/
Journals

Journals

Owned by Aideen Gibson, created
Last updated: about 5 hours ago by ellen bell
4 min read

The Journals tool provides a personal space for students to communicate privately with their lecturer or reflect individually on their own learning. Usually, journals are private and can only be viewed and commented on by the student author and their teaching staff.

For staff and students, a blue icon appears next to the title to indicate new activity (see below). Students can make multiple entries for one journal topic. You can also allow them to comment on journal entries after you comment on an entry to continue the conversation.

new journal entry indicator.png

 

Setting up a Journal

  1. In Course Content choose the plus icon and select Create from the drop-down menu.

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 15.50.50.png

 

  1. This brings up the Create Items menu, scroll down to Participation and Engagement and select Journal (or Discussion)

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 15.51.33.png

 

This brings up the Journal editor.

3a. Here you have the option to enter the title and journal prompt manually and click Save…

Journal settings and grades.png

 

3b. … or you can select Auto-Generate journal

Always check AI-generated content for accuracy or bias.

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 15.58.19.png

 

This brings up the AI design assistant …

Define the journal : add a description or Select course items to inform the AI

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 16.18.04.png

 

Clicking on Select course items, allows you to select items from your module to inform the AI. Use the check boxes to select the items and click on the Select Items button.

Screenshot 2025-03-25 at 14.52.19.png

 

Chose the Desired cognitive level e.g. Evaluate or Inspire me for selection of levels. Then chose Complexity on a scale from undergraduate to PhD. Now select Generate.

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 16.19.07.png

 

This will give you a number of journal (or discussion ) prompts and titles with relevant cognitive level (if not specified before hand). Select the most appropriate prompt and click Add.

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 16.37.39.png

 

This adds the prompt and the title to the editor, click Save when you are happy with the text.

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 16.38.07.png

 

Make the journal or discussion visible and students can access it in the normal way:

Screenshot 2025-03-13 at 17.56.40.png

Find out more about Blackboard AI tools

 

Graded journals

Journal entries can be assessed or used solely for formative reflection. When used for assessment, grades can be awarded for individual entries or for the overall journal in its entirety. By default, journals are ‘not marked’.

  1. Select the settings (cog icon) at the top right of the journal screen to modify the grading settings.

Grade journal.png

  1. If you wish the Journal to contribute to the student’s grade, you can tick Grade journal.

  2. You can give graded Journals a due date.

  3. You should also indicate whether the grade is displayed as points or percentage.

In a graded journal, if due dates are added students can access the journal from the Gradebook, the Calendar, and the Activity Stream.

  1. You can allow students to edit and delete entries or edit and delete comments.

  2. You can prevent them from doing this by unticking the relevant options.

  3. If you add a rubric for grading to a journal, students can view it before and after starting their submission.

Watch a 2.5min video on setting up journals

Related Articles

Useful Links

Related content

Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle