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Face to face
Research shows emoji help to
both motivate students and
soften the blow of feedback.
By Wade Zaglas
Who would have thought that
emojis, conceived over 20 years
ago and called emoticons,
would become a useful part of helping
students accept online feedback and
motivate them in these times of remote
learning?
But RMIT psychology lecturer Robyn
Moffitt says emoji are a “simple, proven
way” for educators to infuse their online
feedback with warmth and personality.
Moffitt and her colleagues' research
found the “classic smiley face emoji”
can make students develop a warm
and competent disposition towards the
marker, prompting them to become more
motivated.
The almost unilateral move from
classroom to online or flexible learning
has presented both challenges and
opportunities for educators across the
sector, but providing assessment feedback
has been identified as a particularly
difficult task.
Personal forms of feedback including
elements such as facial expressions have
now given way to more impersonal forms,
including email and learning management
systems.
As assessment is one of the most
invaluable learning tools for both educators
and students, Moffitt is concerned that
the online tools for feedback could lead to
students misinterpreting the intent of the
feedback.
“We know emotion is an important
element of feedback and emotionality is
most readily communicated in a face-toface
setting,” Moffitt said.
But when face-to-face feedback sessions
are untenable, Moffitt says emoji can do
two positive things: bolster the effect of a
positive message and soften the effect of a
more critical one.
“Emoji is the new currency of electronic
communication. It’s taken over how we
communicate online in social contexts with
peers and friends, so it makes sense that it
also has a place in education,” Moffitt said.
“It’s a quick and effective way to
communicate warmth and emotion, even
if you’re providing constructive feedback or
highlighting areas for improvement.”
A recent study led by the RMIT lecturer
backed up her claims. Students who
received happy face emoticons in
their feedback “had significantly higher
perceptions of the teacher’s warmth, as
well as much greater faith in the teacher’s
competence”. Moffitt also said "using emoji
did not make the marker seem any less
professional and students’ perception of the
overall feedback quality wasn’t affected".
“The research suggests using emoji could
help us to achieve the goal of feedback,
which is to motivate improvement,” she said.
“Emoji can demonstrate that even a
not-so-positive message is still delivered
with warmth and kindness; it helps to
communicate that constructive feedback is
given because I care and want you to learn
and improve, not because I am displeased
with your work.”
Another benefit Moffitt has identified is
that, by using emoji, educators and students
could be narrowing a generational chasm.
“Kids still love stickers, but they also love
emoji,” she said.
“Even secondary school students often
communicate more through emoji than
words when texting or using social media.”
CHOOSING AND USING THE
PERFECT EMOJI
Of course, the smiley face emoji is not
the only one that can be employed to
supplement the more visual cues of
feedback given in face-to-face situations.
She offers the following advice: “Imagine
the face you would want to portray while
delivering feedback.”
“Using the classic smiley face emoji is a
safe bet, especially to frame constructive
feedback as a genuine attempt to motivate
and improve,” Moffitt said.
“For example, rather than: ‘Be sure to
proofread your work,’ consider: ‘Be sure to
proofread your work .’”
Moffitt’s study, titled ‘Accessibility
and emotionality of online assessment
feedback: Using emoticons to enhance
student perceptions of marker competence
and warmth’ also found sad and confused
emoji worked in some situations but
suggested not overusing them, keeping
them conservative, and “starting with
smiling faces or emoji that clearly
communicate positive effect”.
“Once students know teachers are open
to communications with emoji, it can create
new and fun ways of engaging,” she said.
“Asking students for input might also help
discover some new emoji!" ■
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