition to

postsecondary settings can turn these

“pet peeves” into instructional tips.

Many are addressed in the lesson plan

later in this module.

Pet Peeve Comment Possible Alternative/Solution

A student sending

an email and not

identifying himself.

When this occurs an instructor must take several extra

steps before being able to respond. In order to respond

an instructor must figure out who sent the email (if

possible), what class the student is in, and then try to

answer the question. Faculty members receive many

emails daily, and this makes it impossible to reply

quickly. It also does not usually facilitate a particularly

responsive mood on the part of the faculty member.

Always include your full name in the

text of an email. When appropriate,

identify what class you are in or

explain briefly your connection with

the person recipient.

Sending an email

that begins with

something like:

“Hi ya”, “What’s

up”, “Yo, prof!”,

“howru”

Emails with this level of familiarity often come across

as disrespectful. Beginning an email with an extremely

informal tone may make even the most relaxed faculty

members less likely to reply. Some faculty members

also mentioned that using a first name (rather than title

and last name) in the greeting without being asked to

do so often conveys a tone of disrespect.

Dear Dr. ________,

Hello,

Greetings!

Hi Dr. __________,

Good morning/afternoon_______


An email sent when

a student is angry,

and feelings are

conveyed

inappropriately and

disrespectfully.

If you are sending an email about which you feel

strong emotion it is often best to wait 24 hours before

sending it. This wait-time may not always be possible,

but either way, have someone you trust read it before

clicking “send”.

Don’t put anything in writing to a

faculty or staff member that you

would not be willing to say face-to-

face.

A message typed as

if talking to your

best friend- all lower

case, no punctuation

and abbreviations-

lol, jk, idk, etc.

Even faculty members who text their friends and

family frequently will generally switch to a more

professional tone when corresponding with students.

Students will want to do the same. Other faculty

members may not be familiar with abbreviations used

when texting. In these situations, decoding your email

will be time consuming and frustrating.

Write full sentences. Use correct

punctuation. Run spell check..


Subject line text:

HELP!!!

Rarely does a college question require so many

exclamation points, and seeing emotionally laden

language in a subject heading will more likely cause an

instructor to feel defensive than encourage him or her

to read the email right away.

The subject line should give the

instructor a head’s up about the focus

of your question, not the level of your

emotion.

An alternative might be Internet

failure during on-line test.

“I don't understand

what I need to do in

Module 4”

The student did not identify herself or tell which class

she is talking about. Remember, instructors can have

literally hundreds of students and numerous classes

within one semester. Also, the text of the email does

not give any indication that the student has made an

attempt to understand or try the Module 4 assignment.

Within the text of the email designate

which class you are asking about, and

ask a specific question. The question

will likely be better received if you

describe what you do understand

about what you think you are to do,

and ask if this is correct.


“I'm sorry I missed

your class today.

Please tell me what I

missed.”

This student did not identify himself or tell what class

he is in. The implied assumption is that the instructor

will re-teach the class to the student after being

absent.

First contact the instructor before

missing class and explain why you

will not be able to attend. If there is

not a legitimate reason – don’t miss

the class. Then, consult the course

calendar and contact another student

prior to sending the instructor an

email. In the text of the email identify

yourself, describe what you have

done to find out what you missed,

describe what you have learned about

the class you have missed, and ask if

there is anything else that your friend

forgot to share.

An email that does

not allow sufficient

turn-around time for

a response. An

example might be an

email written at

10:00 p.m. with a

question about an

assignment that is

due at midnight.

In this sort of situation, even if the instructor does

respond, you may be less likely to get the response

you would like.

Even if a due date is not involved, be sure to provide

plenty of time for an instructor to respond. It is

generally not a good idea to send follow up checking-

in emails every few minutes or hours. That will be

less likely to help you receive a quick response and

more likely to simply annoy the faculty member.

The best approach would be to work

ahead enough on assignments to be

able to recognize if you have

questions far in advance of the due

date. College assignments are rarely

assigned one day and due the next. If

you are doing some last-minute work,

acknowledge responsibility for this

and your recognition that you may not

receive a response prior to the due

date in the context of the email.


