Email has become the most powerful form of communication in the last decade. With the ever-increasing usage of smartphones and the ability to send emails across multiple devices and platforms, email has become the most convenient and effective way to stay in touch with business associates, partners, and clients.
Email sequences can help build an effective relationship with your email list members and turn them from leads into paying customers. By sending a series of emails, you can get to know your audience better and offer them valuable information that will help them decide on your product or service.
In this blog, we’ll talk about different email systems and how they can be used in learning management systems.
How you can easily create and manage email flows for your online education platform
- What is an email system?
- Types of emails
- Example of email editor and manager in MasterStudy WordPress LMS
- Email Branding Manager
- Email Templates
- Conclusion
What is an email system?
An email system is a computer-based system that allows individuals to send and receive electronic messages (emails) to and from other individuals or groups. It typically includes a server, software, and a client (such as a web browser or email application) for accessing and managing emails.
An email system may also include features such as spam filters, virus protection, and storage for archived emails.
There are several benefits to using an email system for a learning management system (LMS):
1. Communication
The first benefit of using email in an LMS is that it allows you to communicate with your learners. Language barriers may become an issue when communicating via chat or other messaging systems if you have students from different countries.
Email is a fast and efficient way for students and teachers to communicate with each other, especially in large classes. As a teacher, this makes it much easier for you to communicate with your students quickly and effectively.
2. Collaboration
Email can be a collaborative tool to share documents, ideas, and resources with other learners in your online course. You can also use it to collaborate with other teachers and administrators within an institution or school district.
Students can work together on group projects and submit assignments through one platform. This saves time, reduces confusion, and ensures that all group members have access to the same information.
3. Notification
Notifications are essential for keeping an LMS useful and relevant. They can be used to promote new courses, remind people about upcoming events, or alert them when they’ve been added to a class roster.
When learners sign up for a course, they often receive an email welcoming them, providing instructions on how to get started, and letting them know when their first assignment is due. In addition, many organizations use notification emails when there are course updates or important announcements that students should be aware of.
4. Accessibility
Email is a widely-used and accessible communication tool, making it easy for everyone to use and access within the LMS. Students and teachers can access their email accounts from any device with an internet connection, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
In addition, email is easy to use and does not require special technical skills or software to access. This makes it a convenient and user-friendly communication tool for everyone, regardless of their level of technical expertise.
5. File sharing
Another important benefit of using an email system within a learning management system (LMS) is sharing files easily. This can be particularly useful for sharing large or multiple files, as many email systems can handle attachments of various sizes.
Using email to share files within an LMS can be a convenient and efficient way to distribute materials such as assignments, lectures, readings, and other resources to students and teachers. It can also be a useful way for students to submit their work to teachers or receive feedback on their assignments.
Additionally, using email to share files within an LMS can ensure that all parties have access to the most up-to-date versions of the materials, as any changes or updates can be easily communicated and disseminated through email.
6. Organization
Email systems often contain features like folders and labels, which help students and teachers keep track of important emails and organize their inboxes.
For example, students can create folders for each course and label emails from their teachers with the course name. This can help them stay organized and easily find emails related to a specific course. Similarly, teachers can use folders and labels to keep track of emails from different students or courses, making it easier to manage their workload and respond to student inquiries on time.
7. Security
Email systems typically include security measures to protect against viruses, spam, and other cyber threats.
An email system within an LMS ensures that all communication between students, teachers, and other staff members is secure and protected against potential cyber threats. This is especially important when sensitive information, such as grades or personal data, is shared via email.
In addition to the security measures built into the email system itself, it is also important to follow best practices for email security, such as using strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links or attachments, and being cautious when sharing personal or sensitive information.
Types of emails
You can send several emails in your LMS, and the content and delivery method you choose should be based on your goals. The types of emails include:
- Welcome Email – This Email is sent when a new student registers for a course on the website. It contains useful information about how to navigate within the LMS and how to access course material.
- Announcement emails – These are the most common type of Email. Instructors send announcement emails to the entire class to announce important updates, deadlines, and events.
