Transcript Slide 1

Welcome to the
Briefing session on WebCT 4.1
An introduction to WebCT 4.1 features
and our eLearning support services.
By ITS eLearning Support Team
WebCT 4.1 @ PolyU

This version includes a number of new tools
and features and improvements of previous
version.
PolyU WebCT server login page:
http://webct2.polyu.edu.hk
PolyU WebCT Support site:
http://www.polyu.edu.hk/elearning
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WebCT Login Page
WebCT ID and password are the same as your NetID and Netpassword.
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eLearning Support site
Contains FAQ/WebCT account creation information for staff and
students.
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WebCT tools & features
Course Content
• Syllabus
• Upload/Manage
Course materials
• Backup/Restore
Course
• Setup URL
• Glossary
• Image Database
Study Tools
• Student Groups
• Student Homepages
• Student Presentation
• E-Mail
Communication Tools
• E-Mail
• Chat
• Discussion Boards
• Whiteboard
• Calendar
Evaluation & Assessment
• My Grades
• My Progress
• Assignments
• Quizzes and Surveys
• Self Test
• Student Tracking
Version 4 Key features:
http://www.webct.com/products/viewpage?name=products_ce_4.1
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Advantages of using WebCT

For Instructors
Create, upload, update course materials
interactively through the Web.
 Tracking student performance at any time.
 Conduct online quiz and survey.
 Quick feedback to students’ questions using
WebCT mail or discussion forum.
 Using Calendar to plan class event and
inform assignment due date.
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Instructors can combine different WebCT tools in an online course
according to their teaching styles and learning objective.
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Advantages of using WebCT

