Buzz: Product Feedback

Journal/Blog Improvements

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Feature idea (LEVEL 2)
Allison RCSD

We'd like to see some improvements to the Journal/Blog activities within Buzz.  

A better way to grade them.  When used throughout the class, it is hard to grade, if you want to give a grade for each entry.  Say you will have 10 entries, if you make them each worth 10 points, then the entire assignment is worth 100, so after the first submission their grade would show failing 10/100, but really there has only been one entry so far which is a 10/10 possible so far.  

As a work around, we have had to make the journal/blog ungraded, then create 10 different assignments each worth 10 points and put the grades there.  

Also, ability for students to upload videos to journals and blogs

Comments (6)

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Dennis Killmer

We are very interested in this suggested improvement. In addition, it would be helpful if students could upload work samples right in their journal entries.

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NorthStar Academy: Kristi Velasquez

I agree! I want pictures and videos to journals and blogs! The editing box I am writing in RIGHT NOW has the ability for pictures...but not a blog or journal for academic purposes? That doesn't does not  make any sense for education. 

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Wendy Cooley

There are several upgrades that would make this blog feature more usable.  Right now, I took it out of my classes because students can not easily see comments on their blog...or make comments on someone else's.  Also, the lack of features like pictures and videos make it not very exciting for students.  I would request that a big renovation happen for this feature, so it can be user friendly and fun!

 

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Emily Nichols

I've been wanting to try this feature for a while now, but I've held out, waiting for the signal that the grading portion would integrate smoothly.  Please fix this issue; we would have yet another cool way to interact with our students in Buzz. 

Thanks!

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Allison RCSD

We definitely agree with Wendy! We have taken them out of our classes until there are improvements made that make them more user friendly!  We really want to use them and really hope improvements are made soon!  

1) Students really need notifications when someone comments on their blog. Why would you keep checking back just in case?!  Even adults wouldn't do that.  

2) Students need notifications when someone replies to a comment they have made on a blog, even if  not their own blog.  This is true of the Discussion Boards as well.  Students do not to back to see if someone has replied to them.  There should be notifications for this!  

3) Seeing comments on any blogs is not intuitive.  This should be easier!  

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Laurie-Ann Wyse

I think the updated features would make both the journals and the blogs more usable, but the grading is my biggest issue at the moment.  As stated above, if I want my students to write in the journal once each week, the grading becomes a big problem.  If each journal needs to be graded, I can't give individual grades without creating separate assignments for each week.  However, that setup does not allow for easy review of previous entries.  :(

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