Using the high

importance symbol

(!)

Rarely would something associated with a college

course require this. Most faculty members reserve this

for fairly urgent needs. It might be an especially poor

choice to use this symbol because you feel something is

urgent to you simply because of procrastination on an

assignment. The high importance symbol should

indicate something that would be urgent and/or time

sensitive to the recipient.

If you feel it is important to contact

the faculty member quickly you can

try different options such as

emailing, phoning, and stopping by

the office during office hours.

Using font that is

difficult to read

Fancy or interesting font has a purpose in many

different situations, but faculty-student email

correspondence is not generally one of them. Instead it

may simply make the text more difficult to read.

Use standard fonts and colors when

e-mailing and save the creativity

and attention to detail for

assignments and schoolwork.

Replying to old and

unrelated emails

without changing the

subject heading… or

starting a new email

each time in the

middle of an e-mail

dialogue.

Because faculty members communicate with hundreds

of students regularly, the text from previous emails can

be very helpful in a continuing conversation. If a

student pulls up an old unrelated e-mail dialogue and

uses it to start a new conversation without changing the

subject line, the faculty member does not have an

accurate context before opening the email.

Alternatively, if you are in the middle of an email

dialogue and start a fresh email each time, the faculty

member will have not point of reference when

responding. Instead s/he will have to hunt through old

emails to read what has already been typed.

Keep the subject heading current

based on the conversation, and keep

the email dialogue intact by

replying each time rather than

starting a new email or wiping out

the earlier part of the dialogue.

Pet Peeves- Activity

• Take a poll of “pet peeves” about email.

Add these to the list started in this

module.

E-mail Tips

• Use the following tips to help students

think ahead about post-secondary e-

mail etiquette.

• Many of these tips have been provided

by first-year students with identified

learning disabilities.

• Some of these reminders and tips will

err on the side of formality.

E-mail Tips, continued

• Students should remember that although many instructors will be technologically savvy, most have not grown up with the immersion in computer use that students have experienced.

• They may be comfortable with a style that feels a bit formal to students.

• However, it is most important for the student to show respect and keep communication open with instructors.


1. Remember that e-mail, texts, and

online communication are forever.

Once you click send you can’t take it

back. Prevent sender’s remorse by

getting in the habit of pausing to think

and re-read before you click send.


2. Now is a good time to take a serious look

at what your Facebook page (or MySpace,

Twitter, blog, etc) communicates to the

world. These social networking resources

can help you stay connected and share

information, careless use can lead to

making bad impressions, loss of

opportunities, penalties for rule violations,

and even very real danger depending on

the types of information you post.


3. E-mail is usually a good way to contact most professors, but it is not necessarily always the best way. Pay attention if your professor mentions that a different method of contact is preferred. Also, e-mail shouldn’t be the only way you communicate with professors. Face to face communication is important, too.


4. Have somebody look over your written

communication (especially e-mail) before

you send it. After a few reviews from

others who are a bit more experienced,

you will start to get a sense of how to

effectively communicate in writing on

campus.


Also, when sending an e-mail remember

that you will also not have the advantage

of incorporating body language and voice

tone to communicate the intent of your

message. The text you choose to use will

need to accurately convey both the

content and the tone of your message.


5. When you are corresponding by e-mail

with an instructor, you are

communicating professionally. The

casual style you use with a friend is

not appropriate here.


6. Always include your name in the e-mail, and do not assume the e-mail system will provide that for the instructor. This is especially true when using e-mail addresses other than those supported by the educational institution. Professors don’t have time to guess the identities of “bballdude22” or “iheartpirates17”.


7. E-mail with the same rules for polite

and respectful communication as you

would use in a face-to-face meeting.

Also, typing in all caps is often

interpreted as shouting. There are

seldom times when students would

use shouting with instructors, so be

careful with this type of emphasis.


8. Check your e-mail daily and be very

prompt replying to e-mails. However,

do not expect instructors to be on call

to respond to e-mails around the

clock. If it is a critical situation send an

e-mail and make a phone call


9. You may want to draft your e-mail, re-

read it, and spell check it before

putting the recipient’s name in the “To”

line. This will eliminate the worry of

accidentally clicking “send” before you

are ready for the person to see what

you’ve been writing.


