Blogs, Journals, & Wikis

Blogs, Journals, and Wikis are collaboration tools similar to Discussion Boards, but each has some variation, as well as a different interface.  There are various ways to incorporate any of these tools into your Blackboard courses:

1. Add a Tool Link to the course navigation menu (Discussion Boards are there by
   default, and others can be added)
2. Add a Tool Link within any content area (these can link either to the full tool or only to one particular instance of the tool)
3. Make any of the collaboration tools available within course groups

BLOGS
A blog, or "web log," is an online forum for sharing information with others.  Blog entries are typically more lengthy than discussion board entries, and blogs are typically updated frequently.  Most blogs include a commenting feature, allowing opportunities for interaction.  Blogs are an effective way for sharing ideas, information, and even artifacts of sorts (via the attachment feature).  Within Blackboard there are three types of blogs: course blogs, where the instructor sets the topic, and all students can add entries and comment on entries; individual blogs, where each student adds entries to their own blog, and other students can view and comment on the entries; and group blogs, where group members can post entries, and other students can view and comment on the entries.  For more information visit Blackboard Help's Blogs page.

JOURNALS
Journals are very similar to blogs.  The primary difference is that, within Blackboard, Journals are set to be private by default, meaning they are only visible to the instructor - not to any other students within the course (unless the instructor chooses to change these default settings).  Journals could be particularly useful as a self-reflective tool for students, where they could reflect on the course, course-related materials, the learning process, or their own progress within the course.  They could also be useful tools for the writing process, as instructors could guide students and provide suggestions on drafts of a written project.  Both instructors and students could engage in conversation via comments to a journal entry.  Students can make multiple entries for a single journal topic, and journals can either be graded or used only for communication purposes.  For more information visit Blackboard Help's Journals page.

WIKIS
Wikis are yet another collaborative tool available within Blackboard.  The primary difference between Wikis and the other collaborative tools is that any course member can add content to and edit a Wiki, making it a truly collaborative experience, where information gradually built upon.  It is also possible to track changes and additions and to revert to an earlier version, if necessary.  Wikis are an effective means for serving as a repository of information compiled by course members.  For more information visit Blackboard Help's Wikis page.  For ideas about using Wikis, visit Best Practices: Wikis in Action.

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The ICC Teaching and Learning Center staff is available to help you build and incorporate any of these tools into your Blackboard courses.  Stay tuned for next week's blog post, where we'll share some ideas and tips for best practices when using discussion boards, blogs, journals, and wikis.