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<B>Professors use journals to teach</B><P>
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<FONT SIZE=4><B>By B.J. Shackleford</B><BR></FONT>Staff Writer
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Writing is learning, as the cliche goes.<P>
And journals are one of the many learning tools professors use.The journal entry has kept pace with changing times, moving into the information age as part of "virtual classrooms."
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Virtual class journals require the same effort but allow expression of ideas, issues and opinions on an electronic bulletin board system.
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They replace pen and paper with a keyboard and mouse.
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"It's one way to use writing as a learning tool, to make students think about what they're learning," said David Durant, English department chairman, "and as a way to get students to become independent in thought."
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Students in English literature classes are most familiar with class journals, but students in political science, advanced writing and law also use it.
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"The journal has opened my eyes to things I'd never realized before," undeclared sophomore James Powell said.
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When a professor requires a journal or notebook, it is more than an extra assignment for the semester. Associate professor in English Janet Eldred called it an "engagement," a place to explore ideas, practice new techniques and think through classroom concepts.
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"It extends the idea of engaging the students with written personal responses to some text or material," Eldred said.
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"The responses are now accessible to the public."
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Class journals can be a valuable study aid, helping students to discover new things about the world and new perspectives on issues.
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But journals require a lot of extra time and work.
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The electronic journals, while a great leap forward, are "very demanding on faculty and students," Eldred said.
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"(Journals can) detract from a student's already limited time," said English and history junior Jessica Brown.
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"If used effectively, journals can be very beneficial to a class," Brown said.
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"If teachers use them incorrectly or (they) are not structured to the class, then journals become a waste of time."
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