Using QuickMail in OnCourse

How do you use QuickMail in OnCourse?

QuickMail Overview

The QuickMail block allows instructors and Teacher Assistants (and students, if the instructor allows) to send emails to course members from OnCourse.

Note: Emails sent from QuickMail are always sent immediately and are sent separately from other OnCourse email notifications. Messages from QuickMail are not affected by individual Profile settings for receiving emails as daily digests.

Email can be sent from - but not received in - OnCourse. OnCourse users do not have a mail inbox within the course site. All email goes to users’ FredMail.

QuickMail is added to new courses by default. If you do not see the QuickMail block in your course, you may add it. (Refer to separate directions for adding blocks, in OnCourse Help.)

Step-by-step guide

To send a message using QuickMail:

In the QuickMail block, click Compose Course Message.
Set up filters for Potential Recipients:
1. To: drop-down menu for included recipients
  1. Choose who should receive the message
  2. Choosing "All In Course" will send to all of your students and a copy to yourself
  3. Choosing "Student (Role)" will send to just the students in your course
  4. If you have groups, you can select a group to email
  5. You can select individual students to email
2. Exclude: if applicable, select from the drop-down menu whom you want excluded from the message.
Enter a subject line
Enter your email in the body
To attach a file to your message (optional), under the Body field, click Add
1. Note: The maximum upload size for attachments is 20mb.
2. If you attach a file, also upload it to OnCourse so it will be available even if a message gets deleted.
Send at: You can check the enable box to schedule the message to go out at a future date and time.
Receive a send report. Enable this option if you want to receive a report after the message is sent.
Press the "Send Message" button
1. Click Save Draft to save a draft and continue editing or return later to continue. Moodle will display a Changes saved message at the top of the QuickMail screen once the draft is saved.

To view and continue editing a draft email:

Once you have saved a draft email, you can return to edit and send it:

On the QuickMail block click View Drafts. A list of unsent emails will open with the most recent at the top.
Click the Edit button to open the draft. You will be returned to the QuickMail screen, where you may continue composing your message.
Click the Delete button to delete a draft. OnCourse will ask you “Are you sure you want to delete the message… .” Click Continue to delete it.

To view your QuickMail history for the course:

The View History screen lists messages you have sent from the course that you are in at the moment that you send your email.

On the QuickMail block, click View History. The View History screen opens, displaying a list of sent messages.
To open a sent message and view recipients, click the View button. You will be returned to the QuickMail screen where you can review message recipients, and view, edit or re-send the message.

To personalize your message

There is a list of "Supported user data fields" listed under the "Body" field. These can be used to insert certain kinds of data into the message. Below is a selection of items and what they send.

[:firstname:] Inserts the recipients first name
[:lastname:] Inserts the recipients last name
[:fullname:] Inserts the recipients first and last name
[:coursefullname:] Inserts the course name the email is being sent from
[:courselastaccess:] Inserts the last time the student logged into the course

When writing the message you need to include the brackets and the colons

Example:

Dear ,
Please take the time to read the syllabus and complete the Syllabus Quiz in Week 1 in OnCourse.

When this message is received by the student their first name, as it appears in OnCourse, will be displayed.

Sending QuickMail as a student in OnCourse Video Tutorial

Please note that this video has no sound

https://fredonia.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=a87cccea-582c-4df4-b96d-ac3900fbc777

Hints:

How may I create a signature?

You may automatically include a signature in email messages. Note: Signatures do not affect From or Reply-to fields and appear only in the body of the message.

To set up a signature to appear at the bottom of your sent messages, go to the Quickmail block. Click My Signatures. The Signatures screen will open.
Enter a Title for the signature. The title will show in the dropdown where you choose a signature in the screen where you compose a message.
In the Signature box, enter the text you wish to appear as your signature at the bottom of email messages.
To make this your default signature, check Default.
Click Save Changes to save the signature. You will stay on the Signature screen. No confirmation message will be displayed, but new signatures should be added to the drop-down menu at left.
You may create additional signatures, edit an existing signature or return to your course page.

Answers