Wikis, Blogs, Forums,
Journals: Which One Do I
Use & Why?
Connie Weber, Senior Manager
Blackboard Consulting
cweber@blackboard.com
Connie Weber
• Senior Manager, Blackboard Training (10 years)
Education:
• Florida State University, University of Kentucky
Blackboard Experience:
• Distance Learning Coordinator – Guilford Technical Community
College (Greensboro, NC) – 5 years
• Associate Professor of English – Introduction to Literature,
Professional Writing, Expository Writing, Argument-based Research
• Online Course Developer – North Carolina Community College System
Great Online Course= Great Dinner Party
1. Create a Pleasant Atmosphere
Create a Pleasant Atmosphere
Course Banner
http://Cooltext.com
•Creative Text Only
•Very Quick and low tech
•Upload as Banner
Course Menu
• Use Dividers to Arrange
Menu
• Group Menu Items by
Type
• Put Most Frequently
Accessed on Top
Consistent Navigation
2. Create Your Guests Warmly
Make Your Students Feel Welcome
“In the host role, online instructors draw
students into the experience of online learning
and respond to student needs and concerns
with a patient, welcoming, attentive attitude.”
Reference: “Five Roles I Play in Online Courses,”
Scot Headley
2. Make Your Students Feel Welcome
What are some ways to make students feel
welcome to a course?
1.
2.
3.
Welcome Letter
Getting Started Information
• Orientation Activity (Lesson Zero)
– IceBreaker
Welcome Discussion
Using your name as an acronym, describe
yourself as a learner. For example: CONNIE
C - creative
O - open
N – not likely to give up
N – nearly always on time
I - independent
E - engaged
15
Student Blog
Learner Support
• Course Communication Strategy (or How This
Course Works)
• Help and Instructor Information
3. Connect Your Guest to Each Other
Discussion Forum
Suggested Use
Examples
• Ideas
• Projects
• Feedback • Initial Thoughts
• Opinions • Brainstorming
• Debates
• Role Play
• Peer Review
Application
• Threaded Discussion
• Multiple Responses
Sample Discussion
Type of Questions
Blog
Suggested Use
Examples
Application
• Interpretation
• Showcase
• Rich Media
•
•
•
•
• Individual or
Course
Comments but
not Threads
Case Study
Final Draft
Analysis
Commentary
Sample Blogs
Wiki
Suggested Use
Examples
• Students create TOGETHER
• Everyone may edit
• Class summaries and
outlines
• Course Glossary
• Resource Repository
• Group Projects
• Research Notebooks
• Lab Experiments
• Class Book
Sample Wiki
Wikis
4. Serve a Variety of Food
4. Provide a Variety of Learning
Activities
Journal
Suggested Use
Examples
• Students express thoughts,
questions, and concerns
PRIVATELY to you
•
•
•
•
Record observations
Question the content
Identify areas for help
Develop plan for
improvement
• Evaluate progress
• Submit prewriting for
feedback
Journal Prompts
5. Present the Food in Creative Ways
Present the Content in Creative Ways
Active Learning
Web 2.0 Tools
Prezi
Atmosphere
Presentation
Variety
Welcome
Connection
Which Tool?
Forums
Blogs
Wikis
Journals
• Interactive
• Question/Respo
nse
• Showcase
• Rich Media
• Collaborative
• Everybody Edits
• Student/Teacher
• Reflective
• Feedback
Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Interactive Tools
Getting Started with Journal Prompts
Resources
How Many Discussion Posts Each Week, A Simply Delicious Answer
• http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/how-many-faculty-discussionposts-each-week-a-simply-delicious-answer/
Cheryl Hayek, Grantham University, Online Education, January 18, 2012
Five Roles I play in Online Classes
http://www.sevenstaracademy.org/downloads/Resources/Five%20roles.pdf
Scot Headley, Innovate: Journal of Online Education, v2 n1 Oct-Nov 2005
Mastering Online Discussion Board Facilitation Resource Guide, TeacherStream, LLC, 2009
http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-onlinelearning-mastering-online-discussionboard-facilitation.pdf
Some elements come from the On Demand Learning Center documents "Getting Started with Interactive
Tools" and "Getting Started with Journal Prompts." These documents were inspired by the Blackboard
Innovative Teaching Series delivered by Deborah Pickett from Jacksonville State University, as well as user
feedback. Original Presentation
Tips and Tricks
• Writing Discussion Questions University of
Wisconsin – Oshkosh
• CREST + Model for Writing Effective Discussion
Questions
• Tips for Designing Assignments (Blogs,
Journals)