Distance Learning Using WebCT

Bill Moss

College of Engineering and Science

Clemson University

bmoss@clemson.edu

http://www.math.clemson.edu/~bmoss

June 2, 1999

What is a Course Management System?

• History

• Mergers and acquisitions

• Publisher partnerships

• Online degree programs

• Online course services

What are the Top Products?

• WebCT: http://www.webct.com

• Blackboard CourseInfo: http://product.blackboard.net/courseinfo

• Feature comparisons: – http://www.ctt.bc.ca/landonline– http://www.syllabus.com/sep98_magfea2.html

Implementation

• Local server and management

• Remote server providers

• Campus bandwidth issues

Course Design Issues

• Pedagogy

• Ownership of materials

• Design services, local and remote

• Faculty development and support

• Teaching load

WebCT at Clemson

• http://www.ces.clemson.edu/webct

• Training link: sign up

• Clemson WebCT Courses link– Main: Calculus Concepts

login using key icon– Mathematical Sciences: MTHSC 434 (Moss)

login using username=guest password=434moss

WebCT Authoring

• Upload web pages created off-line, make available with the link tool or the path tool.

• Fill in textboxes, browse to choose icons and images.

• Upload database files for batch entry of quiz questions or calendar entries.

• Edit web pages with Netscape Composer.

WebCT Communication Tools

• Bulletin board– public and workgroup forums

• Private mail

• Calendar

• Chat and whiteboard

• Student presentations– individual and workgroup

• Viewing of grades

WebCT Assessment Tools

• Quizzes– 5 question types– 4 automatically graded

• Self-test

• Anonymous surveys

• Page tracking

WebCT Content Tools

• Table of Contents (Path)

• Glossary

• Index

• Search

• CD-ROM

References

• WebCT homepage http://www.webct.com: list of institutions using WebCT, create your own course, try a course.

• WebCT at the University of Georgia: http://webct.uga.edu, create your own accounts in courses with the key icon.