- Progress Emails – Progress emails are sent to students when they complete a particular assignment or milestone in their course. You can use these emails to congratulate them, encourage them further, and keep track of their progress.
- Reminder emails – Reminder emails are sent at specific time intervals before a new assignment is due or after a student has submitted an assignment but has yet to receive feedback. These emails remind students about upcoming deadlines so they can submit their work on time.
- Feedback emails – These are usually sent after a learner completes an activity or lesson. Feedback emails can be used to give learners feedback on their performance (scores, grades, etc.) or to say “thanks” for taking the course. You can even ask the learner to provide additional feedback if they want.
- Assignment emails – Assignment emails are sent when it’s time for a learner to complete an assignment or quiz. Assignment emails should contain instructions on completing the task and any resources needed (e.g., links to videos or other materials).
- Personal emails – These emails are sent between students and teachers for non-academic purposes, such as scheduling office hours or asking for personal assistance. For example, if you have a student struggling with an exercise in one of their courses, send them an email offering support or resources they find useful.
Example of email editor and manager in MasterStudy WordPress LMS
The Email Manager addon in the Masterstudy LMS allows instructors and administrators to send emails to individual students or groups of students within the system.
Step 1: Log in to the WordPress dashboard.
Step 2: Navigate to the MS LMS menu and click Addons.
Step 3: Scroll down to find the Email Manager addon. Click on the button below to activate the addon.
Step 4: After you enable the addon, you’ll be able to see the Email Manager settings menu on the dashboard under the MS LMS section. This is where you can manage all your addon’s email settings.
Email Branding Manager
Outgoing emails from the MasterStudy Learning Management System will use the default email template.
By uploading a custom logo and background images for the header and footer, you can match the general style of your installed theme with that of your brand.
Masterstudy LMS emails usually have a default logo, header, and footer image. Still, you can also upload your own to make it even more personalized for your learning management system.
Customizations Segment in Email Manager
Here are the customization options within the Email Manager under the “Email Branding” settings.
- Header & Footer – You can enable or disable the header and footer part of the Email using this option.
- Logo – The logo for your Email should be placed in the center of the header, and we recommend that it be 200×35 pixels in size. The maximum height for the logo should be 40px. You can use .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files for the email logo.
- Header Background -The background image for the header part of the Email. You can use .jpg, .jpeg, or .png files for this, and the recommended size is 700×95 pixels. The maximum height is 100px.
- Footer Background – The footer background image should be a .jpg, .jpeg, or .png file and should be 700×155 pixels in size. The maximum height for the footer background image is 160px.
- Entire Background Color – Background overlay color.
If Header & Footer is disabled, emails will be sent without branding like this:
- Copyright – In the Copyrights section, you can edit the content displayed in the Email’s footer.
Email Templates
On the settings page, you can find all the email templates available for your website. By expanding each template, you will find some settings that can be adjusted to your specifications. This includes the subject and message of the email. The templates include the following:
- Messages for instructors
- Messages regarding lessons
- Accounts
- Enterprises
- Orders
- Assignments
- Courses
So, as you can, there are a bunch of event activities for the specific email sendings. And you will certainly customize them depending on your preferences.
While working with custom HTML templates, you’ll need to use shortcodes from the Message section to send LMS emails correctly. Shortcodes are like quick little pieces of code that will grab information from your LMS and insert it into the template where you’ve placed the shortcode. That way, everyone receives the same message, with the relevant information for them included automatically.
The final result of your email is actually fantastic and beautiful in-person emails.
This email editor tool in MasterStudy LMS will definitely help you send well-written and attractive messages to your students and instructors.
Conclusion
An email editor and manager in WordPress is integral to any learning management system as it enables the communication between students, instructors, and administrators. It helps in the smooth functioning of the LMS and ensures that important information is easily disseminated to all users.
In our example of WordPress LMS, the Email Manager will help you seamlessly manage all your emails. This allows you to send bulk emails easily, customize email templates, and track email performance – all from within your LMS.
Overall, with the integrated Email Editor or Manager, you can save time and effort and ensure your email communication is always on point. Give it a try and see the difference it can make for your LMS.