What is a blog, discussion, and journal and how do I add them to my course?

A blog is a place where students can share their knowledge, thoughts and opinions in a "public" place. When using the blog feature in Echo:

• Students can post once or post multiple times using text and or links
• Students can comment on others' blog posts as well as their own
• Students can edit their post(s) and their comments
• Facilitators can see all students' blogs in one place. Facilitators can switch between each student's blog by clicking on their name
• Facilitators can delete any student's blog, blog post(s), and or students' comments
• Facilitators can comment on students' blog posts
• Facilitators can give a grade for a blog

 Within the Activity tab:

1. Give the Blog a title.
2. Add a thumbnail.
3. Add content you would like to be visible to the students.
4. Add instructions.
5. If needed, add an attachment.  

Within the Settings tab:

1. Activity settings:

Allows teachers to set a due date and time as well as set late submission rules. Students will not be able to submit assignments after the due date unless the "Allow late submissions" box is checked. A teacher can also designate a student grouping if groups have been defined in the course. When this option is selected, only one student in each group is required to submit the activity and all students in the group will receive the same grade.

2. Gradebook Settings:

Where points possible can be established.

• Any activity can be made "Gradable," but depending on the activity type, the points possible may not be enabled by default. To make an item gradable and enter points, check the "this activity is gradable" box.
• This setting also allows for options like making it an extra credit activity.

3. Objective Mastery

Align selected course standards to the activity (if the course has a defined list of objectives). This allows teachers to track student performance against the standards in the gradebook. To learn more about associating activities with objectives, click here.

4. Visibility and access:

Set visibility options and access rules.

5. Badges:

Badges can be used to automatically assign a specific badge to students who complete the activity. Badges must be configured in the course settings in order to be selected. Click here to learn more about badges.

6. Metadata:

Description for course author, or an idea of how this activity fits into the goal of the course or the "big picture." CRA and IAKT activity tags can also be used for reporting purposes.

7. Advanced gradebook options:

Within the advanced gradebook options you have the option to adjust passing score, minimum points possible, visibility dates and more.

8. Advanced activity options:

Within the advanced visibility options you have the option to adjust when activity is considered complete, if studnets must complete this assignment before moving on to the next, where the assignment will appear in the course and more.

 A course discussion is meant to be used as a focused conversation thread. All course members can add to a discussion thread. When using the discussion feature in Echo:

• Students can add a new thread or multiple threads
• Within a thread, students can insert an image, a link, and or add an attachment
• Students can reply to another student's thread and to their own thread
• Students can edit their thread and or their reply
• Students can expand all threads, collapse all threads or choose to only see new threads
• Facilitators can delete any thread or comment
• Facilitators can filter posts by thread, date, author's first name, or author's last name
• Facilitators can comment on a thread using text, an image, and or by adding an attachment
• Facilitators can grade a discussion

Click + Add Activity.

Select Discussion.

Within the Discusion activity there are 2 tabs:

• Activity
• Settings

 Within the Activity tab:

1. Give the Discussion a title.
2. Add a thumbnail.
3. Add content you would like to be visible to the students.
4. Add instructions.
5. If needed, add an attachment.  

Within the Settings tab:

1. Activity settings:

Allows teachers to set a due date and time as well as set late submission rules. Students will not be able to submit assignments after the due date unless the "Allow late submissions" box is checked. You can also determine if users can edit their own posts, if teachers can delete posts, if it is to be a non threaded discussion, or if students can create new threads. A teacher can also designate a student grouping if groups have been defined in the course. When this option is selected, only one student in each group is required to submit the activity and all students in the group will receive the same grade.

2. Gradebook Settings:

Where points possible can be established.

• Any activity can be made "Gradable," but depending on the activity type, the points possible may not be enabled by default. To make an item gradable and enter points, check the "this activity is gradable" box.
• This setting also allows for options like making it an extra credit activity.

3. Objective Mastery

Align selected course standards to the activity (if the course has a defined list of objectives). This allows teachers to track student performance against the standards in the gradebook. To learn more about associating activities with objectives, click here.

4. Visibility and access:

Set visibility options and access rules.

5. Badges:

Badges can be used to automatically assign a specific badge to students who complete the activity. Badges must be configured in the course settings in order to be selected. Click here to learn more about badges.

6. Metadata:

Description for course author, or an idea of how this activity fits into the goal of the course or the "big picture." CRA and IAKT activity tags can also be used for reporting purposes.

7. Advanced gradebook options:

Within the advanced gradebook options you have the option to adjust passing score, minimum points possible, visibility dates and more.

8. Advanced activity options:

Within the advanced visibility options you have the option to adjust when activity is considered complete, if studnets must complete this assignment before moving on to the next, where the assignment will appear in the course and more.

A journal is a space for students to write at anytime or when assigned by the teacher. Only the authoring student, teacher, and students' parent/observer can access journal writings. When using the journal feature in Echo:

• Students can add a post or multiple posts to their journal.
• Students can edit their post(s).
• Students can comment on their own post(s).
• Students cannot see other students' journals.
• Students can type directly into the journal and or add a link, but cannot add an attachment.
• Facilitators can see links to students' journals and how many posts they have made all within the same window.
• Facilitators can comment and or delete student posts.
• Facilitators can grade journal.

Click + Add Activity.

Select Journal.

Within the Journal activity there are 2 tabs:

• Activity
• Settings

 Within the Activity tab:

1. Give the Journal a title.
2. Add a thumbnail.
3. Add content you would like to be visible to the students.
4. Add instructions.
5. If needed, add an attachment.  

Within the Settings tab:

1. Activity settings:

Allows teachers to set a due date and time as well as set late submission rules. Students will not be able to submit assignments after the due date unless the "Allow late submissions" box is checked.

2. Gradebook Settings:

Where points possible can be established.

• Any activity can be made "Gradable," but depending on the activity type, the points possible may not be enabled by default. To make an item gradable and enter points, check the "this activity is gradable" box.
• This setting also allows for options like making it an extra credit activity.

3. Objective Mastery

Align selected course standards to the activity (if the course has a defined list of objectives). This allows teachers to track student performance against the standards in the gradebook. To learn more about associating activities with objectives, click here.

4. Visibility and access:

Set visibility options and access rules.

5. Badges:

Badges can be used to automatically assign a specific badge to students who complete the activity. Badges must be configured in the course settings in order to be selected. Click here to learn more about badges.

6. Metadata:

Description for course author, or an idea of how this activity fits into the goal of the course or the "big picture." CRA and IAKT activity tags can also be used for reporting purposes.

7. Advanced gradebook options:

Within the advanced gradebook options you have the option to adjust passing score, minimum points possible, visibility dates and more.

8. Advanced activity options:

Within the advanced visibility options you have the option to adjust when activity is considered complete, if studnets must complete this assignment before moving on to the next, where the assignment will appear in the course and more.