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Center for Teaching and Learning

Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Wyoming

The WebCT service at UW will cease as of the end of May 2009.  Faculty, please see the messages that have been sent to the uw-webct mailing list (archived at "WebCT Migration Messages") for more information.

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Faculty, we are now assuming that no new WebCT requests will come to us.  For help with transferring your teaching to the WyoSakai, eCompanion, or Course Studio platforms, please come to our "WebCT Archiving and Migration" workshop on May 20th, details on the Tech Workshops schedule.

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Every WebCT user at the University of Wyoming, whether student, teacher, or both, should have a WebCT account. Set one up for yourself by going to the WebCT page, http://webct.uwyo.edu. Use whatever user ID and password you wish; we recommend that they be the same as your UWYO domain account, but the two accounts are independent.

This account allows you to log in to MyWebCT, where you should see all your courses listed along the left side of the page (courses with which you are associated as instructor or student). Click on any of the course names to its homepage.

>>>   The "Guided Tour" on a link in the navigation bar or drop-down menu, on your MyWebCT page, can be quite useful.  Users may also find the new wizards ease course setup tasks.  Some of the links below refer to the WebCT Help files, which you can also reach through the "Help" link on the very top bar in your course pages.

See a brief local "Frequently Asked Questions" at the end of this document.

Instructor as Designer

In WebCT terms, the instructor is a course designer. When you are in a course homepage
  1.  Locate the two tabs "View" and "Designer Options"
  2.  Make sure you are in Designer Options by 
    a.  finding the drop-down Control Panel menu on the top left
    b.  noting the actions menu on the right
A more comprehensive view of the commands available is the "Expanded Control Panel." All of the sequences below start from an item on the control panel. (For more, see Homepage-- About.)

NOTE that WebCT is not an archiving facility.  Keep your course materials outside WebCT, on your own system, and save backups of the WebCT course itself at regular intervals.

You must be in the "Designer Options" state to run the commands described below.  The "View" tab shows what students see, with no designer controls.

WebCT will sometimes launch a wizard to accomplish a task.  If you don't want to use it, find the "Cancel Wizard" button.  Many tasks require explicit termination or activation steps that you might not expect, such as "Go" or "Add" buttons.

Backing up Materials

To backup the whole WebCT course as a unit, in case restoration is needed during or after the semester:

Manage Course --->
    Backup Course

First create a backup file-- you can't choose the file name, and it will be zipped (compressed) in a proprietary WebCT format.  Now select that backup file and download to your own local machine.  It can later be retrieved through upload, and restore operations; contact us first.

To save individual materials:

Manage Files -->
    Select item with checkbox -->
        Download  [on right-hand bar]

To save student records (which include grades):

Manage Course -->
    Manage Students -->
        Download  [first drop-down menu]

You will get a comma-separated values file, suitable for Excel.

Providing Materials

To Upload Written Matter

You can provide written material in the form of plain text, MS Word, HTML, PowerPoint, PDF, and other document types. The "Content Module" tool, which shows your material with a Table of Contents, is the most appropriate for extensive notes and written matter, but other content types are available as well.  (For more, see Add Page or Tool-- About.)  This task has three parts, as given below, but not necessarily done in this order.

1.  Creating an icon on the course page (click Next after each step)
        Add Page or Tool --->
            Content Module --->
                Add --->
                    1. Enter title of icon that will appear on course homepage
                    2. Choose "Homepage," then the icon defaults
                    Add.
                    Save and exit wizard.

2.  Linking the icon to a file

You can switch immediately to "Add Contents," or return later to that icon through the course homepage. Either way, you should end up on a "Table of Contents" page for your new content module; remember that "Designer Options" must be selected at the top.

Add File
  a.  Enter file name from the list of HTML files that you have already uploaded to the WebCT server (see below), 
  or

  b.  choose "Browse" (which switches you to the File Browser) and either 
    (i)  choose from other files already on the system
    or

    (ii) upload by typing or browsing for a file name on your local system

OR

Create and edit HTML file
  Enter a title and then paste some text into the edit box.

 

Whenever you change a Content Module, be sure to "Update Student View" (the button on the top left).

3.  Transferring your file of written matter to the WebCT server

Manage Files --->
    Upload
        Type the file name or use "Browse" to select it from your local system.
        When the correct file name appears in the window, Upload.

