278+Dyer

Students benefit from e-Journaling or using Web Journals in an Online Grief, Loss & Bereavement Course || Kirsti Dyer, Madonna University, Columbia College, CA, United States, kdyer@madonna.edu || Web Journaling or e-Journaling is an online tool that is a useful education technique for fostering critical thinking skills. Journaling is a beneficial resource to encourage learning and enhance self-reflection.
 * **Submission ID 278** ||
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 * **Abstract**

Journaling online can provide the personal connection often thought to be missing in the online environment by connecting online students with their instructor. In addition, if student journals are open to each other, this sharing helps create a personal connection between the students, builds rapport and forms an online community.

Graduate students in a bereavement studies course used an e-journal for the duration of the 16-week semester. These graduated students benefited both in the short-term and in the long-term, from keeping a weekly e-Journal and completing a series of assignments on journaling,

Short-term benefits included experiencing online journaling as an educational tool to process the difficult emotions and sentiments that surface in taking courses in grief, loss and bereavement. Longer-term benefits included being exposed to a resource that could potentially be use to create a spiritual deepening for those working in ministry, counseling or helping professions as well as eventually used with or recommend to future clients, patients or parishioners in grief. || Paper Forum Paper All ||
 * **Notes & Comments**