- What is a blog?
- What is NUBlog?
- How do I remove NUBlog from my course site?
- How can I add NUBlog to a more visible content area?
- How do students access NUBlog?
- How do I change the skin/template for my NUBlog?
- How do I manage my students' ability to change the skin/template for NUBlog?
- How do I add an entry to NUBlog?
- How do I add an image to my entry?
- How do I make my blog public or private?
- How do I view a list of all recent posts?
What is a blog?
A blog—actually short for “Web log”—is a chronological collection of personal comments and links displayed online. It is quick and easy to create, allowing users to enter posts into the application without having to code in HTML, and it can be used from anywhere where there is an Internet connection. While it was first used as a means of publishing personal diaries online, blogging has come to be respected through its other areas of application—from editorials to media publications to simply being a general community communication tool.
What is NUBlog?
NUBlog is a service for students and faculty that is accessible through Northwestern's Course Management System, Blackboard. It offers faculty and students a convenient way to share their reflections on course topics in and out of the classroom.
NUBlog's features include blog skins/templates, calendar display, commenting, trackbacks, and making the blog open to the world complete with blog or entry urls. Participants may attach key words to blog entries and allow display of entries based on a key word or phrase.
New! The NUBlog link is now available on all course sites under Course Tools.
With the course blog enabled, each enrolled student has access to a personal blog for sharing and collaborating course-appropriate ideas, as well as the course group blog.
How do I remove NUBlog from my course site?
To disable the NUBlog link from Course Tools,
- Go to the Control Panel of the course site.
- Click on Manage Tools located under Course Options.
- Click on Building Block Tool Availability.
- Uncheck the box next to NUBlog Extension for Blackboard.
- Click Submit.
- Click OK.
How can I add NUBlog to a more visible content area?
To create a link to NUBlog in another content area of your course site,
- Go to a content area where you want the NUBlog link to appear.
- Click EDIT VIEW in the upper right hand corner
- Select Add NUBlog Link from the drop-down menu.
- Click GO.
- Click Submit.
- Click OK.
How do students access NUBlog?
To access your course blog site, students must click NUBlog under Course Tools or Click here to access NUBlog in the content area where you created it.
How do I change the skin/template for my NUBlog?
To change the skin/template for your personal blog,
How do I manage my students' ability to change the skin/template for NUBlog?
To choose the group blog skin/template and manage your students' ability to change the skin/template for NUBlog,
- Click on Group Control Panel from the Blog Manager menu on the right-hand side.
- Select the desired Group Blog skin/template from the drop-down menu.
- Check or uncheck the box that allows students to select individual blog skins/templates.
- Click save.
How do I add an entry to NUBlog?
To write and add blog entries:
- Click New Entry on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Enter your message in the text box.
- Select publish at the bottom of the page.
How do I add an image to my entry?
You can add an image to your entry, if desired. To add an image to your entry,
- Browse for an image before publishing.
- Select the desired image.
- Check the "Display Associated Image in Zooming Viewer" box, if desired.
- Select publish at the bottom of the page.
How do I make my blog public or private?
Your blog is public if a blog url appears underneath the your blog name and the blog state located near the top-right corner of the window displays open to the world.
To make your blog public or private,
- Click on current blog state.
- Select open to the world or restrict to course from the drop-down menu.
How do I view a list of all recent posts?
There are different ways to view NUBlog entries:
Default View: This view allows you to see your own blog.
Group Weblog View: This view shows all entries for everyone in the course site.
View from Calendar: The calendar on the right of your screen will highlight all dates on which NUBlog entries have been made. Click a calendar date to view messages posted on that date.
Course Blog Roll: This lists all of the users in the course site who have entered the NUBlogging space.
If you
have more questions about NUBlog, please contact the CMS help desk at course-management@northwestern.edu or 847.491.4044
For a PDF version of this document, please click here.
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