HIT191 - Basics

The last topic showed you how to use the Internet to find information while this topic looks at how you can send and receive email over the Internet. This is the last topic in this module and once you have completed it you will have all the skills you need to learn other Windows programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access.

Develop your Skills - Email

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Skills
There are many possible mail programs that you can use to manage your email including ones that are available commercially (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes) and freebies (e.g. hotmail, ozemail or Twiggi). Generally speaking, the paid programs tend to be more extensive than the free ones. Having said that, the facilities offered by the free programs are more than enough for most home users.

Internal students: In your lab session your tutor will explain Outlook Web Access the student email system, to you.

PRINT READING
#5

Electronic Mail (E-Mail)

External students: Complete the next reading which uses Microsoft Outlook, Reading #5 Electronic Mail (E-Mail).

Note: If the email system you are used to using has some Help information - read this to ensure that you can:

Create folders for your mail
Create a signature for your emails
Protect yourself against SPAM emails
Set up an email group

Regardless of which path you have taken by the time you have finished you should understand:

how to send and receive email messages that include attachments
how to establish folders to organise your emails
how to use the address book to create emailing groups and groups

TASK:
External students: Complete the Develop Your Skills 1-5
pp. 56-60.
Internal students: If you have not used Outlook Web Access system before, complete two of the following:

Send an email to a friend

Send an email to your tutor explaining your previous
email experience

Send one to the lecturers for this unit describing your
initial reactions to the online materials.

Tips & Tricks

Create a personal signature (p. 41)

If you create a personal signature it will be attached to every message you compose. This makes it a useful place to include job and contact details and will save you having to type it for each message.

Setting up an email group (p. 51)

If you consistently communicate with the same group of people establish an email group. It will both ensure you do not miss people and save you time.

Putting it to work: Learnline email and spam

Now you have the basics of email, expand your skills with the following activities:

Email factsheet
(90.5k)

Email error activity
(84.1k)

Using email effectively

It is one thing to know how to use email, but another thing to use it effectively. The fact sheet opposite suggests some very practical dos and don'ts for emails. Many of them are commonsense but you would be amazed how many people break them
Once you have read the factsheet then try the activity. It has an example of a very badly written email.
The authors acknowledge the Catalyst Centre, University of Queensland for permission to use these resources [http://www.vacs.uq.edu.au/].

Webopedia

Mail Washer

Spam

The downside of using email is spam and viruses. We will be covering viruses under IT concepts. To find out more about Spam look it up in Webopedia. (www.webopedia.com )
If Spam really starts to annoy you there are programs that will filter your email and block Spam email. One such program that you can download from the Internet is called Mail Washer.

What have I learned?

In this topic, you have learned how to send & receive emails and organise the information you need.

Next section --> Word Processing