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Inbox Shock: A Study of Electronic Message Volume in a Distance Managerial Communication Course

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

Jeffrey S. Lewis

The Metropolitan State College of Denver, Colorado

Karen Sterkel Powell

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

As institutions of higher education strive to serve students who are diverse and geographically dispersed, many of them are implementing distance education pro grams using technology-mediated communication. Research reveals that distance education is often as effective as traditional education; however, teachers and stu dents are confronted with a variety of obstacles. Thus educators need to determine the most effective and efficient methods of communicating with distance students. An examination of e-mail messages sent to the instructor of an MBA class by dis tance students reveals that the volume of messages sent depends on students' tech nology proficiency, ability to process and seek out information, topic affinity, and relational needs. Furthermore, the findings reveal that an instructor can decrease the volume of messages received by researching the student population, communi cating proactively, and taking advantage of the messaging system's tools.

Key Words: Distance education • e-mail overload • managerial communication

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