• 1. What are email-projects ?
• 2. What does email mean in the PC-lab ?
• 3. How do email-projects proceed ?
• 4. What do the students do ?
• 5. What do the teachers do ?

Projects, in which messages are sent and received via computer and computer networks. These projects are conducted over different periods of time e.g. 5 - 6 weeks, a year, 3 months, they can be permanent or be limited to several times ("supporting the lessons" (is this still to be called a project?) You may think of an exchange of messages between two classes, several classes, or between classes of a variety of schools (or persons). In this case the question arises how such a project can be organized effectively, but this depends on the subjects and the aims.

• Students type corrected texts into a processing program (texts which have been planned on the PC have to be corrected by using the program, dictionaries or other means)
• they save these texts (unformatted) on diskettes
• send and receive messages in files (each student can send a single one or several students send their messages in one file)
• open text files to work on them in the processing program
• making documentations by means of simple kinds of formatation

According to the period of time planned they can proceed very differently. BUT... the following phases can be regarded to be typical:

• introductory phase
• subject - oriented starting phase
• phase of exchange and discussion
• subject - oriented phase of ending
• documentation and final phase

introductory phase

• write and type their " introductions" (name, age, residence, address, brothers and sisters, hobbies etc)
• collect information about hometown, school, town of school, special subjects
• prepare "welcome packs" with typical elements and send them to participating school or schools.

• prepare subject - oriented texts at home (homework)
• present their texts, read them, add missing elements and correct them (e.g. in groups, on their own, by the teacher's assistance, using dictionaries etc)
• then they start working at the computer (only as an exception texts are prepared on the PC)

• send texts which have been prepared during the lesson e.g."we have learnt that ...", "in our town there is ..", "what do you think about ...", "we report about ..." etc (dependant on the subject)
• receive first messages from partners and work on these (e.g. reading exercises, giving a summary, making a report, giving a comment, add missing elements etc.)
• plan replies, look for additional information, work at different other things etc.
• send replies, new texts or requests

• exchange last information (additional elements, things that have to be made clear etc)
• send addresses and good-bye letters

• students have their "editorial conference", to select the texts for the written documentation
• plan the different parts of the documentation, put texts together, find an order, set priorities etc
• add further information such as maps, pictures, drawings etc
• add own comments
• distribute one document per student and send one to each class having participated
• make an evaluation, discuss elements of interest and make suggestions for improvement for future projects

(This part is not divided into the different phases, the single points are meant to be examples)

• conduct the organisation of the class (division into groups concerning partners and / or subjects)
• assist to get information, structure them, prepare them pedagogically.
• assist to plan, to create and to correct texts.
• assist to use the data processing program (sometimes "experts" of the class can do that)
• assist to receive and send texts by means of the telecommunication program (sometimes "experts" can do this job too)
• suggest elements with regard to content during the phase of exchange and discussion
• examine and judge the contributions during the different phases
• offer assistance during the phase of documentation by making suggestions on the selection of the texts
• inform other students, colleagues and the headmaster about the project by means of an exhibition, report in a conference etc)
• invite and inform press to inform other people who could be of interest (politicians, mayor etc)