WebCT Training

1
WebCT Training

• Clayton College State University
• Morrow, Georgia
• 2000

2
What is WebCT
WebCT is a course development product which
contains

• communication tools
• bulletin board
• chat
• private mail
• whiteboard
• calendar
• content delivery tools
• assessment tools
• assignment dropbox
• self-test
• quizzes/tests
• course management tools
• check your grades
• tracking record

3
History of WebCT

• Developed in 1995 by Murray
• Goldberg, a professor of
• Computing Science at the
• University of British Columbia
• Launched commercially in 1997
• Purchased in 1999 by Universal Learning
  Technologies, a Boston-based educational
  technologies firm
• Renamed to WebCT.com in 2000
• Used by almost 7 million students at 1,500
  institutions in 57 countries

4
Using WebCT Tools Effectively

• Bulletin Board
• announcements
• topic discussions
• questions on course content assignments

• Tips
• assign points for participation
• divide discussion into fora
• limit time on each discussion topic
• have students summarize discussion articles

5
Using WebCT Tools Effectively

• Chat
• online office hours/help sessions
• group collaboration/brainstorming
• topic discussions
• guest interviews

• Tips
• limit number of participants
• communicate expectations in advance
• schedule multiple sessions at different times
• enforce start/end times

6
Using WebCT Tools Effectively

• Private Mail
• respond to individual student questions
• encourage student participation
• send files to students
• student-student interaction

• Tips
• check mail daily
• communicate guidelines for response time
• send messages to students who demonstrate
• low participation or performance (copy/paste
• from queries)

7
Using WebCT Tools Effectively

• Calendar
• post assignment due dates, tests, etc.
• schedule student presentations, chat sessions,
  online office hours
• post personal dates

• Tips
• link calendar entries to content pages
• enforce students responsibility for meeting
• deadlines listed in calendar

8
Using WebCT Tools Effectively

• Student Presentation Area
• display individual/group projects
• transfer/share files

• Tips
• post student photographs
• require students to post their project files
• structure peer review opportunities

9
Suggestions for Teaching Online

• post a public Welcome Page
• contact information
• course description
• link to WebCT tutorial
• login instructions
• provide student WebCT orientation/online tutorial
• post a detailed course timeline
• provide written guidelines for e-mail, threaded
  discussions, and chat

10
Suggestions for Teaching Online

• give prompt feedback
• divide class into small groups
• assign each group to a chat room
• provide a discussion forum for each group
• set up a group presentation area
• use frequent informal assessments
• self-tests
• quizzes
• journal entries
• discussion postings

11
Suggestions for Teaching Online

• use performance-based assessments
• writing assignments
• projects/presentations
• portfolios
• simulations
• monitor student tracking weekly
• enhance course content
• multimedia
• glossary and/or index
• use web resources

12
WebCT Resources

• e-Learning Communities
• e-Learning Resources Packs
• OTLNewsletter
• The McGraw-Hill Guide to WebCT
• USG WebCT
• CCSUs WebCT Resources