10.Feel free to use space between major ideas (much as you would construct paragraphs) so that important information and questions do not get “lost” in a large body of text. Be as clear and concise when you compose your message as possible. Many faculty members receive a large number of e-mails each day.


11.Be careful with “reply to all” option.

Remember that you might not have

been the only one to receive the initial

e-mail. Notice who else received and

e-mail and respond accordingly.


12.Do not ask the recipient to reply to

your e-mail unless there is a true need

for it. Also, do not use the feature to

see a note if the person has read the

e-mail unless that is necessary.


13.While adding a “pretty” background or fancy font to the e-mail may make your personal style stand out, it also may add a few extra clicks for the recipient to even be able to read the e-mail. This may be more annoying that helpful. There may be other more appropriate ways to add a colorful flair to your communication than dressing up the appearance of an e-mail.


14. Identify yourself and your class in the subject heading – make this a useful “heads up” to the one who receives the e-mail. Unless you already know the addressee fairly well, always start by introducing yourself and stating how the person should know you. It’s common for a professor who might recognize your face not to be able to place you by name unless you’ve met several times.


15.Write in standard English, not as

though you are texting or posting

online. Maintain a professional tone

and don’t be overly familiar

E-mail Tips, Activity

• Individually construct an email that when read with different facial expressions and voice tones could communicate very different meanings.

• Read the email to a small group several times – each time using voice and body language to communicate a very different message (frustration, joking, sarcasm, warmth, anger).

E-mail Tips, Activity continued

• In small groups, discuss how students

frequently write emails with one

intent/tone, but that an instructor may

read it in an entirely different way when

they only can see the text.

• Without careful attention to how an

email is composed, a person may

convey something unintentional beyond

the content of the message.

Lesson Plan

• Some students will benefit from direct

instruction regarding basic considerations

when emailing in a college setting.

• The sample lesson plan that follows could

be used with high school students

preparing to transition to college (for

example, in a Curriculum Assistance

classroom, an English classroom, a

resource classroom, or any number of

different environments).

Lesson Plan

• Lesson Objective: The student will draft an e-mail using at least eight effective writing conventions for appropriate written correspondence with post-secondary instructors.

• Note: the lesson plan at http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/Power_Point_for_Sample_Lesson_Plan

6.3.10.pptx 6.3.10.pptx links directly to supplementary materials

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/Power_Point_for_Sample_Lesson_Plan 6.3.10.pptx



Lesson

Element

Procedures

Lesson

Setup

&

Lesson

Opening

Focus student attention with “A Tale of Two E-mails” by showing the

following two e-mail samples:

Use a Venn Diagram to note student comments as they compare and

contrast the two different e-mails. Have them view the e-mails from the lens

of the instructor, decide which would be best received, and justify their

decision. List the elements of the 2nd e-mail that make it most effective for

this type of written communication.

Materials

Power Point

slides with

sample e-

mail.

E-mails on

student

handout if

desired

Venn

diagram

hey,

can you send me the slides from class today b/c I was out and

missed it.

Thanx!!!

Cameron

Dr. Smith,

Hello, this is Pete Pirate, and I am in your PSYC 1000 class (section 002).

I looked over the test we got back in class today, and I have a few

questions about things I got wrong. Can I come during your office hours at

10:00 a.m. tomorrow to discuss what I can do to improve my grade on the

next test? If another time would be better for you, just let me know and I

will schedule an appointment.

Thanks for your help,

Pete






http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/blank venn diagram 6.3.10.docx

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/blank venn diagram 6.3.10.docx

Lesson

Body

Teacher Input

Use the information in the sample PowerPoint slides to:

1) Provide a rationale/context for the type of e-mail communication students

will want to use in college.

2) List guidelines for composing an e-mail that would be considered

appropriately written in a college setting. Although e-mail is not quite as

formal as traditional letter-writing, you can still use some of the features of the

more formal writing to structure your communication.

