| This study examined e-mail and the manner in which it contributes to the student/instructor learning and teaching relationship in face-to-face classes at the college and university level. Seven hundred thirty-nine (N = 739) fulltime juniors and two hundred eighty-five (N = 285) non-first semester instructors from one northwestern state college and two northwestern state universities responded to online questionnaires. The questionnaires were comprised of several Likert Scale questions with a few free-form response areas. The data were processed using a combination of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Median Tests.; In-depth analysis of the data indicated that no relationship existed between the volume (E-Rate) or content of e-mail sent and student GPA. Correlation was noted between instructor E-Rate and instructor teaching effectiveness (ITE), but not content. Increased student and instructor e-mail communication correlated with students' and instructors' perception that e-mail helps the learning/teaching relationship. The number one advantage of e-mail in the learning/teaching relationship listed by both students and instructors was increased instructor availability, while the number one disadvantage indicated by both was that some topics are difficult to discuss critically via e-mail. |
