Journals

Journals allow students to submit multiple written responses or files in a single location, such as for a weekly activity log. Journals are private between student and instructor, and student submissions can be assigned a grade with feedback if desired.

⏬ Table of Contents

Create a Journal

On the Course Content page, select the plus sign wherever you want to add a journal in your content area and select Create . 

If you want to create the Journal inside of a folder/module, you will need to create the folder/module first, expand the folder/module and then select the add icon inside of the folder/module to create the journal assignment.

Select the pencil icon and type a meaningful title to help students identify the journal in the content list.  If you forget to add a title, "New Journal" and the date will default as the journal title.  If this happens, select the pencil icon to edit. Add a journal prompt in the text editor box and select Save.

Auto-Generate a Journal Prompt with AI Design Assistant

If you would like to use the AI Design assistant to auto-generate a journal prompt, select the Auto-Generate Journal icon in the upper right hand corner of the panel. Journal prompts are generated based on your course's title and description.

Add a Description to help narrow the focus for the journal prompt. Maximum of 2000 characters.

Select a course item from your course to provide context for the journal prompt. Selecting this option will open a panel with a list of content items. Select the box next to the content you want to include and be sure to click on “Select Items”. You will see a purple circle with a number inside to indicate the number of items you have selected.

Select from the drop down menu an appropriate cognitive level.

Click and slide the slider to adjust the complexity of the journal prompt.

By default, the Generate journal title box is checked. Uncheck this box if you do not want it to auto generate a title. The journal title can be edited later.

If you would like to generate the journal prompt in a different language, select the Advanced Options arrow and select a language from the list.

Select the Generate Button.

Select the radio button next to a journal prompt to add to your course and select Add.

Edit the AI Generated prompt title using the pencil icon. Edit any text in the text description field and select Save to capture these changes.

Journal Settings

Click on the gear to open the Journal settings.

By default, Grade Journal is not checked. Deselect any options that you do not want.

If you want to add a due date or assign a grade value, select the Grade journal box. The Participation & Grading panel will expand where you can use the calendar and clock widget to select a due date and time. If you do not want to enforce a due date, highlight the date and delete. Select from the grade using menu an appropriate grading value and enter a maximum points value.

Add a grading rubric if you desire by selecting the link and select Add if you already have one created. Otherwise, you can create/generate one.

Select Save to capture your settings.

Journal Visibility Settings

Newly created journals are hidden from students by default. When you are ready, to make the journal visible to students, in the upper right hand corner of the journal panel, select Visible to Students from the drop down menu, or set a release condition to control when the journal becomes visible to students.

Alternatively, you can also adjust the journal visibility from the course content area. Find the journal in your course content area and select the arrow to expand the visibility options menu.

View Ungraded Journal Submissions

When someone enters a submission to a journal, an activity icon appears next to the title of the journal. Click on the title of the journal to open it.

If the journal is not graded, you will see a journal tab and a participation tab.

Selecting the participation tab will open a panel where you can search by student name or student submission status. Additionally, you can select how many items you see per page. If the student status shows an entry, click on the student’s name to view their specific submissions. The entry date and time stamp is visible below the student’s name.

New entries will display a NEW icon. To edit or delete an entry, select the appropriate option from the ellipsis menu to the right of the entry. Use the directional arrows in the upper right hand corner to move to the next student’s submission or use the directional arrows at the bottom of the page to move between pages.

Grade a Journal Submission

When a student enters a submission to a journal, an activity icon appears next to the title of the journal. Click on the title of the journal to open it.

Selecting the Grades & Participation tab will open a panel where you can search by student name, student submission status or Grading Status. Additionally, you can select how many items you see per page. If the grading status shows Needs Grading, click on the student’s name to view and grade their submissions. The entry date and time stamp is visible below the student’s name.

Add grade and feedback

Enter a grade in the grade pill and hit enter. Select the Add Feedback icon to leave feedback for the student. To edit the feedback, click the ellipsis menu.

To move to the next student’s submission to grade, click on the directional arrow in the upper right hand corner of the panel.

Reply to student submission

To reply to the student’s submission, type an entry in the text box and select Post.

Comment on student submission

To comment on the submission, click the Comment link, enter your comment in the text box and select Comment.

Edit/Delete an entry

To edit or delete an entry, select the appropriate option from the ellipsis menu to the right of the entry.

Grade a Journal Submission using a Rubric

To grade using a rubric, you must select Grade Journal and add a rubric in the Journal Settings.

• Select the gear

• Check box to Grade Journal

• Add grading rubic

• Click on Journal Name and select Grades & Participation tab

• Click on the name of the student to grade their submission

You should see a rubric matrix in the grading pill. Select the grading pill to open the rubric details panel.

Evaluate the journal submission and select a grade for each criterion.

• Selecting the feedback plus sign next to that criterion grade pill to add feedback for each criterion.

• Toggle on ‘show descriptions’ (off by default) to view performance level descriptions.

• Use the arrow icons to collapse/expand each criterion.

The rubric score and feedback will save automatically as you make your selections.

Select the X to close the rubric panel and grade the next submission. When you complete grading for all students, select the X to close the grading panel. This will bring you back to the Grades & Participation screen where you can Post grades for students. Students will NOT see the grade until you manually post them.

Edit Journal Prompt, Name and Settings / Delete Journal

Click on the Journal title and select the Journal tab. Here, you can edit the journal prompt, name and *settings by selecting the ellipsis menu and select edit.

You can change an ungraded journal to graded as long as there are NO entries or comments in the journal. *Once a submission is made, the journal settings are “locked” and you will have to create a new journal with the new settings.

If you select delete from this menu, the journal is removed. If the journal is graded, it will be removed from the gradebook as well. Use caution when deleting journals. A deleted journal cannot be retrieved.