Now your students will be able to click on the linked icon on the homepage, then on the content module titles to see the materials, as long as they have the correct software loaded on their own systems-- for example, the Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing PDF files.

The "Table of Contents" page, under "Designer Options,"  shows the file connected to that item.  You can edit the title that appears for that item in the student view, reorder items, and reorganize the hierarchy.

To Use the "Introduction" page

You may have the element called "Introduction" already on your course homepage, containing boilerplate text.  To make it something of your own, either switch to Manage Files, select "Introduction.html," and choose "Edit" to change the text; or first write an HTML introduction file of your own and then upload it, switching the reference to a new file name if necessary in the "Introduction" tool.

More on the File Manager

The WebCT File Manager, the designer command set under "Manage Files," gives you access to the usual directory structure, but for your files on the WebCT server, not your own local computer.  Because the WebCT server runs the UNIX operating system, file names must not contain spaces or other special characters.  In the folder "MyFiles," you can upload, download, rename and delete, create folders, and so forth; see the items above for some examples. These operations are independent of your course web pages, but the files in the "MyFiles" directory tree can be associated with course pages or tools.  

To upload more than one file, make sure that they are in all in the same local directory and zip the directory into a single ".zip" file, then upload it, and run the "unzip" command from the WebCT File Manager.

The files in the "WebCT" directory tree are those supplied with the product, including icons, banners, and backgrounds for web pages.

To Add a Short Announcement to the Homepage

On the course homepage, with "Designer Options" selected, go to the options at the bottom:

Add upper textblock (or Add lower textblock)
    Fill out the "Text Heading" entry and set the other parameters.
    Type your announcement into the "Text" box
      Add.

OR you can select and edit a textblock already present.

Instructor and Student Authorization

To See the Student Roster

All of the students who have added the course through WebCT will appear in the student grid.  The student roster is sorted on the property column in which the small arrow appears; click on a column name to rearrange the records according to that property.  Please have your students add your course with self-registration, a facility turned on and off (by you) under "Change Settings."

To Add a Student to Your Course Roster

You may sometimes wish to add a student manually, although it is better for that student to use "Add Course" under his or her own WebCT account.

In the third section, "Import from Global Database," enter that student's WebCT user ID, then ADD.

NOTE:  Do not add students from a file, or manually using their name.  They will not appear in the WebCT database, and will not be able to login to MyWebCT.

To Delete a Student from Your Course

Here you get a list that allows you to mark some of the students to update. Uncheck the top box, then check the one(s) to be deleted, then VIEW.
    You see a grid that contains a subset, one or more, of the students. 
    Choose "Delete shown records, then GO.
    Confirm with DELETE.

After the update completes, choose "Show all students" from the drop-down list, then GO, to check.

To Add Another Instructor or TA

Unless you are the primary designer (which is probably not the case), you will need to call Instructional Computing Services to add another designer.

In WebCT, TAs have limited privileges.  From the Help files:

  "A teaching assistant can:

• access Manage Students and any tools or pages that you add to the course
• grade assignments and quizzes
• change student grades
• view course content
• post Mail messages and Discussion topics
• add or modify content in Student Presentation areas"

Discussions and Collaborative Work

Many instructors want their students to do collaborative work, and need to divide their classes into groups.  Instructors may also wish to assign projects or discussion topics to large or small groups, even as small as individual students or student-plus-instructor.

Discussions

To carry on threaded discussions, which are like bulletin board topics, where students post messages when convenient ("asynchronous" communication), add the Discussion tool.  In Designer Options, you can add topics (threads).  By default, they are open to reading and writing by the whole class.  You can select topics and choose "Private" to limit participation; use "Manage Members" to select the participants from a list of all those in the course.  To include yourself, select the instructor account, which is probably listed under your name or "CTL Web Support."  [Esoteric Note:  All designers in the course will appear in discussions under this account name.]

To see all postings open at once, for viewing or printing, select all with checkboxes and click "Compile" from the Actions menu at the bottom of the page.

Neither instructors nor students can edit text already posted.

Student Presentations

This tool allows you to create closed web server space for a group of students.  They can upload and edit shared files to build a website.  When an index page is added, other students in the course can view the site (unless you set the parameters differently). See About Student Presentations in the WebCT Help files.