3) Help students understand that the nature of each written communication

will be different, but these tips are generic tips that could be considerations

for a variety of purposes.

Guidelines portrayed in the PowerPoint file (in a bit more detail in the Power

Point file) include:

Begin with a polite and respectful salutation.

Clearly communicate message, questions, or concerns.

Use proper punctuation.

Use complete sentences and professional language.

Use commonly accepted abbreviations only when helpful.

Use respectful language/tone.

Include both your first and last name in the e-mail.

Fill in the subject line.

Use spell check.

Proofread the e-mail before sending.

Take time to discuss each guideline, provide examples and explanation when

needed.

Power

Point



Lesson

Body,

continued

4) Provide a sample e-mail template that students can follow until they

become more comfortable with professional communication in

postsecondary education settings in this way.

5) Identify elements of the template that reflect the 10 guidelines

presented.

6) Present the students again with the two e-mails (from Cameron and

Pete) from the beginning of the lesson. Have them compare these e-

mails with 10 guidelines discussed in this lesson.

Guided Practice:

Present the following scenario to the class.

You are registering for spring semester classes. Last week you met with

your academic advisor to discuss the courses you will need to take in

the spring and spent time developing your preferred schedule. One of

the classes you had planned to take is now full, and you are not sure if

you should ask for special permission to be added to that class or if you

should just select something else (but you are not sure what that would

be). Compose an e-mail to your advisor to ask for guidance with this

decision.

As a group, draft an e-mail to the academic advisor referenced in the

scenario using all of the tips discussed earlier.

Power

Point

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/Sample_Email_Template_draft_6.3.1010.jpg

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/Sample_Email_Template_draft_6.3.1010.jpg

Extended

Practice

1) Students draw a sample postsecondary scenario depicting a

situation when e-mail communication may be appropriate.

2) Each student should compose an e-mail to the instructor

addressing his/her scenario using at least 8 of the 10 guidelines

discussed in this lesson.

3) Students can exchange e-mails and use the guideline checklist

to provide feedback to one another – or the e-mails can be

collected for formative assessment and/or a classwork grade.

Postsecondary

scenarios cut

and placed on

cards.

Lesson

Closing

Discuss other potential uses of written communication in college

(library, thank you notes, requests for internships, online

discussions, blogs, etc)

Review 10 guidelines.

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/e-mail_scenarios.pdf




Summary

• This module was designed to generate

thinking about ways to help students be

strategic as they prepare to communicate in

the college setting – specifically via e-mail.

• Sharing practical tips and providing

meaningful practice opportunities may

increase a student’s ability to make a

positive impression on a college instructor

and/or convey e-mail messages accurately.

Summary, continued

• Do not assume students will naturally make the leap from the casual electronic communication used frequently and effortlessly by many teenagers to the more professional communication expected on a postsecondary campus.

• Proactive supports and direct instruction for students in transition can facilitate a student’s effective adjustment to the college setting.

Focus and Reflection Questions

1. Follow up on any questions raised during

the session.

2. Share personal experiences with

communication via email. Discuss any

changes you may make in your own

composition of emails.

3. How can the instructor model good email

communication

Application & Extension activities Activities to use as Attention-Grabbers/Ice Breakers:

1. Describe a scenario, and have participants compose an email that would be appropriate for that scenario – but to three different audiences (e.g. best friend, teacher, parent, employer).

2. Make a list of 10 – 20 texting abbreviations. See how many the group can decipher. Time the group – and introduce the idea of extra time involved if reading an email from a student requires this type of decoding. Discuss how this could be simulated with students (e.g., email full of education-related acronyms or fictitious texting abbreviations that might be used in fields of education, business).

Application & Extension activities,

continued Activities to use to Extend Learning

Following review of the module, these activities could be used to extend learning regarding how to assist learners with written communications.

1. Include information and a template to teach students how to construct well-written thank you notes. This practice with writing to people with whom a student may rarely correspond in writing, may help students develop practice writing to others in a polite, but informal style. It will also help them when the graduation gifts come in!


continued

2.Develop role plays (simulated

student/faculty meeting) and e-mail samples

that communicate the same information.

