Maker Foundations

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Effective Email

Maker Foundations Effective Email

Objectives and Overview

Establishing a regular email routine is an important part of digital literacy. You’ll be using email in this program. Staff send updates and agendas to you. This lesson introduces some best practices for writing an effective email and includes additional resources if you go further.

Lesson Objectives

  • Log in to your email address
  • Configure your email account settings
  • Demonstrate that you can write an email by sending one to DHF staff

Activity: Setup Your Email Account

This activity walks through setting up a new email account. If you’re in a DHF program, we’ve created an email for you. If you’re not in a DHF program, you can still use this activity to help configure an email account.

  1. Login to your new Gmail account by heading to https://gmail.com

  1. Click the Sign in button
  1. Enter your Username (for DHF accounts, it’s your first initial and last name @youth.dhfc.org). For example jprozzi@youth.dhftc.org
Gmail login screen with an example username entered into the field
  1. Click the Next button – it may not appear, and that’s fine
  2. Ask program staff for your password, and then enter your password.
Gmail login screen with the password box highlighted and annotated
  1. Change your password. Use a password you will remember.
  2. Set your email Signature. This should include your First and Last Name and could include a link to your website or some other way to show your personal brand. 
  3. Select a photo to use with your email. You can do this later, once you receive your Tech Center photo from us.
  4. Add your first Contact. Your first contacts will be Groups. Using an email group is a great way to include all members of a group without sending multiple emails. Instead, you send to one email address and every person in the Group receives the message.
  5. Task: Add each of the following Groups to your email as new contacts:
    • programs@digitalharbor.org (Program Staff)
    • makerfoundations@digitalharbor.org (All Participants)

Sending Email

When sending emails, there is a certain etiquette that you should try to follow. Paying close attention to who you are including on emails you send and giving your emails relevant titles are two really important etiquette pieces you need to remember.

Activity: Good Email Etiquette

  1. Read the following post about the differences between the To, CC and BCC fields when sending an email: To, CC, and BCC
  2. Read a little about what makes a good Subject Line.
  3. Understand what types of things to send as attachments to email and how to do send attachments.
  4. Send your first two emails from your new DHF account
    • Email megalab@digitalharbor.org to introduce yourself to the Directors and answer these questions:
      • What questions do you have? What are your expectations for the program? What do you hope to get out of Maker Foundations?
    • Email makerfoundations@digitalharbor.org and introduce yourself, tell something you enjoy and share with them something you are interested in learning in Maker Foundations.

Resources

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