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.