Communicating Online
A number of electronic communication tools, including email, discussion boards, blogs, chat and instant messaging, might be used to facilitate communication between you and your instructor or classmates. Electronic communication tools give you the opportunity to think about your contributions before posting.
Many students who don't typically contribute to face to face discussions often feel more comfortable contributing online because they have time to consider their responses. Everyone has an equal chance to participate.
Netiquette
When participating in electronic communications there are a few generally accepted guidelines for conduct. These guidelines are called "Netiquette" - network etiquette. These are the suggested do's and don'ts of online communication. The Albion Netiquette site has more information about generally accepted netiquette.
Emoticons
Emoticons are text symbols used to indicate emotions when communicating electronically. Many people are used to the "smiley" :-) to indicate a happy smiling feeling. If you decide to include emoticons in your electronic communications do so sparingly as some people find them annoying. See a list of common emoticons at Wikipedia.