27 Little Things that Make a Big Difference Karen Kral WebCT 3.7

Tips and Tricks for Faculty and IT Support Staff  Hints from the hallways  Cues and clues over coffee  Words to the wise from the water cooler  Maneuvers from meeting in the mail room

Administration 1. maintain departmental info for faculty

DEPT_EDUC

Administration 2. create two accounts for co-instructors or teaching assistants who edit content and participate in discussions

POSC211-TA designer “youdee” posted this primary designer posted this

Support 3. create a help site for students create a WebCT course for semester info for all students in one department or college create a WebCT course for semester info for all students in one department or college

student help

Support 4. customize error messages, especially to direct students to instructor

foot.shtml [ install_dir ]/webct/server/errordocs/foot.shtml The requested URL was not found on this server: /NURS411_010_03S/Syllabus/Fall02.html If the indicated error looks like a misconfiguration, please inform webct.udel.edu's webmaster. The requested URL was not found on this server: /NURS411_010_03S/Syllabus/Fall02.html If you are a student, please report this problem to your professor. If you are a course designer, please remember that spaces in file names can be problematic. Course designers may contact if additional assistance is necessary.

Support 5. create a WebCT course with faculty as students

WebCT Depot

Training 6. provide an online WebCT overview

WebCT overview

Training 7. require an orientation session for faculty

required req

Training 8. present a class for faculty led by a veteran WebCT faculty member

comm tools

Templates 9. hide links by default in course template use either Navigation Bar or Homepage, not both use either Navigation Bar or Homepage, not both 10. create guest student account for faculty to check actual student view

guest account

Student Groups 11. create templates for Student Presentations

pres template

Student Groups 12. create team accounts for submitting group projects other than web pages

team accounts Members of a team can log on using the team account to see if the assignment has been submitted and graded. Each student still has his or her own WebCT ID and access to the course.

Student Groups 13. use Student Presentations to store files for peer review

peer review file naming scheme to identify reviewer } all students are in all groups files can be of any type

Student Groups 14. create private discussions for each student for personal journals

group of one

Content 15. create PDF files from PPT handouts with several slides per page

PPT-PDF

Content 16. identify links to other files within course using _COURSEID_ field

courseid

Content 17. release My Grades after last quiz is passed to print hardcopy for certification

grades after quiz

Layout 18. rely on the Navigation Bar and do away with Homepage icons use symbols to simulate indentation use symbols to simulate indentation

NavBar

Layout 19. open new windows for non-HTML based content

new window

Layout 20. use a little HTML in titles

HTML Course Schedule Revised 4/29

Tools: Calendar 21. include pictures using IMG tag

calendar

Tools: Calendar 22. simulate ordered lists using spacing

calendar detail

Tools: Quizzes 23. use “Not blank” condition to check whether student visited quiz regardless of score

not blank

Tools: Quizzes 24. use feedback on each question to direct students what to do next

quiz

Tools: Quizzes 25. use quizzes to direct students sequentially to existing URLs

quiz for URL

Tools: Gradebook 26. set extra credit column “Out of” value to zero or leave blank

extra credit SUM{[Project],[Paper],[Exam]} + [Extra credit]

Tools: Gradebook 27. use creative formulas Total = SUM{other columns} – ((MAX{2,[Absences]}-2)*3) Total = SUM{other columns} – ((MAX{2,[Absences]}-2)*3)

gradebook SUM{[Project],[Paper],[Exam]} – ((MAX{2,Absences}-2)*3)

WebCT Tips What’s in your bag of tricks?