Class Webpage Series: Blog with Live Journal
Live Journal is a blog site like Blogger and Wordpress, but does not have additional tools or applications.
A blog creates a website organized around dynamic information, called blog posts. ASSETT’s website, which you are reading from right now, is an example of how pages can look when using a blog as the central way to organize information
Follow these steps to create a blog on Live Journal:
- Enter basic information to create your user account. For students, this is the only step—you can now read a private blog after when invited. For teachers, read steps 2-5
- Choose a theme
- Enter personal information for your profile (optional step)
- Customize your journal
- Choose privacy options
Like all blogs, Live Journal uses “posts” to communicate information. Posts are text-based entries written by the author. In Live Journal, these text-based posts can also include pictures, video, polls and URLs. Posts can then be commented on by those reading the blog and can be censored by the author of the site.
If you choose that your blog should be shared among friends, only friends will be able to view and comment on your posts. Live Journal also offers the ability to send private messages to users through the site. Using this feature, professors can communicate with students on an individual level.
Live Journal has many customization options. You can choose from hundreds of design themes for your journal. Live Journal also has the option of being displayed in 32 different languages.
In addition to creating a personal blog, you can also create what Live Journal calls a “community”. A community is basically a group blog that has several levels of contributors:
- Maintainer: creator and overseer of community, manages all activity and invites members
- Moderator: approves all entries before they are posted
- Members: Can see all posts; this is the role students would have on a teacher’s blog
- Watchers: these users can see all posts, except for ones that are members-only
To make a community, you just have to create a new account, and start accepting or inviting members to the blog. If you choose to convert an existing live journal into a community, all of your personal blog’s ‘friends’ will be made into watchers of the community. They can then be converted into members.
This community feature can also be implemented by a professor, particularly if you have a very large classes; there is no limit on the number of members in your community.
Live Journal is more difficult to navigate than some other blogging sites, as its layout is not as intuitive. For support, you can search through frequently asked questions, and email a member of the Live Journal support team if you need more information.
Though Live Journal lacks third party applications and lots of extra tools, it could be a good option for professors who want a quick way to communicate with students.
Written by Kaity Hauge, CU ’13, Research Assistant