Web makes learning easier
WebCT allows students and professors to communicate
Sara Brookshire
Issue date: 11/1/01 Section: News
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Getting a copy of a syllabus or class notes is a little easier for some students this semester. The college made the decision to use WebCT as an all-new course-management package this year. The Web site is designed as an interactive tool to help students and teachers communicate with each other.
WebCT.com describes itself as "resources and communities for teaching and learning online." Professors at Emerson can register their class on WebCT.com so their students can check updates, download syllabi or gain access to the college library's homepage. Contact information for professors and staff members at Emerson can also be found on the site.
Freshman film major Jeanne Leitenberg said she finds WebCT to be helpful. "I'm sort of computer illiterate," she said, "but I find WebCT to be an easy and quick way to get the information I need for my classes."
WebCT replaces Blackboard.com as the college's course manager. According to William Gilligan, vice president for Information Technology, Blackboard.com caused problems with students' e-mail access. Students attempting to e-mail a professor could not automatically link to their Ecmail account.
"Blackboard could not get e-mail to work in the Windows environment," Gilligan said. "This was a promised feature and turned out to be to big a drawback for us to continue with confidence."
E-mail in a Windows environment works well with WebCT, Gilligan said. Thus far, the only problem he has seen with the program is password confusion. WebCT does not allow users access via their ECnet password. Instead, users must first use their Emerson identification number and may then opt to change their password.
Any problems with passwords are handled through Academic Computing on the 4th floor of 120 Boylston St. Users must also be aware that the first letter of their first and last names must be capitalized.
Freshman Shireen Shafai said the problem with passwords has become overwhelming. "It's kind of hard to have so many different passwords," Shafai said. "I have a different password for my WebCT, my ECmail, my Instant Messenger, and my hotmail account. Sometimes it becomes confusing."
WebCT.com describes itself as "resources and communities for teaching and learning online." Professors at Emerson can register their class on WebCT.com so their students can check updates, download syllabi or gain access to the college library's homepage. Contact information for professors and staff members at Emerson can also be found on the site.
Freshman film major Jeanne Leitenberg said she finds WebCT to be helpful. "I'm sort of computer illiterate," she said, "but I find WebCT to be an easy and quick way to get the information I need for my classes."
WebCT replaces Blackboard.com as the college's course manager. According to William Gilligan, vice president for Information Technology, Blackboard.com caused problems with students' e-mail access. Students attempting to e-mail a professor could not automatically link to their Ecmail account.
"Blackboard could not get e-mail to work in the Windows environment," Gilligan said. "This was a promised feature and turned out to be to big a drawback for us to continue with confidence."
E-mail in a Windows environment works well with WebCT, Gilligan said. Thus far, the only problem he has seen with the program is password confusion. WebCT does not allow users access via their ECnet password. Instead, users must first use their Emerson identification number and may then opt to change their password.
Any problems with passwords are handled through Academic Computing on the 4th floor of 120 Boylston St. Users must also be aware that the first letter of their first and last names must be capitalized.
Freshman Shireen Shafai said the problem with passwords has become overwhelming. "It's kind of hard to have so many different passwords," Shafai said. "I have a different password for my WebCT, my ECmail, my Instant Messenger, and my hotmail account. Sometimes it becomes confusing."