Groups

In general, groups can consist of one or more students, with or without instructor and teaching assistants.  Groups are purpose-built, created in the Discussion or Student Presentations tools (see above).

Grade Records

The student roster, or grid, serves as the gradebook. An assignment appears as a column in the student grid.  For your students to see those columns with their grade entries, you must have added the "My Grades" tool to the course, and you must have ensured that the "Released" value on each of those columns is set to "Yes."

To Add Graded Items

Manage Course --->
    Manage Students --->
        Manage Columns (in left-most list) --->
            Under "Organize" in the actions menu, Add Column
              Type in a label, and choose the grading method, such as "Numeric."

You will see a new column on the student grid (after scrolling over to the right).

To Enter Grades

Manage Course --->
    Manage Students --->
        Add a column for the assignment if necessary. (See above.)
   Back to Manage Students
      Click on "Edit" in the column heading. 
        Now you can enter student scores in the column, with one row corresponding to one student.  In older versions of WebCT, the system apparently failed if too many grades were entered at once, so save the student roster after every 10 or 15 entries.

To Download Grades (Export the Student Roster)

Manage Course --->
    Manage Students
       In Options: Records (first menu), choose "Download" and GO
       Choose record separator--
         Comma for a ".csv" text file, suitable for opening in many spreadsheet programs, or
          Tab for a plain text file aligned in columns.
        Designate location and file name on your system.

To Upload (Import) Grades and Other Student Data

Create a text file, or a spreadsheet file (e.g., Excel) saved as text, delimited by tabs or commas with the same format as the student roster in "Manage Students." 

If a full student roster already exists in your course, Include the same column headings (at least, User ID), and exactly the same rows, one per student with User ID as the unique identifier.  In fact, for guaranteed consistency, download the extant roster first and enter new grades or data into it.

For safety, download the current student roster and save it elsewhere.

Manage Students --->
   In Options: Records (first menu), choose "Add/Import Students" and GO
      Use Import window and Browse to select a file on your own system.
      Choose record separator used in your file, comma or tab.
      Continue through the verification steps.
        New columns will be added, and extant named columns will be updated.

For more detail, see the WebCT Help file for "Add Students," their term for adding new student records (rows) as well as adding new student data (columns).

For grade computation, add a column with the type "Computed," then back in the student roster, click on "Formula" and enter a spreadsheet-like formulas with the calculator buttons (rather than typing directly into the edit window).  Help with this can be obtained from Instructional Computing Services, 766-5499.

Troubleshooting Grade Entry:  If your students cannot see their grades, make sure that the "My Grades" tool is available, and that the student roster/grid columns are released.  (See above.)  A calculated column cannot be filled with a formula until other columns contain numeric data.  A column that was derived from quiz or assignment cannot be converted or deleted until the corresponding quiz or assignment is deleted; if the quiz or assignment tool has been removed, it must be replaced to reach those "ghost" items.

Adjusting Grades:

You may wish to drop the lowest or a few of the lowest scores from a calculated column that adds up student scores.  In the "Formula" window (from the link at the head of the column, after it is defined in the Manage Columns screen), subtract a term that is defined with the MIN function applied to the list of numeric entries.  For example: 
  ([Hwk1]+[Hwk2]+[Hwk3])-MIN{[Hwk1],[Hwk2],[Hwk3]}
If you need help, call us.

And a tip from Ken Gerow: 

In order to encourage students to do some reading, I give a
short quiz on the reading. My intent is NOT to test their knowledge, so
I want to do some conditional grading (i.e. if they score above some
minimum, give them full points). 

Solution: Suppose the quiz is a column in your student database called
Q. Create a "calculated column" and enter the following formula (note:
for my case, total possible points was 10, and I had decided that a
score of 6 or more gets full credit; a score of 5 or less gets whatever
they got). 
Q + (10 - Q) * (MAX{Q - 5, 0} / MAX{Q - 5, 1})
The MAX / MAX business equals zero if the score is 5 or less, and equals 1 for scores of 6 or higher. That becomes the trigger that adds to their score or not.
 

Quizzes

You must first add a "Quizzes/Surveys" tool to your course.  Then enter it, and make sure you're in Designer Options.

