WebCT (Course Tools), now owned by Blackboard and being phased out, is an online proprietary virtual learning environment system which is sold to colleges and other institutions and is used in many campuses for e-learning. Instructors could add to their WebCT courses tools such as discussion boards, mail systems and live chat, along with content such as documents and web pages.
WEBCT
What is WebCT?
WebCT (Web Course Tools) is a web-based course management system that many instructors at UAH use to make course materials available to students. WebCT tools also allow students to communicate with their instructor and/or with one another.
Some of the features that students use in WebCT:
· check your grades
· take a quiz or complete a survey
· turn in projects or other assignments
· check the class calendar
· complete an online tutorial
· access an audio- or video-based lecture
· view or print a handout
· browse Internet links related to course material
WebCT courses tools such as discussion boards, mail systems and live chat, along with content such as documents and web pages. The latest version of webct in use is 6.0.
Function and Advantages:
- Create Powerful Learning Content
Simple and powerful web-based tools allow instructors and facilitators to build and manage learning content and provide an engaging environment for students.
- Facilitate Student Participation, Communication, and Collaboration
A suite of synchronous and asynchronous tools encourage student interaction, small-group work, and peer knowledge sharing.
- Assess and Evaluate Student Performance
Tests, quizzes and assignments are easy to create and deploy, and a variety of tools for evaluating performance contribute to instructor efficiency while providing timely feedback and reporting for students.
Development:
WEBCT is built on open architecture using java APIs and web services, which ensures that clients can:
- Extend the Blackboard Academic Suite and incorporate new functionality.
- Provide customizations to meet discipline-specific or pedagogical needs.
- Leverage this technology to enhance and aid administration of their systems on campus.
- Automate procedures or repetitive tasks
- Integrate with external systems or applications across their learning enterprise for example the Registrar’s office, the Library to name just two
- Customize their implementation by integrating open source or locally-developed applications and tools
RATING:
1. Usability 5
2. Multi-language options 5
3. Collaboration tools 4
SCREENSHOT:
Following is the screen shot of customized WEBCT which is being used at California State University, Los Angeles
WEBCT-doc.docx