What is WebCT and how will it help me?
For the background on how and where WebCT was developed go to WebCT.com. In Jim Swan's Human Anatomy and Physiology classes WebCT will be used in conjunction with regular classwork and the resources already available to students to enhance the class in a number of ways:
1) Allow the student to see all that is available in a convenient form with a course map and unit-to-unit organization.
2) Allow the instructor to give assignments and provide self-tests which will help the student keep up-to-date, and permit the instructor to monitor student progress.
3) Provide for online discussions about subjects relevant to class work and online office hours when the instructor is available without going in to the office. WebCT will provide more instructor contact with students and students with one another, helping to foster a "learning community".
4) Provide updates of schedule changes, assignments, etc. which are easily available to students.
How do I access WebCT?
For the first month Jim Swan's BIOL 238 course will be self-registering. You can create a WebCT ID and the add BIO 238 to your WebCT page.
What should I do first?
First log on to the TVI WebCT page, click on Create My WebCT. Fill in the form, give yourself a WebCT ID and select a password. Be sure you write these down somewhere in case you forget them! You will be asked to confirm the ID and password. When you do so your WebCT page will appear with no courses. Select Add Courses and then find Human Anatomy and Physiology II - Swan. Click on this course and when the next page appears, select register. The course should now appear on your page when you select Return to My WebCT. Once you have added to the course click on the link to it and do the following:
Look at the resources available and the organization on the WebCT page. Go to Assignments to get your first assignment, Introduction to Course Materials. This assignment will introduce you to WebCT and get you started in the course materials. As part of this assignment, when you have familiarized yourself with the WebCT organization take the Introduction quiz. You also need to fill out the Student Profile which includes a place to give your Username (NOT your password). Taking this quiz and submitting your student profile will earn you five points (~1%) toward your grade in the class!
Highlights:
Assignments - Regular assignments will be given which require the student to develop material covered in class. Through WebCT the student can submit these assignments via email. Although most assignments will NOT be graded, some will add points to student grades, such as the First Assignment mentioned above.
Self-Tests - Self-tests will allow the student to take a scored test or quiz on material recently studied. Unlike Sample Tests, the answers to the questions will NOT be available. Students will see which questions they answered wrong and will have a second opportunity to take the quiz after reviewing notes and other course materials. The results of these quizzes will provide a better feedback than the Sample Tests regarding knowledge of material. The scores will also be available to the instructor and, while they will NOT have any official contribution to the student's grade, will inform the instructor about student progress and the need for help or advisement.
Daily Calendar - The calendar feature makes it easy to keep up with assignments, quizzes, changes in schedule, etc. When students log on to their WebCT account, calendar changes and additions are instantly noted. The Daily Calendar will also be used to indicate what particular material is covered each day. This will allow students to easily catch up when a class is missed by accessing the Class Notes and Powerpoint Presentations. Students can also use the calendar feature for private entries.
Discussion and Chat - The difference between Discussion and Chat (labeled as Realtime Discussion/Online Office Hours) is that Discussion is asynchronous, meaning that posting will occur over a period of time, while Chat or Realtime Discussion is synchronous, that is individuals are sitting at their computers at the same time "talking". Asynchronous Discussion will be used to facilitate student and instructor comment about topics related to classwork. The instructor may post a topic for discussion, or students may do so. Realtime Discussion will be used to offer Online Office Hours during which the instructor is accessible to students outside normal office hours for questions, etc. Students may use Realtime Discussion to develop a "Learning Community" in which they help one another on class material. The instructor may occasionally log-in to these discussions.
Caution: Don't discuss personal matters or matters regarding your grade during Online Office Hours, since anyone logged-in will be privy to the discussion.