Online Journaling

Lauren Engelke-Smith, Faculty LiaisonCenter for Online Learning, Research, and Service

University of Illinois at Springfield

Pedagogy

Higher Learning Commission or accréditation requirements

Easy, free tools that:

• increase critical thinking

• apply inquiry based learning

• increases online collaboration

• can be applied in every class, campus wide

Benefits of Online Journaling

• offers feedback and assistance from a variety of learners.

• the instructor being available for students to answer questions about the course (honest questions and answers)

• minimizing misunderstanding by responding to peers opinions

• accessibility and communication about where to find outside classroom web pages and resources is very beneficial to instructors and students

Title

http://sites.google.com

A Google Site can be created for each class and a journal can be a part of that site. The Google site houses blogs, journals, teacher's contact info, class information, assignments, due dates, and more. Most students have access to the internet and can easily access your class site.You can also link other journaling web 2.0 tools from the Google Site as you would in a Blackboard course.

Video TutorialAccount set up (With existing Google Account)1. Sign in using your Google Account2. Click on Create New Site buttonAccount set up (No existing Google Account)1. Go to http://sites.google.com2. Click on "Create an Account"3. Enter name, user name, password, etc.4. Start your SiteAdd users to your Site1. Instruct users to set up Gmail accounts2. Inside the site click on More Actions, click on Share this site3. Add their email in the text box, click SendEmbed URL within a course and share journal site with users.

Create your website:

Title

http://www.livejournal.com/

LiveJournal is a basic tool to organize journal topics and responses from students. You can post the website link in Blackboard in order to have the students go right to your livejournal page. A benefit of using livejournal.com in your online class is that the students have access to a direct search bar to search journals having to do with certain topics discussed in your class. The students can view what others said about the topic and post comments in response to those posts. They can link the post to your page and you can therefore see what they were reading and responding to. As with blogspot the student or instructor can read or make posts from a mobile phone which is convenient in posting journal topics or immediate responses when the student or instructor has a connection with the information.

Video Tutorial

Account set up

1. Type in a Username

2. Click on "Create a Journal" button

3. Enter name, user name, password, etc.

4. Start your Journal

Embed URL within a course and share journal with users.

Create your journal:

Title

https://www.blogger.com/start

Blogspot is aWeb 2.0 tool that is used by various College and University departments to offer resources to students, faculty, and staff. You can have a link to these websites in Blackboard in order for the students to find the page easily or so that the instructor can update the journal topic easily, as needed. Embedding videos is easy and will enhance the multi-media requirement of online courses.

Video Tutorial

Account set up (With existing Google Account)

1. Sign in using your Google Account

2. Start your Wave

Account set up

1. Click on "Create A Blog" button

2. Enter email, name, password, etc. Click "Continue"

3. Name your Blog and choose Template

4. Start you Blog

Embed URL within a course and share journal with users.

Create your class blog:

Title

http://notebook.zoho.com/

A Google application that I like to use for journaling is Zoho Notebook. You can sign in using your Gmail account. This application is similar to OneNote and requires just a login and password. This tool can organize notes and separate notebooks for different topics or classes. Easily add an audio, photo, or video with just one click.Comments are added into a writer window and can be used as a journal after the student views the media. Zoho Notebook also has an online collaborative synchronous tool that allows real time chat about comments and posts. Account set up (With existing Google Account)

Video Tutorial

Account set up (With existing Google Account)

1. Sign in using Google, click the G for Google

2. Sign in with your username and passowrd

3. Start your Notebook

Account set up (No existing Google Account)

1. Click Sign Up on the login page

2. Enter name, user name, password, etc.

3. Click the "Sign up Now" button

4. Start your Notebook

Create your class notebook:

Resources:

Free Online Journaling Web 2.0 Tools website https://sites.google.com/site/freeonlinejounralingweb20tools/home

My blog http://enhancingedwithtech.blogspot.com/

My contact info:

Lauren M. Engelke-SmithPhone: (217) 206-8419Email: lenge3@uis.eduTwitter: goo.gl/HIRsLinkedin:goo.gl/8EL1UIS website: http://uis.edu/colrs