Does Facebook finally have enough emojis

Back to the Drawing Board / High School -Does Facebook finally have enough emojis — or would you like “dislike”

Where is the most unlikely place to learn out about technology?  How about a high school  classroom filled with 9th - 12th-grade level students? Well, that is exactly where I went to ask the question ... “Does Facebook finally have enough emojis — or would you like “dislike”?  

Yes they all have a cell phone, and yes, they have some NEWS for the new "emojis".

FEEDBACK CHAT 

First off,  the thought of negative feedback in this day and age is almost to the toxic stage.  Just look at the political landscape, and you can envision all types of nasty little emojis that one could create.  It's not a decent world - and the world of  politics is an example.  It is not decent at least  on any media screen I have seen lately.  Our students are also being inundated with  this disruptive styling of politics. Negative is good, and good is bad. 

Marketing has gone awry with this latest gimmick to try to capture the habits of the everyday consumers in their most vulnerable position - their homes. 

 Silly consumers, of course, we want some marketing company to know everything we like and dislike,  We want them to know whether we are sad, or overwhelmed with the wow of some great news.  Don't marketers have a right to know that information?  No, actually they don't.  Students actually don't want marketers to know their personal habits. 

"Emojis" is  just another word we all have to learn to spell and phonetically pronounce correctly. I wonder if it is in the dictionary yet?  Urban dictionaries maybe.  Take a look. 

STUDENTS RESPOND

When I asked my two groups of students  (20 in each group) about their feelings on the new emojis, the first response was "where is the dislike button, is  that the anger button"?  I explained that anger and dislike are two different emotional variables.  

Still, everyone  agreed (myself included) that anger is the new dislike button on Facebook.  If you don't like something - get mad. That is the message that is being conveyed  by the anger button.  

If you don't like it - get mad! 

The old adage that less is more is already coming to the surface with the implementation of the new emojis.  All people really wanted online was a thumb's up or a thumb's down icon.  Maybe an undecided - with two thumbs going off to each side.  No one, especially high schoolers, asked to have a marketer in the bathroom with them as they respond to any given comment online.  It's personal, butt out marketers.  That is the student response.

Psychologically, by providing  the younger generation a set of prescribed icons to express themselves could  limit their emotions. The best thing I can tell my students. 

  DO NOT HIT THE LIKE BUTTON!   

Write out what you like, how you feel, and really screw over the marketers.   Don't use the emojis.  Marketers try tracking that! 

The OMG button!

WE HATE IT!

The older the student, the least likely they were to appreciate any changes, especially in the 11th- 12th grade age groups.  They thought it was intrusive and a violation of their liberties related to free speech, thought, feelings, and emotions.  

WE LOVE IT! 

There were  students who liked the new "emojis".  These students tended to be in the  9th - 10th-grade levels, the younger classmen. Coming from their perspectives, a "selfie" perspective, emojis were great.  It provides another level of narcissistic behavior that is both being  condoned and marketed as the norm.   These particular students  like the frilly ads too. 

IT'S THE MARKETING GAME

So what do our youth want in technology? What do they want in Social Media? What is it with technology that the students know that marketers don't?   Emojis, I'm going to predict is a fad that will eventually be replaced by something less cartoonish and more sophisticated. Fingers crossed. 

WHAT DO STUDENTS WANT?

Students  want games! Lots and lots of games.  When I asked them if they would like to take a course that was built specifically with virtual reality in mind - they all listened.  The idea that they can interact with each other in a gaming environment was much more appealing than a stand-alone environment. The software is out there. It's the implementation by school districts that need coercing.  Costs too can be an issue for some, and having the skilled technological instructors to run the programs.  Give me an emojis for that.  I will like it! 

WHAT IS DRAWING STUDENTS ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM?  IS IT THE EMOJIS EFFECT? CAN'T GO A DAY WITHOUT HITTING L.I.K.E. ?

Cellphones.  There really is no other answer.  

The draw for students toward cell phones and anything technological  is both engaging,  and it's motivating  them to return. The traditional style classroom setting, stands a better chance if it is able to adapt to  a more blended environment.  Look at the simple stuff, you have to have a computer to write an essay using Word,  then put a computer in your classroom. 

If you aren't willing to engage your students online, then marketers will.  The big winners this week in social media were Twitter, Tumbler, and Snap Chat. Look at their social media ads,  those are the big winners today.  Always subject to change.  

A note on Twitter, no one cares about your chronological order. 

Other big winners in the back of the class are in the gaming zone. Students are engaged on their cell phones with  Color Switch, Infantry, Pumped BMX, and Call of Duty .  One student volunteered that he would like to have a hunting and shooting game to occupy his time during boring classes.  

Marketers would be better positioned if their ads looked like games. The Facebook Emojis look like something you would put in a kindergarten classroom.  Yellow being the predominate color that attracts and holds the eye. I guess they are going for the adults. You asked!  Students responded!

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There is not an"emojis" tag on LinkedIn.  Create the tag!

 Dedicated to the one.