The main difference between a blog and Journal tool is the permission of who can access the posts. Journals are private between the tutor and student, whereas a blog is viewable by all students in the module site and each can add comments.
Both can be graded - even if they are not assignments viewing the submissions in the grade centre can be useful to monitor submission activity.
From your course’s content area expand the 'Tools' menu and select 'Blogs'.
Create a new blog, or link to an existing blog if they have already been created.
Enter a Name and any instructions. For instructions, you may wish to inform your students that all instructors and students may view and add comments to the blog.
For students to be able to access the blog, Blog Availability must be set to Yes.
If you wish you may place date and time limitations on when this blog will be available to students.
Blogs can be set up either as 'individual to All Students', or 'Site'.
Set the blog settings according to your preference:
Index Entries: Choose for entries to be indexed in a monthly or weekly format.
Allow Users to…: Choose whether you wish users to be able to edit and delete their entries and/or comments.
If you wish to add a Grade Centre column for the blog choose to Grade Blog and set the number of points possible to 100.
Link to your blog by selecting it from the list, click next.
Add the link information and review the settings. Note. this text that will show in the content area, not within the blog.
Click on Submit to finish then check the link to your blog.
Use 'Student Preview' to check how students will experience your blog.
From your content area select the 'Tools' and click on 'Journals'.
Create a new journal, or link to an existing Journal if it has already been created in the site.
Enter a Name and any instructions. You may wish to inform your students that all instructors and students may view and add entries to the Journal. Scroll down for further settings.
For students to be able to access the blog, Blog Availability must be set to Yes.
If you wish you may place date and time limitations on when this Journal will be available to students.
The Index Entries option allows users to customise how Journal entries are organized.
Only tick the Permit Site Users to View Journal, option if you do not want journals to be private between the student and instructor.
If you wish to add a Grade Centre column for the journal select the 'Grade' button and set the points possible to 100.
Click Submit to confirm settings.
Link to your blog by selecting it from the list, click next.
Add the Link Name and Text, and review the availability settings before clicking Submit.
Note. This Link Name and Text information will show in the content area, not within the Journal.
Use 'Student Preview' to check how students will experience your Journal.
The simplest way to review your students' blog / journal posts is to click on the link you added in the module activities area.
You can also access your blog / journals in the following ways:
When inside the blog / journal tool you will first see your own blog / journal area, to view your student's posts click the (small) downward arrow on the right-hand side under your name.
This will reveal all the posts saved by your students.
You can add comments to each blog / journal post, and overall feedback / grades if the blog / journal has been set to be graded.
