WebCT is an educational tool, which provides an e-learning environment for students and faculty to use in addition to the regular class meetings. Imagine wanting to recall something that was presented in class and being able to go to the Internet, log in and pull up the whole syllabus, assignment or PowerPoint presentation any time, day or night at your convenience. Are you one of those early morning risers or a night owl and find studying for tests best when it is quiet and everyone else is asleep? This product will allow you to readily access necessary information, which is a key to truly having education at your fingertips. The term “e-learning” connotes a vision to improve an educational institutions “product”, in other words, the learning of the students whom they are attempting to educate.

WebCT is reportedly used in over 70 countries and is utilized in settings as varied as community colleges, K-12 school districts, private universities, and educational systems. It is reported that there are some with as many as “hundreds of thousands of students”, using WebCT, according to the website. The company, based in Lynnfield, MA, explains more eloquently than I can that many of their clients (educational institutions) demand that e-learning technology provide adequate flexibility so that they will be able to meet their needs. WebCT calls this “learning without limits.” They also provide model course examples, online training, digital content, course design templates and wizards and additional support should you need it.

A number of case studies and outcome research studies have indicated that a blended mode of learning (learning that utilizes a variety of our senses, visual, auditory, etc.) can lead to higher scores and enhanced understanding over either traditional or online learning alone. It is suggested that long-term quality assessment is needed, would be welcomed and should be pursued. WebCT proves to be a great tool in the online assessment and evaluation areas as this can help teachers become more effective educators for their students.

Initially, when I heard about this software program, I was somewhat skeptical. However, with a venturesome spirit and a willingness to try, this product has turned out to be a tremendous asset to my teaching. What I like to do is supplement the text and class discussions with material in a lecture format with a PowerPoint slide presentation. Once the presentation has been presented in class, WebCT allows me to place my Word document or set of PowerPoint slides onto the WebCT course page and students can then refer back to them for studying. Another example would be when you might choose to assign extra reading or other work in between your scheduled class meetings. What helped me begin to use the software was the course design wizards that offer step-by-step instructions on most course design functions, such as setting up discussion areas, adding a syllabus and posting a PowerPoint presentation. Another alternative instead of spending the time to design your own, faculty can also choose from course templates that contain some basic, pre-designed teaching and learning tools. What is nice about this program is that you can begin here but expand to more advanced activities as you become more comfortable with the software system. Each student can personalize their learning experience, emphasizing parts of the course content with which they need extra help or practice. Although I have not personally used them yet, there are modules available that allow students to keep track of their progress and grades. Every semester that I have used this WebCT product, I have added functionality to the classroom experience. I plan to implement more features in the upcoming semester. The students have expressed approval of this endeavor and have reported very much liking using the program.

Communication between students and teacher is available because the software is very powerful. In fact, this software is so powerful that you could literally teach an entire class without so much as actually meeting with students even once, if you wanted. I would not recommend this because I firmly believe that learning occurs at many levels, not just via the auditory and visual channels. Other qualities include the built-in e-mail, discussion and chat capabilities the software provides for its users. Students also have the ability to build themselves a homepage on WebCT. The e-mail in WebCT can be used for questions to the professor outside the regularly scheduled class time and the discussion. Chat sessions may be used by students and professor alike to further the education process. Another real strength of the program is the fact that you can “publish” many different types of files to the WebCT course page and allow students to access them. You can even make tests available online and create quizzes that students can take online.

This product receives a strong endorsement and my recommendation from my personal experience using it at UTSA. Although I do not know the cost of implementing this program, licenses are available for institutions. There is additional contact information that may be found on WebCT's homepage regarding licensing with telephone numbers to contact the company if you are interested in this product.