Valuable Communication Tools

Basics Gold


In one of the previous Quests you looked at some problems and potential dangers with email. Review your document periodically and add or delete things to keep it current and meaningful. Now let's look at the benefits of email. 

I Can Statement

  • utilize a chart, table or spreadsheet to display data and information


 1. What was life like before email existed? Historical accounts indicate that it was invented in 1971 by Ray Tomlinson. The first email was sent between two computers sitting next to each other in the same room. Ray said he invented it, "Mostly because it seemed like a neat idea."

The first home/personal computer that could be used by anybody was launched in 1977 by Apple Computers. Were your parents/guardians/relatives alive before home computers? Ask an older relative or adult (older than 50) the following five questions and then return here and click on this survey and enter the information.

Question 1: How old were you when you used your first home computer?

Question 2: How old were you when you started using email?

Question 3: How many emails do you think you send in a week?

Question 4: What is the best thing about email for you?

2. How important is email? Is it more important than a phone?

During the 2005 huricane season businesses discovered it was critical. A research firm, Gartner group, surveyed business people and asked if they considered their phone or email more important to conducting business. In the article, Email Continuity: Maintaining Communications in Times of Disaster, what were the results of the survey?

3. Create a chart, table or spreadsheet with the following headings (whole class together):

email, text messaging (SMS), phone (voice) calls, Twitter or additional alternatives 

4. Below each heading, list at least five benefits of each type of communication.

5. Create a position statement backed by examples. This might look like,
"Five of us feel text messaging is the most important type of communication tool for the following reasons... It is better than the other choices because..."

Add this to your 21t4s roadmap as a bonus

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Competencies & Standards

MITECS   Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and

ISTE Standards for Students

3. Knowledge Constructor

Common Core Standards