Compare/contrast the effectiveness,

strengths, & limitations of each type of

communication for various purposes. Point

out similarities and differences of each.


continued

Activities with a Broader Communication Scope

With sufficient time allotted the scope of the module

could be expanded beyond written communication.

For example, oral communication and body

language could also be included for a more broad

focus on communication in the college setting.


continued

1. After working through the materials in this

module about one form of written

communication, have participants write a

similar lesson plan that applies to a form of

oral communication or body language.

2. Brainstorm different times/ways oral

communication or body language is used in

college, and the different audiences

students speak with for different purposes.


continued

3. Discuss the impact body language can have on impressions others have of you. Students will need to decide what they want to communicate with their body language and deliberately work to ensure they actually do so in different settings. Areas of emphasis in the college setting can be class participation; texting, checking email, web surfing, etc during class lecture; sleeping; making eye contact; monitoring facial expressions, and nodding.


continued

4. Teach SLANT: A Starter Strategy TM for Class Participation developed by Edwin Ellis (1991) and published by Edge Enterprises. This strategy is part of the many valuable resources provided by the Kansas University Center for Research on Learning. See their website (http://www.ku-crl.org) for more information about training and learning strategies or Content Enhancement Routines.

http://www.ku-crl.org/




continued

5. Show a photograph of a classroom depicting students with different postures. Have the participants identify students that seem to be “paying attention” and demonstrating respect. Use as a foundation for a discussion about faculty perceptions and the impact that may have on learning and course performance. Even if the student is effectively multitasking and absorbing information being presented, the student is making an impression on the instructor. Instructors may perceive very differently the impact of the student’s choices regarding interaction with the class content.


continued

6. Students with disabilities are responsible for self-disclosing to an instructor information about accommodations for which they would be eligible. Especially if this is the first time students have contact with the instructor;, it can be a difficult and awkward conversation for a student. Participants can develop resources for teaching students to introduce themselves, explain how their disability impacts classroom learning, and break the ice with an instructor.


continued

7. Students in college rarely visit faculty members during office hours or make contact outside of class. At the end of the semester faculty frequently receive several student contacts asking for extensions, extra credit, grading considerations, etc. Participants can discuss how to impress on potential students the impact of this communication pattern and the benefits of a more proactive approach to communicating with faculty members.


continued

However this understanding will not likely be enough to ensure that students take those first steps to get to know their instructors. Participants of an extended workshop can share ideas and develop lesson plans designed to teach students strategies for scheduling and following through with that first meeting.


continued

8. Some tips that can be shared with students about body language and oral communication (* indicates a tip from a current college student) are: • Look people in the eye when speaking and

listening.

• Try to replace some of the more casual words in your vocabulary with their more professional counterparts. For example, “yes” instead of “yeah” or “uh-huh”.

• Remember your manners. Saying “please” and thank you” and generally having a respectful and positive attitude communicates more than almost any other words you can say.


continued

• Make a point of meeting your professors during the first week of class and making a positive impression by going to their office hours. Follow up with an e-mail. *If you don’t have an unlimited plan, keep track of your cell phone minutes and texts carefully. It’s easy to run out because most college students call and text their friends a lot! *

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions! *

• Sit and stand up straight. Don’t fidget with objects (e.g., pen or pencil) in a distracting way.


continued

• Listen actively.

• Consider the message you may convey if you are not clean and appropriately groomed when you leave the dorm. Do your clothes send the message that you take your classes seriously or that you just happened to drop in for class in between other, more important activities?

• Consider the message it sends if you attend class in the same clothes you wear to sleep?

Session Evaluation

• A form for participants to evaluate the

session is available in the Facilitator’s

Guide.

Self-Assessment

• A self-assessment with response

feedback is available at

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/quiz/ .

Participants may take this assessment

online to evaluate their learning about

content presented in this module

http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/quiz/



Documents

Transition Planning Considerations: Email Communicationsmast.ecu.edu/modules/tpc_ec/lib/documents/PPT-Williams-Transition... · Transition Planning Considerations: Email Communications