Blogs and Journals
Creating and managing blogs and journals in duo
Introduction
Blogs and journals allow students to create sequential posts in duo. Students can use text,
images and video in their posts, and other students and instructors can comment on posts.
There is also the option to assign marks.
Blog
An individual or group space that all students and instructors can see.
Journal
An individual space that can be restricted to a single student and instructors only.
Creating blogs and journals
Course-wide blogs and journals
1. On your duo site, go to Control Panel > Course
Tools > Blogs or Journals
2. Click Create Blog/Journal
3. Name: enter a name
4. Include instructions and choose availability settings as
needed
5. Blog Participation:
a. Individual to All Students: each student gets their own blog
b. Course: there is one blog for everyone to post to
c. Allow Anonymous Comments: comments on the blog appear without names
6. Blog/Journal Settings:
a. Index Entries: organises posts by week or month
Document origin: Learning Technologies Team
© Durham University 2016
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b. Allow Users to Edit and Delete Entries: users can change and delete entries after they
have been posted
c. Allow Users to Delete Comments: users can delete comments after posting
d. Permit Course Users to View Journal: all students can view an individual’s journal
7. Grade settings: if you will be marking the blog/journal…
a. Grade: Points possible: enter total points for the blog/journal
b. Show participants in “needs grading” status…: choose how often new blog entries
should appear in Control Panel > Grade Centre > Needs Marking
c. Due Date: enter a deadline if applicable
d. Associated Rubrics: choose or create a marking rubric if applicable
8. Click Submit
Group blogs and journals
1. See the guidance on creating duo groups on the Digital Learning & Teaching site
2. Make sure that you give groups access to
Blogs or Journals
 Tip: A group blog is always a single blog
for all group members. To create
individual spaces, use the journal and
allow all students to see each other’s
(‘Permit Members to View Journal’).
3. To customise the group blog or journal, go to
Control Panel > Course Tools > Blogs or
Journals
4. Hover over the item you would like to
change, click the chevron and choose Edit
5. See steps 4-8 above for more detail
 Tip: If you are using Group Sets, you will
need to edit each group’s blog/journal
individually.
Document origin: Learning Technologies Team
© Durham University 2016
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Student access
Students can access blogs and journals in a number of ways.
 Tip: If you are using Groups and do not wish students to see other groups’ blogs or
shared journals, it is recommended that you do NOT use the next three solutions. Use
the default My Groups links only.
Site menu
You can create a link to the blog or journal page on the module site
menu:
1. Hover over the + button at the top left of the site menu
2. Click Tool Link
3. Name: type the name you would like to appear
on the menu (e.g. ‘Your Journal’)
4. Type: choose Blogs or Journals
5. Available to Users: tick to allow access to
students
6. Click Submit
Content area link
You can also link to the blog or journal page in any content area:
1. Go to the content area on your duo site
2. Hover over Tools and choose Blogs or Journals
3. Choose to link to the Blogs or Journals page
 Tip: You can also create a new whole-site blog or journal
from here.
4. Click Next
5. Link Name: include a name for the link to
the blog or journal
6. Choose any other options as necessary
and click Submit
Document origin: Learning Technologies Team
© Durham University 2016
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Tools area
If you choose to make the Tools area available on the duo site menu, students can access the
Blogs or Journals link to see the blog and journal page.
My Groups
If you are using group blogs or journals, every group member
will see a link to their group’s blog/journal under My Groups
(below the site menu) and on their Group Homepage.
Using blog and journals
Here are a few things to keep in mind when using blogs and
journals on duo.
 You can access blogs and journals anywhere the
students can, and via Course Tools.
 To view individuals’ posts, click All Group Members or
use the navigation arrows.
 If you are marking the blog or journal, an
area for the mark, feedback and your own
notes will appear for each student or group.
This will also be captured in the Grade
Centre and, if the column is visible to
students, will alert them when a mark has
been entered.
 The Blackboard Help site offers more
detailed information about Blogs and
Journals. It also includes guidance and
videos for students: Blogs for Students,
Journals for Students. See the Digital
Learning & Teaching site for information on
how students can use Kaltura to create
videos on duo.
Document origin: Learning Technologies Team
© Durham University 2016
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