Creating a Learning Journal with Stackle

Stackle is a journaling tool that can be used to create a series of structured reflective writing tasks in the LMS.

  1. Choose a Canvas page where you want to put the first journaling activity in the series and click Edit.
  2. Click the apps button in the rich content editor and select Stackle.

Screenshot of the Stackle option in the apps button in a Canvas rich content editor

  1. A pop up will provide you with options for creating a new activity or using an existing one. Choose the option Learning Journal.
  2. Next, click on Build Multiple Activities.

Screenshot of the activity creation options for single or multiple activities in Stackle.

  1. You’ll be prompted for a name for the collection of activities you’re creating, a number of activities and a name for them. In this example, I’ve chosen ‘Weekly Reflection’ for 12 activities differentiated by week.

Screenshot of the configuration options for a weekly learning journal

  1. Click Next, then add your prompt questions for each activity. You will be able to edit these prompts and add more detailed instruction for students later.

Screenshot of adding reflection prompts in Stackle

  1. Click Build & Review. The small modal window will disappear and you’ll see your new activities listed in the Existing Activities section. Each activity has a button to add it to Canvas. Click on this button for the first activity in the series.

Screenshot of the existing activities section with the button to add the activity to Canvas highlighted

  1. The pop-up window will disappear and you will see your Stackle activity in the Canvas rich content editor. Click Save.
  2. If you wish to add instructions, further information, images or media, click on the Author Tools button in the top right corner of the embedded activity, then choose Modify Activity.

Screenshot highlighting the Modify Activity button in a Stackle activity

  1. A new browser tab will open at the edit page for the Activity. Add any instructions or information for students in the text box here.
  2. Scrolling down this page, you’ll find the Activity Content section. Click on the + button if you want to add any other content. Options include additional questions, images, audio files and embed codes for other media. Toggle Preview Mode to see how the activity will look to students.

The Activity Content section of the edit page in Stackle with the + button and preview mode toggle highlighted

  1. Click on the Configuration tab and make sure all settings are configured correctly. For a private student journaling task, scroll down to the Student Functionality section to double-check that students cannot view their peers' recent responses.

Screenshot highlighting the configuration tab on the Stackle edit page

Screenshot from the configuration tab highlighting the privacy setting for an activity

  1. On the left hand side of this page, you’ll see all your Learning Journal activities listed. Click on any other activities that you want to edit and modify or configure them on the page.

Screenshot of the list of activities in Stackle

Note that there will be an additional activity that collates all of the prompt questions. This activity can be embedded into an LMS Page to provide students with a collated view of their reflections throughout the teaching period. Check the export setting for this activity if you wish to allow students to download all their responses into one Word document.

Screenshot of the student export setting in Stackle

  1. Once you’ve made your edits, go to the LMS Pages that you want the rest of the activities to appear in and embed them using the apps button in the rich content editor.

This guide was last updated 02 Mar 2026.

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