Week 2 - getting organised

Email is our focus this week. 

We look more closely at how to send an effective email.  There is so much more to sending a good email, than just typing in your  message and hitting the send button.  You need to consider - who it needs to go to, how it should be composed, what needs to go with it, security issues, matters of politeness and appropriateness... and much more.  After some demonstration and discussion, you will compose a list of 10 TIPS for Email Etiquette, convert this "poster" to PDF format, and email to your lecturer.

Please link or copy this list to your blog!  Do you think you have learned anything this class that might change the way you compose and send your emails in future?  Do you have any pet hates about emails you receive?

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Getting Organised

Well, week two sees us getting things under way, and probably inundated with work, assessments, stress!  Well, I hope not.

In our Wednesday class, we started a couple of activities that will hopefully keep us organised and on track through-out the semester. 

Firstly - we gathered and sorted out our assessment due dates.  Some of us put these onto a table or chart. Other showed it directly on our google calendar - see below.    (OPWPD - Assessment 1 - Task 1)

We then prioritised and created a checklist of due dates.  (OPWPD - Assessment 1 - Task 2)

Finally, we transferred all this info onto an online calendar - using  "Google" as our learning tool.  We also added in personal goals and specific events, appointments, and commitments. 

By now, your Google Calendar should be looking very colourful and probably pretty busy! (well, it is the 21st century - busy is a fairly normal state to be in).  Keep this calendar up to date throughout the course of the semester (and beyond if you like).  I will be observing your progress and use of it, and you will need to submit a short report on how you used the calendar and prioritised your tasks.  (OPWPD  Assessment 2, Task 1)

Please reflect on this process and your calendar activity so far in your blog.  Consider commenting on things like: 

 - have you used a calendar before... why, or why not?

 - have you used an electronic or online calendar before?

 - what is the advantages / disadvantages to using electronic over paperbased calendar or planning docs.

 - how do you think using an online calendar this semester will help or hinder you?

 - Are there certain situations that may be particularly suited or NOT suited to onine calendar use?

Next class - some group work and online collaboration about using email at work.