WebCT Conferences

There are a number of new features to enhance collaboration between students. Basically the "student presentation" and "student homepages" tools are gone, replaced by enhancements to the "assignments" tool.

• Sign-up sheets for student groups. Instructor no longer has to explicitly add students to groups, instead they can join groups themselves. Instructors can choose to let students see who else is in the group before signing up, or not. Instructors can then reassign students between groups if necessary. Lots of creative uses (different office hour slots, etc.)
• Private group discussions, chat rooms, and group assignments can be released to groups based on selective release. (one of the suggestions I sent to WebCT)
• Students can upload or edit files in the shared file area. Comments can be attached to the file. Assignments, once submitted, are put in the instructor's assignment dropbox. When the grade is assigned, it autommatically is assigned to all students in the group.
• Groups get a private discussion area as in previous areas
• Chat is available. It is now a new combined chat and whiteboard tool. You can reconfigure to hide and show whiteboard, etc. There is now a "hand-raise" mode in the chat room where the instructor can see if students have raised their hand. Students cannot type their question into chat room until instructor gives them the floor. There can also be multiple chatrooms opened at one time for private chats between course members.
• There is now a new "who's online" option that shows who is logged into the course at that moment. People can make themselves invisible if they wish. Chats can be initiated from this tool. This lets students initiate their own chats with others without the instructor having to create a chat room for them.
• The "My Grades" tool has been expanded so it also shows instructor comments to the students on each assignment, not just the grade. The comments on group assignments go to all group members.
• Assignment submissions can be published either by the instructor, or by the student (at the instructor's discretion), so that other students can see the assignment.
• The selective release has been enhanced. You can now combine criteria (release if the student is in group X and the mark on the exam was greater than 80). It also applies to many more things. For example, you can release information after they comment under a topic in discussions.