Update: ClassMail List Usage & Priorities

The EEE Team will be building a new version of the ClassMail List system because the tool has a very high value for our campus and Canvas does not provide equivalent functionality.

To help the EEE Team design the next generation of ClassMail Lists, we surveyed 5,450 campus instructors with a history of using the EEE Legacy tool, and received 337 responses.

Results Highlights

The following are selected highlights from the survey’s results. We received many comments on a variety of topics beyond mail lists, all of which have been reviewed and shared with the AWT team.

How do you use your ClassMail Lists?

Breakdown of ‘Other’ use examples

How do you use ClassMail List archives?

Participants indicated they use archives to review a record of course communication, retrieve and reuse past content, provide a way for students to catch up on messages sent before they enrolled, email students from past courses after they've ended, for unspecified reasons, to find and answer common questions, to ensure all students can see past messages, help a new instructor take over a course, and find supporting materials for letters of recommendation. One participant emphasized that they prefer Canvas announcements and do not need the mail list.

What do you like about the current ClassMail List & ClassMail Manager Tools?

Likes include: ease of use, the tool does what they need, they can use own email programs, it's not connected to Canvas, students cannot opt-out (unlike Canvas notification options), list names can be customized, lists can be combined, additional recipients can be added, students' email addresses are available to instructors, and availability or archives

What do you dislike about the current ClassMail List & ClassMail Manager Tools?

Dislikes include: Lack of Canvas integration, confusing or not usable interface, needing to remember mail list addresses when they change each term, lack of flexibility to send to subsets of lists, students behavior, preference for Canvas, having to copy/paste email address into email program, lack of wait list student accommodation, poor formatting in archives, no scheduled sending options, handling of cross-listed classes, students don't know to check archives, perceived delivery delay, difficult to see who recipients are/will be

How would you prioritize potential features for the new ClassMail List system?

Other thoughts?