EDT 8900 1

Research Paper
Email issues.
Introduction
One main issue within the Angel LMS is the use of the communication
tool. The Angel communication tool is crucial for instructors and students to
communicate with each other in a course whether online or face to face.
This allows dialog outside the class with other students and the instructor.
There are rules in place on often a student and instructor should check their
Angel email.
Students have numerous email accounts and not having a centralized
email for all communications leaves students wondering where to email a
particular teacher or advisor and how often to check their email when they
have multiple accounts. Different divisions and entities in Sinclair
communicate with students in their other email account which is Gmail or
Google mail. This account is set up when a student or instructor is first
integrated into the Sinclair domain and is created by Information
Technology services. Then when they are enrolled in a class they become
familiar and use the Angel email within the course teaching shell.
Instructors have the same problem except they have one more email
account to check. They have their Angel email, Gmail and Outlook mail.
They get email to all three accounts also and run into the same problems as
described about the students. These accounts are created when an
instructor is hired in the college.
Hypothesis
Since Angel is being phased out by Blackboard by 2015 need to look at
and phase in a simpler and integrated method of emailing students,
employees, and instructors within the Sinclair network. With the selection
of Desire to Learn as our new LMS this would be a opportune time to
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Research Paper
integrate such changes while instructing students and instructors on the
new LMS which will take place in the Fall 2014.
My recommendation is the have one outlook account for everyone
with the deletion of the Gmail accounts created within Sinclair ITS. Students
can still have their Gmail account if they wish but it will not be supported
within the Sinclair infrastructure and will be disassociated from Sinclair. The
email that is available within D2L will not be used and students will be
instructed to use their Outlook account for all communication within the
Sinclair domain and network.
Research
Just doing a simple Google search shows that students everywhere are
having trouble with additional email accounts when they enroll in a college
or university. They are coming in with multiple accounts and most students
and the population in general do not know how to label or forward email
from one account to another. The search showed dissatisfaction and
frustration from students in Boston College, Hunter College, Broward
College, and others why another account and how to set it up and use it.
Students state they prefer texting but in a university setting this is
impossible for instructors who may have hundreds of students in a semester
and the use of their personal phone for sending and receiving. In a New
Times article it states students prefer texting but when asked how to receive
messages form a school LMS they select email instead of having it text to
them.
Procedure
To test a solution an advisor and I picked one student who needs a lot
of coaching and intervention to try out a theory. In this case the coach and
myself when we emailed the student we copied each other for every email
and if a student only responded to one of us we would copy the other when
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Research Paper
received to keep the other person informed. We would also make sure the
box Send a copy to each recipients Internet e-mail is checked to provide a
backup in case the student does not log in to Angel. This solution was to
test that the coach and instructor was kept current on all facets of the
students progress and or problems that occurred during a semester. In a
four week period a total of 17 emails were sent and received by instructor
and coach to the student. The email chosen was the Angel email since the
student must complete their assignments and tests within the Angle LMS
and would be the simplest to implement. Bothe the coach and instructor
are participants to each Angel shell in which we have a student to monitor
or grade.
Results
After the four weeks the coach and I sat down and evaluated what had
happened and comparing to other students in the class who are having
problems and are involved in many email communications. Of the student
we chose both of us knew the situation involved and both of us were
involved in working with this student. The student is still struggling but we
had a plan on how to approach the student and the problem. Two of the
students that were not part of the solution I had more information of that
student than the coach and the other student the coach had more
information on the student.
The way we evaluated the three students was each of us wrote down
on a sheet of paper the problems we have noticed about the student during
the last four weeks. After that we traded the paper we just filled out and
compared what each of us knows about the three students. This is where
we noticed that each of us had current information on the student in the
Angel email group but did not have current information on the two students
not in the Angle email group.
Recommendation
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Research Paper
As far as what to do next to involve other coaches and students in the
project we elicited comments and suggestions from the coaching supervisor
to provide comments and suggestions on implementing this for the fall
semester in just one class. If it is successful than implement a policy change
for all coaches and instructors involved in the online CBE program.
Some concerns she had was that for the coaches it was another email
account for them to monitor. The coach and I both stated that the number
of emails did not change and that both of us were in the Angle shell for the
student checking progress for the student. Also both of us stated that since
the coach is part of each students Angel shell and that they were required to
follow student and make sure they are on track and doing what they are
supposed to do that it was easier to email the student concerns while in the
Angle shell and could reference the course while in the course itself. The
supervisor understood and accepted our explanation.
Another concern was sharing information to other groups on campus
like registration and financial aid because they are not part of Angel email
system. If a problem arose, how could we forward these emails to these
groups when necessary? This we did not have an answer for so referred the
problem to Information Services for their input and advice.
After much conversations with coaches and one large meeting with
the Dean it was decided to implement it for just the Cisco courses for the
fall. If it proves to be the correct way to go with both the instructor and
coaches pleases that the students needs are being met than will implement
it for the entire CBE program in January 2015. Will use the fall semester to
work out any problems and to allow time to write a policy directed at email
communication for instructors and coaches.
Conclusion
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Research Paper
The ability to communicate with a student and their coach has
dictated a more efficient email system in which one system is used. With
time being a factor in a normal day it is not possible to for a coach,
instructor, and student to keep track and copy emails from one system to
another. This study has concluded that one email system works and the
only necessary step for coaches and instructors is to copy the other when
emailing a student. Also it makes it easier when questions or problems arise
is to email that person while in the email system.
Reference
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/fashion/technology-and-the-college-
generation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)