For Students
Access the course materials at any time.
 Check grades and track course progress.
 Communicate with other students using
WebCT mail or Project Group members
using discussion group.
 Submit assignment online on time.
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myWebCT
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myWebCT
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5 major areas:
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Courses - access to a list of your WebCT courses
and your role in the course.
Announcements - Important
announcements/events that you should not miss.
Bookmarks - a easy way to locate related URLs.
WebDAV – where to upload your course materials
(drag & drop).
Global calendar – mark quiz date, assignment due
date and course activities for students.
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Your role in WebCT
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Primary Designer – you are the owner of the course
(usually Instructor). You have complete control over
the course content and course administration.
Co-designer – your colleague(s) who assist you in
teaching the course. He/she has the same access
rights as you.
Teaching Assistant – your colleague(s) who assist you
with grading assignments and quizzes.
Student – those enrolled in your course, can read the
course content, involve in course activities but cannot
modify the course. (student access to the course can
be control by the Designer).
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As a Designer
Designer Options -allows designer to customize the course
Control Panel - allows easy access to designer functions
Actions menu - allows easy access to functions related to current page
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Control Panel
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The Control Panel is now similar to the
“Designer Map” and is divided into “Basic
View” and “Extended View”.
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Control panel – Basic View
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This is the default view showing buttons to the 5 tools. This
default view reduces search time when you know what set of
tools you need to use.
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Control panel – Extended View
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It displays all available options on a single page. You can click the
“Set as default view” to make this the first view displayed when
the “Control Panel” is clicked.
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How are courses build in WebCT?
Modules:
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You can build your courses into modules
(chapters).
Selective release
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Make those modules visible to the student
whenever you decide (based on chosen
students, selective date) or according to their
learning proficiency (the assignment/quiz
grade).
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Course Design Wizards
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Course Design wizards provide step-by-step instructions on using
many WebCT tools. Wizards can be used anytime, and will return
you to the point where you left off if you exit before the end.
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Wizards are available for these tools:
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Homepage
Organizer page
Syllabus
Content Module
Discussions
Mail
Calendar
Chat
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Course Design Wizards
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Wizards Video Demo can be find in here:
http://booboo.webct.com/demo/CE4/FINAL_DiscussionsWizard.htm
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Course Content and materials
•Syllabus
•Calendar
•Content Module
•Glossary
•Search
•Compile
Demo: Building Syllabus, Add entry to calendar and setup of table of content
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Syllabus
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Calendar
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Content Module
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HTML Editor
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The HTML Editor provides word-processor-like
features that display text and graphics the same as
they will appear in a browser for both students and
instructors. The HTML Editor is available from:
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Content Module
Discussions
Mail
Manage Files
Organizer Pages
Student Homepage
Student presentations
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HTML Editor
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HTML Editor Video Demo can be find in here:
http://booboo.webct.com/demo/CE4/FINAL_HomepageCustomization_
HTML1.htm
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Equation Editor
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The WebEQ Equation Editor allows users to
create, view, and edit mathematical equations
and include them in WebCT content.
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The Equation Editor is available from Content
Module, Discussions, Mail, Manage Files, and
Quiz
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User can Import/Export questions in MathML
(.mml) format from other equation editing
software.
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Equation Editor
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Selective release of content
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Manage course materials
Upload/download single file
 Upload/download multiple files using
WebDAV Web folder
 Upload and Synchronize course pages
using Dreamweaver
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Manage single file
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Manage files using Web Folder
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WebDAV is Web-based Distributed Authoring
and Versioning allows you to use a remote
web server as though it were a local file
server.
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This technology allows you to drag and drop
files from your PC to WebCT and vice
versa. Simply setup Web folder in your PC
and multiple files can be uploaded at one time.
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Setup Web folder
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Web Folder (drag & drop for file uploading)
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Setup Web folder in your PC, drag and drop multiple files to your
WebCT course file area.
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Upload and Synchronize course
pages using Dreamweaver
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WebCT 4.1 can integrate with
Dreamweaver MX (support Webdav).
This makes it possible for designer to
make a website in Dreamweaver that will
directly access your Manage Files area
in your WebCT course with few clicks.
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Integrate with Dreamweaver
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Content file types and naming
convention
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What file types can be displayed in WebCT?
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Text files (.txt), Rich Text Format files (.rtf)
Documents created by MS Word, Powerpoint,
Excel, PDF (required application installed in your PC)
HTML files
Graphic files eg. GIF , JPEG
Multimedia files eg. audio/video files, streamed
videos or flash files (required plug-in or players)
WebCT is capable of reading multimedia files from a CD on your PC.
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Content file types and naming
convention
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What file name can be used in WebCT?
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It is recommended that the filename used in
WebCT has to be in web standards. Use letters
([a..z][A..Z]), numbers ([0..9]).
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NO space should be contained in the file name,
(instead of space please use underscore "_" eg.
Module_1.doc)
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For the length of the filenames, it is a good practice
to keep it less than 64 characters which is more
readable in the File Manager and the file list boxes.
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Communication tools
•Mail
•Discussions
•Chat
•Whiteboard
Traditional Chinese
and Simplified
Chinese characters
are supported in
these tools.
Demo: Compose mail, set mail forwarding, discussions, online chat and whiteboard
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Mail
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Compose/Send/Reply/Delete Email
Setup Mail folder
Search mail by date/subject/keywords/sender
Set mail forwarding address
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Mail (Chinese input)
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Discussion
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Compose/Send/Reply/Delete discussion
Setup Discussion topic
Search discussion by date/subject/keywords/sender
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Discussion (Chinese input)
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Chat
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Real-time chatting area
Can send messages to all users in the Chat room or private
message to a user.
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Chat (Chinese input)
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Assessment/Evaluation tools
•Assignment
•Self Test
•Quiz
•My Grades
Demo: Assignment, Quiz tools
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Assignment tool
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The Assignment tool in WebCT 4.1
provides detail assignment information to
Student. Instructor can create and
distribute assignment to student,
download, evaluate and grade the
student assignments.
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Setup assignment
Instructor can attach assignment-related files such as image, spreadsheet, articles
for student to to the assignment.
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Student View of assignment
Maximum Grade, assignment instructions and attachment are displayed
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Assignment submission report
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Electronic Quiz tool
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WebCT Quiz tools can be of 5 types:
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Multiple choice, matching, calculated, short answer and
essay.
The MC, matching and calculated can be marked
automatically while short answer and essay should be graded
by Instructor.
For MC type questions, designers can randomize the display
of answers and use letters or numbers as indices for question
choices.
For calculated questions, designer can use WebCT Equation
Editor to enter Mathematical and scientific notations.
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Electronic Quiz tool
Randomize questions and answers
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Electronic Quiz tool
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Designer can set selective release criteria
of a Chapter according to the grade of a
quiz.
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Manage students
Manage Students is a powerful tool for maintaining
student information and grades in WebCT:
 Allow/Deny student access
 update student records
 calculate grades
 access the Quiz and Mail features for a particular
student
 add statistical information to student records
 change how student records are displayed
 release quiz results and assignment grades to
students
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Manage students
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Track student’s performance
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Track Students allows you to monitor
which areas of the course students are
accessing and how they are progressing
through the course material.
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Track student’s performance
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Track pages
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You can see how
many times the
pages have been
visited, and the
amount of time
spent on each
page.
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Backup your course
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You can back up your course at any
stage of development. After you create a
backup, we recommend that you
download it to your computer for
safekeeping.
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Backup your course
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Logout

Remember to logout
after your have
finished using
WebCT.
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eLearning support website

www.polyu.edu.hk/elearning
Resources for teachers
 Resources for students
 Procedures to request for WebCT account
 FAQs
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Request for WebCT account
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WebCT accounts are created for:
 “LEC” and “LTL” components (according to the TTS
Time Tabling System of AS)
 Additional request from departments/lecturers
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You need more than 1 online subject website (for a single
subject)
You need several new subject websites to conduct to
different groups of students.
You need new subject website for several colleagues take
part in team teaching
You need to add your colleague or assistant to your
subject website as TAs or Co-designer.
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Request for WebCT account
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WebCT CE 6 is coming…
The new version of WebCT CE provides more
functions and features (eg. eLearning objects)
ITS is working with departmental coordinators
to work out their upgrade plan. It is desirable to
arrange upgrade for the whole department to
avoid confusion to students.
CE 4.1 will still be available next year.
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Support Team Hotline

Please contact WebCT Support team @4948
 Or you can send Groupwise E-mail to itwebct
 eLearning Support website:
http://www.polyu.edu.hk/elearning

WebCT server:
http://webct2.polyu.edu.hk
Thank You
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SMILE
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