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=Institutional policies define expectations for staff responses to student communications.=

Evidence
The preparation and presentation of e-learning communication policy statements that articulate what teachers expect from learners and what learners can expect from teachers, significantly improves e-learning course management (Waterhouse and Rogers, 2004, p. 28).

Despite the intent to be constructive, feedback can also be critical, and can have adverse effects unless skills in using feedback are appropriately cultivated (Hudson, 2002).

A lack of immediate feedback from instructors in online discussions allows students to procrastinate in entering their responses or withdraw from the discussion (Mikulecky 1998).

Acknowledging that an elearning environment can be problematic for timely teacher-learner responses, Waterhouse and Rogers recommend anticipating students’ needs by posting comprehensive policy statements. They discuss nine policy categories: Course syllabus; privacy; email; discussion groups; software standards; assignments; technical help; code of conduct; intellectual property (pp. 28-9). Under the email category they observe that teachers overwhelmed by student emails have difficulty managing their course. They recommend a policy statement that introduces its rationale, details the types of email you will and will not be responded to, and that sets the timeframe for responses. The statement also reminds students of their obligations to regularly check for emails, postings, and notices (p. 30).

Resources
Waterhouse and Rogers (2004) give three techniques for limiting email workload. Staff should define appropriate email topics, set a reasonable response time and use alternatives to email such as posting answers to common questions on message boards. They also give a sample email communication policy