To Write Questions for a Quiz

A quiz is drawn from questions in a Questions Database. To type questions and answers into the Questions Database, directly, as plain text:

Be sure to mark the correct answer in the checkbox on the top left.

You can upload questions, through the File Manager, into the Questions Database, but they must be written as text files with specific hard-coded text tags.  You can download questions, as well, which come in the special text format.  Please download your questions database often for safekeeping; see Importing and Downloading Questions.

The Questions Database stores questions in categories (see drop-down list on left).  If you lose questions that you thought you had written or uploaded. try switching categories via that list.

To Make Up a Quiz

A quiz must be composed from questions in the database.

To check how it will look to your students, click "Preview quiz" on the actions menu.
To release it now, "Edit quiz settings," then "Allow access now."
To use a quiz for self-assessment only (with no effect on the grade), do not include it in the "Calculated" column formula (see above under "To Enter Grades").

To See or Save All Student Responses

Quizzes/Surveys --->
  Choose quiz or survey desired --->
    "Detail" button --->
        "Summary" link on the column for a particular question to simply view answers
          OR
        "Export quiz detail to disk" (in the Actions column) for all results
 

You can open the exported file (tab-delimited, with student name and question titles as column headers) with MS Excel or with a simple text editor.

To Make Up a Survey

Edit Page or Tool --->
  Quizzes/Surveys --->
    Create survey
        Continue as above for quizzes. 

No point values can be assigned to questions, and no grade will be given, but answers (anonymous) and statistics will be available to you.

Deleting and Correcting Materials

On the homepage, or any other organizer page, delete icons, and textblocks by selecting them through their radio buttons and choosing the desired operation on the right.

For most types of materials, individual items are listed with radio buttons in Designer Option, allowing selection followed by a choice operation on the right, including "Delete."

Deleting grades or other columns from the student roster:
Manage Students -->
    Manage Columns  -->
        Select column through checkbox; then "Delete Columns" button.

Occasionally, a grade column cannot be deleted because it represents an assignment or quiz that is still in the system even though the Assignment or Quiz tool has been deleted.  To remedy this, see below.

Deleting "ghost" assignments and quizzes:
1.  Restore the Assignment or Quiz tool (with "Add Page or Tool").
2.  Choose Assignment or Quiz, then delete the individual entries.  Grade columns will be removed from the student roster.

Frequently Asked Questions at UW (about WebCT)

1. How can I add news for the course (on a user's course list)?
   
   You can't. It's automatically updated when a change is made to one of six tools-- Assignments, Calendar, Discussions, Mail, My Grades, Quiz, or Survey.  You can suppress these messages in "Custominze Course News," accessible from Course Settings.
   
   
2. What is an assignment, in WebCT terms?
   
   The Assignment tool allows for assigned work to be listed with instructions and due dates. Students can then submit documents, online, fulfilling those assignments.
   
   
3. How can students themselves provide websites or other materials to share with the class?
   
   WebCT provides limited types of tools, and the instructor is stuck with implementing the course plan (at least, the online part of it) in these tools.  Students can create homepages (following a restricted WebCT template) if you add the Student Homepages tool.  For more extensive options, see "Discussions and Collaborative Work" above or come to the Instructional Computing Services lab for more advice.
   
4. How can I delete students?

   One student at a time:

   1. In Manage Students, click on the name of the student you want to delete. The Edit Record screen appears.
   2. Click Delete.
   More than one student at once:
   1. In Manage Students, select Select students to view from the drop-down box below the Manage Students heading, then click Go. The Select Students screen appears.
   2. Select the checkboxes beside the students you want to delete, then click View. The Manage Students screen reappears, listing only the selected students.
   3. Select "Delete shown records" from the drop-down box, and Go, and confirm.
   
   
5. What about the CHAT tool?
   
   Although we don't see synchronous online chat as a big benefit to a class that meets face-to-face, you may wish to use it under special circumstances.  WebCT offers a general chat and four other rooms, and keeps a log for rooms 1 through 4 that inlucludes entry and exit times, as well as individual contributions with timestamps.

Note: the delete operation removes the deleted students' records and their access privileges to your course, but the WebCT account remains.

Last Update:  7 May 2009, by R. Hill