Wikis, Blogs, Forums, Journals: Which One Do I Use & Why?

Connie Weber, Senior ManagerBlackboard Consultingcweber@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

http://Cooltext.com

•Creative Text Only•Very Quick and low tech•Upload as Banner

Course 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

15

Welcome Discussion

Using your name as an acronym, describe yourself as a learner. For example: CONNIE

C - creativeO - openN – not likely to give upN – nearly always on timeI - independentE - engaged

Student Blog

Learner Support

• Course Communication Strategy (or How This Course Works)

• Help and Instructor Information

3. Connect Your Guest to Each Other

Discussion ForumSuggested Use Examples Application

• Ideas• Feedback• Opinions

• Projects• Initial Thoughts• Brainstorming• Debates• Role Play• Peer Review

• Threaded Discussion• Multiple Responses

Sample Discussion

Type of Questions

BlogSuggested Use Examples Application

• Interpretation• Showcase• Rich Media

• Case Study• Final Draft• Analysis• Commentary

• Individual or Course Comments but not Threads

Sample Blogs

WikiSuggested 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

JournalSuggested 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

Welcome

ConnectionVariety

Presentation

Which Tool?Forums Blogs Wikis Journals

• Interactive• Question/

Response

• Showcase• Rich Media

• Collaborative• Everybody Edits

• Student/Teacher• Reflective• Feedback

Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Interactive Tools

Getting Started with Journal Prompts

ResourcesHow Many Discussion Posts Each Week, A Simply Delicious Answer• http

://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/how-many-faculty-discussion-posts-each-week-a-simply-delicious-answer/

Cheryl Hayek, Grantham University, Online Education, January 18, 2012

Five Roles I play in Online Classeshttp://www.sevenstaracademy.org/downloads/Resources/Five%20roles.pdfScot Headley, Innovate: Journal of Online Education, v2 n1 Oct-Nov 2005

Mastering Online Discussion Board Facilitation Resource Guide, TeacherStream, LLC, 2009http://

www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-onlinelearning-mastering-online-discussion-board-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)