Blackboard has a blog feature and a wiki that can be used to create collaboration among students.

A blog is a personal online journal where an individual can record opinions, and link to other sites.  A blog is intended for public access and use.  The Blackboard blog feature is limited to public access within the Blackboard course.  Blogs have a commenting system that is used for responding and interacting with one another. Blogs can encourage students to express their ideas. Blogs are an effective tool for gaining insight into students’ activities and provide a way to share knowledge and materials.

Examples:  Students can choose or be assigned a topic to write about in their blog.  There are three types of Blackboard Blogs: Individual, Course, Group

A wiki is a website that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure by its users.  Wikis are online databases, collaborative collections of information that uses interlinked pages to present and organize data