WebCT 3.7
27 Little Things that Make
a Big Difference
Karen Kral
karenk@udel.edu
University of Delaware
 21,000 students / 3,400 faculty and staff
 using WebCT since Fall 2000
 currently version 3.7, upgrading to 4.0
 Fall 2002


735 WebCT courses
15,516 student seats
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
27
items
Administration
maintain departmental info for faculty
2. create two accounts for co-instructors or
teaching assistants who edit content and
participate in discussions
1.
DEPT_EDUC
POSC211-TA
primary designer
posted this
designer “youdee”
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
customize error messages, especially to
direct students to instructor
5. create a WebCT course with faculty as
students
4.
student help
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 you
the indicated
are a student,
errorplease
looks like
report
a misconfiguration,
this problem to your
please
professor.
inform If you are
awebct.udel.edu's
course designer,webmaster.
please remember that spaces in file names can be
problematic. Course designers may contact consult@udel.edu if additional
assistance is necessary.
WebCT Depot
Training
provide an online WebCT overview
7. require an orientation session for faculty
8. present a class for faculty led by a veteran
WebCT faculty member
6.
WebCT overview
required req
comm tools
Templates
9.
hide links by default in course template

use either Navigation Bar or Homepage, not
both
10. create guest student account for faculty to
check actual student view
template
guest account
Student Groups
11. create templates for Student Presentations
12. create team accounts for submitting group
projects other than web pages
13. use Student Presentations to store files for
peer review
14. create private discussions for each student
for personal journals
pres template
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.
peer review
}
all students are in all groups
files can be of any type
file naming scheme
to identify reviewer
group of one
Content
15. create PDF files from PPT handouts with
several slides per page
16. identify links to other files within course
using _COURSEID_ field
17. release My Grades after last quiz is passed
to print hardcopy for certification
PPT-PDF
courseid
grades after quiz
Layout
18. rely on the Navigation Bar and do away
with Homepage icons

use symbols to simulate indentation
19. open new windows for non-HTML based
content
20. use a little HTML in titles
NavBar
new window
HTML
Course Schedule<br>
<font color=red>Revised 4/29</font>
Tools: Calendar
21. include pictures using IMG tag
22. simulate ordered lists using &nbsp; spacing
calendar
calendar detail
Tools: Quizzes
23. use “Not blank” condition to check whether
student visited quiz regardless of score
24. use feedback on each question to direct
students what to do next
25. use quizzes to direct students sequentially
to existing URLs
quiz
quiz for URL
http://www.udel.edu/cita/overview
Tools: Gradebook
26. set extra credit column “Out of” value to
zero or leave blank
27. use creative formulas

Total = SUM{other columns} –
((MAX{2,[Absences]}-2)*3)
gradebook
SUM{[Project],[Paper],[Exam]}
– ((MAX{2,Absences}-2)*3)
+ [Extra credit]
WebCT Tips
www.udel.edu/karenk/WebCT2003
karenk@udel.edu