Transferable Skills for Physicists
The WebCT Managed Learning Environment
In this module we shall be using a web-based system for sharing various items of information. This system is "WebCT", which was selected as the University’s Managed Learning Environment (MLE) at the start of session 2001-2002. This will allow the following:-
Your username is the same as your IT Services username. You password will initially be allocated to you, though you should this once you login to WebCT, using the "change password" button at the top right of the screen you get to after logging in. It is recommended that you use a different password to the one you use for your university email etc account. You should also set a "logon hint" using the link near the top right of that screen. More details are available from the University page on logging on to WebCT.
University information on managed learning environments, including WebCT. Login screen for WebCT.
When you click on the "Transferable Skills for Physicists" link, you should get to the page below.
This is your WebCT "homepage", and gives you access to the various resources and tools. The navigation menu on the left of the picture may be temporarily hidden by clicking on "Hide Navigation", and revealed again using the appropriate link. Clicking on the "Homepage" link will bring you back to this view, no matter where you are in the system. The icons on the top row are essentially links to web pages. The "Overview" page contains an electronic form of the introductory handout for the module, information on the skills groups, and "minutes" of meetings between skills group representatives and the module co-ordinator. "Assignment Details" gives information on the eight assignments that make up this module. There is some information there now, and more will be added during the year. "Resources" gives access to local and internet links, including search engines and the University library catalogue. "Syllabus" is the WebCT default version of what the course is about. Thus far, this is little different from conventional web pages, other than that the course co-ordinator has the ability to discover how often each resource has been looked at by whom.
The lower set of icons on the home page link to more dynamic tools. The "Calendar" will be used to highlight important dates in the running of this module. Clicking on the date will bring up a more detailed entry about what is happening on that day. Clicking on the short entry visible in the calendar view will often take you to the relevant web page for that event. Students may add their own events to the calendar, though these will be visible only to themselves.
The Discussions tool will allow us to communicate using a sort of "structured email" in one place. There is one discussion group for the whole class (Main), and one for each skills tutorial group. All the discussion entries to which you have access are available via "All". My suggestion is to use the "Main" and Group lists, so that it is clearer in which you are working. The picture alongside shows the "Main" list. I recommend starting with showing "All Messages" and "Threaded". This then shows you everything that is there, and with the messages grouped according to topic rather than time. Clicking on any of the names alongside will bring up that person’s comment on the topic (the "thread"). Replying to one of these comments will add another message to that thread. To start a new thread in the list, choose "Compose message".
Once you post a message, you will need to click on "Update Listing" (or leave the page and come back to it) before the new posting will be visible to you. It is possible to add attachments to posted messages. Should you wish to gather together messages to print, click on the checkboxes, and then on "Compile". Please note that "Main" is visible by all tutors and students on the module, while each group’s discussion list is visible only by the students and tutor of that group, and (potentially) me.
The email tool is not far different from the Discussion list, but now the message is sent within WebCT only to those who you choose to send it. When you compose an email, you are given a list of all those involved with the module, and you can choose one or more of these to send your message to. These emails are stored in your WebCT email list. The benefit of having email within WebCT is that emails associated with the module can all be kept in one place. If you go to the "manage messages" link, you may choose to have your WebCT emails forwarded to your local email account. In some instances, you will be asked to submit work electronically to your tutor. You should do this, please, using the WebCT email tool using plain text, or as an attached file (as requested). In some (pre-defined) instances, your tutor will later make your work available to other members of your skills group using your Group’s Discussion list.
The "Marks" icon allows you to view your mark for each assignment, and compare your mark with the class average. In some cases, you will be able to view other aspects of the statistics of the class marks.
Please let me know of any difficulties. We are the first module to use the University’s new MLE; if you have suggestions for improvements, then I can pass these on or act upon them as appropriate.
Bruce Sinclair 2.10.01 updated 15.5.02