Frances Bell

But the great thing about shutting up is that we create a space that students can occupy, but it can be difficult to let the initial silence persist long enough for that to happen. I think it might be 'biting your tongue', and then smiling when they respond.

Don't be too impressed Alexandre. This was a very few postgraduate students (part-time, mature). I wouldn't be too keen to be available on Skype from my sofa to 60 undergraduates the night their assignment was due in.
What I do like about emoticons (as I said) is the ability to give reassurance (or even express mild disapproval) with saying too much. Part of the art of being a good teacher is knowing when to shut up IMHO, and that's not something I find very easy.

Obviously I don't notice them in Blackboard (because they're not available). I have started using Skype with one (small) class for logistical reasons. We usually chat arranging a voice call, and to swap references during a call. Then, what I did notice was that the evening they had a hand-in due and I happened to be online, they would Skype chat with me (with significant use of emoticons). Apart from vain attempts to get an extension, I got the impression that they were seeking last-minute reassurance and stress reduction. Between us, I think we saw Skype chat as being less intrusive than a voice call. I used emoticons for the equivalent of an encouraging smile, not wishing to distract them from the job at hand.

Thanks for your answers - very useful.

Alexandre,

Here is what we found about emoticons in a project we did a few years ago

"Emoticons

While native English speakers and students whose language was at a fluent and advanced level

occasionally illustrated their emotions with the help of emoticons, students with a low level of

English skills used emoticons abundantly (there were examples of messages containing more than

20 of them). These functioned to support their positive as well as negative emotions and to express

their attitude to the project they evaluated – possibly being used at times to soften negative

statements; for example:

“In general we think that it’s not very good, because is a little simple , there not much sound

and the most things cant seen. We encourage you, for continious your work and improve it.

Sincerely from Spain. ” (Spanish student, discussion posting)

The Dutch tutor whose students were collaborating with this particular Spanish group explained

that the Dutch (information technology [IT]) students did not use emoticons as they regarded them

as being rather childish."

If you want to see this with emtoticons, go to the full paper here.

I know that emoticons are embedded within Moodle forum post interface. I can see one now
...and I know that they aren't in my institutional Blackboard .

But is that true in general of other VLE/LMSs?

Please tell me about the case at your your school/college/uni.