D2L Email and Discussion Settings

In line with my previous Blog Entry, today I did something that will hopefully remove some student frustrations with "appearance" in the Email and Discussion areas.
By removing the check mark from Show the message preview pane under Email Settings and also by unchecking Show the preview pane in the Discussion Settings, the appearance of these areas changes to one more similar to what many were used to in Blackboard Vista.

Too many students were not seeing all their important Emails because they were hidden behind the preview pane and they did not realize the pane needed to be brought down a bit.

In order to reach all of the students I knew it would be necessary to provide the directions for changing settings in more than one course location.
Of course I sent an Email but, if the problem is with hidden Emails in the first place, then that might not be the best way to reach all students.
I also wrote the directions down on an HTML webpage which I posted on my own website. Then the new webpage was entered as a new link under the course Links (Category: Additional Resources).
I created a News item that alerts everyone to the Email directions I sent and which also provides them with the HTML link for all directions.
And so, I have tried to reach everyone in 3 ways.

Students who have already changed these settings have been delighted with the new appearance of Email and Discussions.
Hopefully this will alleviate some of the discomfort with "appearance" that students have expressed in their Emails.

Lorrie