Impact of electronic mail communication in a world-wide K--12 school system evaluated on the basis of employee attitudes and perceptions.

Abstract

This study explores the impact of electronic mail (e-mail) communication in the overseas Department of Defense Dependents School system. Employees' attitudes and perceptions on the use of electronic mail to communicate and develop collegial interactions both inside and outside the system are documented through a survey instrument and data analysis. This research study addresses three general areas of electronic mail usage in the school system. The areas of study include e-mail's role in building collegiality, collaboration, and communities of learners; e-mail's role in flattening organizational communication; and, the employee's attitudes and perceptions towards the use of e-mail as a communication medium. The findings demonstrate considerable use of e-mail in networking, collaboration and in communication between layers of the organization. E-mail use in collaboration after training or workshop experiences was not as evident. A number of respondents preferred e-mail to other forms of communication but many believed they needed to adapt their writing to accommodate their audience. The resulting information will be useful in establishing and revising e-mail policy and can be used to aid in the design of training models and operations that maximize the use of this new communication technology.