Using email to enable e3 (effective, efficient, and engaging) learning

This article argues that technology that supports both noncognitive and cognitive aspects can make learning more effective, efficient, and engaging (e3-learning). The technology of interest in this article is email. The investigation focuses on characteristics of email that are likely to enable e3-learning. In addition, in order to optimize the use of email for the support of e3-learning, this article proposes a conceptual framework grounded in research that can guide the systematic design and development process in terms of (a) diagnosing learners’ needs, (b) constructing appropriate email, and (c) renewing email. Further research is also discussed, especially with regard to automated systems for email use. The article concludes with the notion that email messages in support of e3-learning may prove to be a transformative technology in distance education.