Introduction to WebCT

Sheridan College

Architectural Technology

What is WebCT?

WebCT is a Course Management Software System.

Students access the system using a Web Browser such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer.

WebCT enables learning anytime,anyplace.

WebCT Tools allow you to Access content:

Follow topics through links in a path

Reference material on sites anywhere on the Internet

Use the Glossary and Index Features

Communicate: Use the Bulletin Board Send Electronic Mail Chat Use the Whiteboard

Track your Progress: Student Self-evaluation

Quizzes Timed Online Quizzes Access your grades

Manage the course: Bookmark and annotate

pages Access the Calendar Create simple

Presentations

Not every course offers every feature!

Accessing WebCT at Sheridan

1. In your web browser, enter the URL:

http://essex.sheridanc.on.ca:8900/

2. From the course index, select the desired course and Instructor combination, such asCourse: CADD21A1 - Architectural Drafting 1 - CAD

Instructor: Mark Kurdi

3. Log in with your WebCT course name and password.

Notes: -In some courses you may have to create your own WebCT account.

-Add a bookmark to the main course page so you can access it quickly!

Creating your own accountIn some courses you will be asked to create your own account. These courses will have a small key symbol in front of the course name.

Enter your Last name and your first name.

Your Login ID should be your login account name - the name you use to log in to the computers at Sheridan (SherNet).

Enter a password. Ideally, this password would the same one you use to log in to SherNet. Careful: The password will be displayed once on the next screen after you pick on ‘Done’!

WebCT courses in the Architectural Department

All courses have a similar home page:

Access your Course Outline

Access the Architectural Department Policies Page

Communicate with your Instructor

Track your Grades

Access course content in sequence

Access course content by topic

Change your WebCT password for the course

Courses may have other tools such as quizzes, Bulletin Boards, Chat tools, and a Whiteboard.

Taking a Quiz

Two types of quizzes: Self-evaluation Quizzes Timed Online quizzes

To start a quiz, click on the link. The Quiz appears in two panes (or frames).1. In the left frame, answer each question, then click on the Save

Answer button under each question. (You may return to the question and save the answer again…)

2. A small table in the right frame indicates which questions have been answered and which have not.

3. When the quiz is finished, press the Finish button (located on the top or bottom of the left frame) to submit the quiz answers for grading.

Bulletin BoardsThe Bulletin Board consists of a series of Forum lists. Messages can be read and posted to any Forum the student has access to.

A Forum can be public (open to all students) or private (assigned to a group of students for collaboration on a project).

The contents of this frame varies depending on the function. Here the available fora are listed. Usually this frame displays the text of any message highlighted in the frame above.

The left frame displays the controls. Use the Help button to access the documentation for the bulletin board.

The upper frame shows the message headers (titles) and the sender. Highlighting a message header displays it in the frame below.

The CalendarA quick and easy way to mark major events.

The Calendar allows the course instructor and the students to post data on major events.

The comments could be Public (readable by everyone) or Private (readable only by the Author.

Instructors use the Calendar to post important events like the date of a test or exam…

Students add comments to mark due dates for assignments, warnings to prepare for a quiz or test, birthdays, etc..

Normally, only the Instructor is allowed to post public comments.

Tracking your progress

On some courses, you will find a “Progress” or “Your Record” icon.

WebCT tracks the students progress through the course, and records the different statistics on how many times a page was accessed (or not), the access times of the different pages, and other data.

Students can view some of this data to track their progress in the course.

Exercises and Assignments

Exercises and Assignments will be posted in every WebCT course. Make a note of the due dates!

These assignments may be accessed through the Topical Index, or through a special exercises and assignments icon.

The exercises will normally be a simple HTML (web) page, and some may be available in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format (suitable for printing).

CAD drawings will be published on the Web as simple graphic images or as a special DWF file.

A DWF file is a drawing file in a special format that can be displayed in a browser window using a plug-in called “WHIP”. The drawings can be enlarged, reduced or panned around easily.