Blogs, Journals and Wikis
Interactive Tools provide another way to communicate be it via self-reflection, on a student-to-instructor basis, student-to-student basis, or even student(s) to world. Discussion boards, journals, blogs, and wikis provide a place to post comments and observations, write blogs, and share the editing of a project. All these functions may be accomplished via text, audio and/or video. The possibilities for the use of these tools are wide-ranging. Students are able to:
- Reflect on course readings, poetry, literature, etc.
- Keep a daily or weekly journal of progress
- Use a blog to share findings or observations with a group
- Publicize field notes to a specific group or to the world
- Create marketing plans, product launches, or other business models in teams
- Build a knowledge repository for a group or subject
- Discuss/debate current events that relate to course content
Blogs
Blogs are another type of communication tool provided through UTC Online that serve a variety of functions. A blog can be used as a user’s personal diary, collaborative tool, a place to share an interesting link, or even as a memo to the outside world. Within UTC Online, blogs can be used as a group tool as well. Entries are organized in reverse-chronological order from most recent to least recent. Typically, blogs are entered in a stream-of-consciousness format, meaning that there is not necessarily a rhyme or reason as to how entries are posted. Your instructor may however, provide structure to your class blog to help them assess your conceptual understanding.
- Create and post a blog entry PDF VIDEO
- Save, edit and post a draft entry (you may not have the option to edit your entry) PDF VIDEO
- Add mashups (e.g. Flickr Photo, YouTube videos, etc.) to a blog entry PDF
- Add comments to other blog posts PDF VIDEO
- Read and respond to other comments PDF
Journals
This tool provides students with basic journaling functionality within UTC Online. Students are allowed to submit journal entries from the web and instructors may view and comment on the entries by student or by date. Journals are visible to only you and your instructor. Instructors may assign journal entry grades to keep them private rather than using other features such as the discussion board or blogs.
- Create a journal entry PDF VIDEO
- Save and edit journal entry (you may not have the option to edit your entry) PDF VIDEO
- View and reply to comments of a journal entry PDF VIDEO
Wikis
A wiki is a collaborative tool that allows students to contribute and modify one or more pages of course related materials. For example, an instructor may set up a definition area, where students can add course-related definitions or create a place for students to collaborate on a final paper. Instructors and students may comment and/or edit the added material as well as check on each individual's contribution to the working document.
- Create a wiki page PDF VIDEO
- Edit wiki content PDF
- Add comments to a wiki PDF
- View your contribution (and/or other student's) PDF VIDEO
- Linking wiki pages VIDEO
Text Editor
The text editor allows you to integrate various tools into your posts such as adding files, images, hyperlinks, mashups, etc.
- Use the Text Editor PDF
- Insert files with the Text Editor PDF
- Create hyperlinks with the Text Editor PDF
- Add Mashups (Flickr Images, Slideshare Presentations, and/or YouTube videos) PDF
