Blackboard Release 9 - What's NEW?

Journals

Where do I find it?

What's new about it?

Blackboard 9 introduces built-in Journals!

Individual Journals allow students to record their course experiences and what they are learning. These thoughts can be a private communication between a student and the instructor or shared with everyone in the course.

Journal entries can be commented on by the author and the instructor. If open to the class, other students are able to read the journal entries, but cannot comment on them.

Group Journals allow groups of students to reflect collaboratively on their course work and comment on their fellow group members' findings. To maintain privacy, Journal entries may be added anonymously by group members.

How do I use it?

• Start by turning Edit Mode - ON in the upper right corner of the screen.
• Go to a content area where you wish the link to the Journal to appear.
• Select Journal from the Add Interactive Tool action bar button.

Alternately, instructors may access the Journal Tool from the Tools menu.

More

What is the difference between a Blog and a Journal?

• A Journal is an on-going reflection or record of events by an individual or set of individuals.
• A Blog is a commentary by an individual or set of individuals that is available for class review and comment.
  

Can I make a Journal public?

No. The privacy of students' course work needs to be respected. Opening this tool to the outside world may violate privacy laws.

Can Instructors grade individual Journal entries?

No. Journals are only gradable as a single grade per student as opposed to an individual grade for each entry.

How are Journals graded?

Instructors can enter grades for Journals for individuals and for groups within the Journal area without having to navigate to the Grade Center, or they can enter them directly in the Grade Center. This enables instructors to enter grades within the Journal so that the grading process is completed in context. All grade entries made within the Journal area are automatically added to the Grade Center.

In addition to entering a grade, instructors can enter grading notes and submit feedback to the student. The grade and instructor feedback is visible to students, but the grading notes are not visible.

How do students view their Journal grades?

Students can view their grades for Journals within the Journal area or in My Grades. Students will see their grade as well as any feedback provided by the instructor.

Creating a Journal (Blackboard - 3.5 minute video)

Commenting on a Journal Entry (Blackboard - 2 minutes)

Using the Text Editor (Blackboard - 3 minute video)

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