E-mail -- Set-up and Usage

E-mail is commonplace in today's life. Most schools and organizations have access to e-mail through a local internet provider, often providing unlimited service for a monthly fee or at no cost to individual teachers and students. Internet providers use different e-mail software. Some require a direct and constant Internet connection; others are based on an off-line system, allowing the user to write messages "off-line" and send them automatically during a short connection with the Internet.

Additional e-mail services are available from Internet companies such as "Netscape," "Hotmail," "Rocketmail", "epals" and "usa.net." These typically require constant Internet connection. Many schools do not allow students to access these on-line e-mail options because mail from them can be sent anonymously without school control.

Set-up:

Since everyone will use a different e-mail system, we cannot provide guidance for all of them. Information on how to configure e-mail settings on an Internet browser such as Netscape and Internet Explorer, must be obtained from the Internet service provider offering the e-mailbox. It is our experience that teachers learn about e-mail as they work on conferences.

Usage:

E-mail is primarily sent from one computer to another computer, with possibly one or more copies going to other computers. It is viewed only by the sender and recipients of the e-mail message. E-mail is an extremely valuable and personal way of connecting people around the world. When finding iEARN projects to join, you will always find e-mail contact information for the project's facilitator(s), who will be fellow teachers or students in the network. You can write to these people to find out more about their project, and guidance on where the project is taking place.

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