UsingBlogsandJournals(StudentDocumentation)BlogsandJournalsinBlackboardareessentiallythesametool,onlythataJournalisconfiguredprivatelybyoneuserandcanonlybeviewedbythatindividualuserandtheinstructororthegroupassignedtothejournalandtheinstructor.Blogsontheotherhandcanbeviewedandeditedbyanyonewhohasgainedpermissiontodosobytheinstructor.
AccessingyourBlogandJournal
1. ClickToolsfromthecoursemenuandthenselecteitherJournals,orBlogs.
2. OpentheBlog/Journalyouwishtoaccessbyclickingonit.
CreatingaJournal/BlogEntry
1. OncetheBlog/Journalopens,youcanaddanewentrybyclickingtheCreateBlogEntry,orCreateJournalEntrybuttonintheupperlefthandcorner.
2. OnceyouclickCreateBlog/JournalEntry,youwillbepromptedtoenteratitleforthenewentry.Thenameforthenewentrymustbeprovided.Youcantypedirectlyinthetextbox.
3. CreateyourjournalorblogentryintheEntryMessagebox.TheTextEditorprovides
manyoptionsforeditingyourpost.Thefollowingsectionwillgooverafewoftheseoptions.
4. ClickPostEntrywhenfinished.Yourentrywillnowbeposted.Ifthisisajournaltheentrywillbeprivate.Ifitisablogentry,allusersinthecoursewillbeabletoviewthepost.
ChangingTextColor:
1. Highlightthesectionoftextyouwanttochange
2. Clickthetextcolorbuttoninthetoprowofoptionsandclickthecoloryouwouldlikethetexttobe.
3. Thiswillchangethecolorofyourtext.Thetextcolorbuttonwillnowbychangedtothecoloryouhavechosen.Thisbuttonwillalwaysreflectthecurrentcoloroftextyouaretypingin.
AttachingaFile: Option1:
1. Clickthepaperclipiconinthethirdrowofoptions
2. ThiswillopenanewwindowwhereyoucanselectBrowseMyComputertoattachthefile
3. ClickSubmitOption2:
1. BeneaththeEntryMessage,selectBrowseMyComputertoattachafile.
2. Thiswillopenanewwindowwhereyoucanselectafileformyourcomputer.3. Selectthefile
4. ThefilewillnowappearunderyourAttachedFiles.YoucanattachmorefilesbyselectBrowseMyComputeragain.
AddaYoutubeVideo:
1. Click Mashups from the third row of options and selectYouTubeVideo
2. ThiswillopenanewwindowwhereyoucansearchforaYouTubevideo.
3. TypethenameofthevideoyouwantintotheSearchboxandclickGo
4. Onceyouhavefoundyourvideo,clickSelect
5. SelectyouroptionsandclickSubmit.
6. YourvideowillnowappearinyourEntryMessageboxasayellowbox.
AddinganActiveLink:
1. CopyandpastethelinkyouwanttoinsertintotheEntryMessageBox
2. Highlightthelink3. Clickthelinkbuttoninthethirdrow
ofoptions
4. Anewwindowwillopen5. PasteyourlinkintotheLinkPath6. TypethenameofyourLinkintotheTitle7. ClickInsertwhenfinished8. Yourlinkwillnowbeinactiveandinblue
AddingandSizinganImage:
1. ClickthePictureiconfromthethirdrowofoptions
2. Thiswillopenanewwindow.SelectBrowsemyComputer.
3. Selectyourimage4. Changethesizeofyourimagebyselectingthe
Appearancetab5. Typeinthesizeofyourimage(youonlyneedto
typeinonenumber).6. ClickInsertwhenfinished
ExampleJournal/BlogEntry: Afteralloftheoptionsaboveareimplemented.Theblog/journalpostingwillappearasfollows.Noticetheattachedfilesareatthebottomofthepost.Intherightcolumnyoucannavigatebacktootherposts.
CommentingonBlogs:
1. Findtheblogyouwanttocommenton.Clickingthedownarrowintherightcolumnwilldothis.
2. ClickCommentatthebottomoftheblogtocomment.
3. TypeyourcommentandclickAdd
Note:IfyourfacultyhasnotgrantedyoupermissionYouwillnotbeabletoviewotherJournals,orcommentonotherJournals.