Incorporating E-mail in Teaching Activities of the Nutrition Program at College for Women, Kuwait University: Assessment of a Five-year Experience

Abstract

Aims: To categorize messages that were sent by course instructor to e-mail course accounts and those sent by students to instructor, and seek student assessment of e-mail usage in course activities. Study Design: Data mining and survey research. Place and Duration of Study: College for Women, Kuwait University, Kuwait, between February 2009 and January 2014 Methodology: The instructor established an e-mail account for each course being taught for the instructor to communicate with students. All messages sent by instructor and those received from students were searched, retrieved, printed, read for purpose, categorized and tabulated as numbers and percentages. A 15-statement questionnaire was devised, pilot-tested and distributed to students for feedback. Data of e-mail messages and of the student survey, collected from 379 students, were recorded in Microsoft Excel sheets, and expressed as numbers and percentages. Results: The instructor sent 1660 e-mail messages, with major categories about (%): handouts and syllabi (27), reminders and notices (22), assignment-related (20), materials of interest (17). Students sent 2118 e-mail messages, with two major categories about (%): assignment-related (38) and non-assignment related (62). Assignment-related subcategories were about (%): requesting postponement of deadline (37), sending assignments as attachments to messages (33), apology for late assignment submission (15), and inquiries about assignments (15). Major non-assignment subcategories were about (%): requests for appointments and supporting materials (32) and examination-related (20). Results of the survey showed that 74% of 379 students recommend the use of e-mail as experienced and 21% wrote comments. Students indicated their comfort with e-mail and some suggested the use of blackboard. The instructor’s perceived advantages and problems of using e-mail were numerated. Conclusion: Using e-mail and/or any other available modern technology in university teaching activities and in enhancing student-teacher communication can be of value to education in general and particularly in case of distance learning.