Blog Tools for Course Site

Several tools exist within Course Site to accommodate student blogging.

Student blog associated with student profile

This allows students to blog within Course Site, but the blog is NOT course-specific. Anyone logged into Course Site can click on a selected person's profile and read their blog entries. Students can add blog posts by clicking on the Profile link > Miscellaneous> Blog entires > Add a new entry

Instructors do not need to add an activity or a resource to have students use this tool. It is available by default to all students logged into Course Site.

If an instructor adds the "Blog Menu" block to their course, the various options within that block will link back to the profile blog tool.

Blog (OU) tool

This tool (Open University blog) allows students to blog within a course and share their postings with the instructor AND other students enrolled in only that course.

The OU blog tool is added to the course by the instructor by using the "Add an activity or resource" option (with editing turned on).

Online text tool in assignments

The "online text" tool in course site assignments allows a student to blog privately. Only persons with the Instructor or TA role in that course site will be able to access these blog posts.

The Online Text tool is added to the course by the instructor or course builder by using the "Add an activity or resource">Assignments option (with editing turned on). A gradebook entry for each student is also created when this activity is established.

Google Assignments

Google Assignments allows a student to blog privately. Only persons with the Instructor or TA role in that course site will be able to access these blog posts. The student can add to the Google doc each week, the instructor can return with feedback and then the student can resubmit for one final grade.