Email

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... part of the technology for communities project,
started off by the authors of [Digital Habitats], Etienne Wenger, Nancy White, and John D. Smith.

Contents

Definition

Email, where you send a text message to one or more people over the internet, is perhaps the most common tool for interaction in communities of practice, whether face-to-face or distributed.

Video Intro

If available a video introducing the tool would go here.

Uses in communities of practice

A string of emails is often the impetus to get organized and try other technologies for "getting together." Email as an optional reminder of posting or other activity can be essential for reminding people of their interest and membership in a community.

Polarities

  • Together/apart, Synch/Asynch: Email is primarily an asynchronous tool -- you send it when it's convenient for you and your reader reads it when it's convenient for them. That said, in a community context email reminders sent out just in time are an essential technique in leading a community.
  • Participation/reification: Email tends to be an interaction tool, although it has an occasional "publication" function.
  • Individual/group: Group emails typically use Email Lists as a vehicle. Backchannel emails are a key community leadership tool.

Key features

X features

  • Name Description
    • Uses or relevance in a community context
  • Name Description
    • Uses or relevance in a community context

Etc.

Related tools

  • (some other tool)

Tool use in combination

  • Useful with tool X
  • Useless with tool Y
  • More exhaustive "straddling pages"

Resources

  • About
  • Examples
Personal tools