WebCT Conferences

Background

Application Pak 1 for WebCT 6 has just been released. We intend to install it soon on our test WebCT 6 server, so it will be available when people start trying CE 6 out on campus. Service Pak 1 provides more student centred tools, better customization, and improved efficiencies for course participants.

Active Learning Tools

• There is now peer review. For example, in discussions, blogs, journals, etc. students can rate other students comments on a "five star" scale. (The course builder can determine the scale for the ratings). They can also leave comments. There's an ability to quickly get a graphical view of the ratings.
• There's a new "student contributions" tool. Students can now create course content to share with the rest of the class. This can be loaded into the media library. They select "create entry", and add their own contribution to the library, including uploading of files to share with the class. Can also contribute to the "web links" tool to help build a community shared bookmark list related to the course.
• There are now "student journals" and "class blogs". For example, a nursing class can have nurses record a private journal of their internship shared only with themselves and the instructor. Or, they can post information in public blogs. Sort of like the discussion tool, but made to look more like a blog. Instructors can get stats on number of postings, leave comments on entries, etc.

New "Goals" tool

• There is a new tool to list goals for students in the course.
• Goals can be categorized. You can have goals for a unit, course, program, etc.The course builder can define the categories.
• All parts of your course (assignments, content, discussions, etc.) related to a goal can be attached to that goal. Select the goal from the list, and everything relevant to achieving that goal is now displayed in one place.

Course Roster

• Used to build community in a course.
• Students and instructors can provide information about themselves. Interests, hobbies, etc. Can also upload pictures of students.
• Users create their own profile, and use is voluntary.

New Grading forms tool

• Allows course builders to define "rubrics" for grading students on things like discussions, assignments, etc.
• Rubrics are displayed to instructor. Can easily grade the student by selecting checkboxes in the rubric. Can also leave comments for students, etc.
• Instructors can get stats on the rubric. For example, a graph showing the relative proportion of students who fell in each category in the rubric.

There are also many new functions in myWebCT, and minor improvements in many of the other tools.