Academic Support Associate Director Joe Matesich and Instructional Technology Specialist Blake Burr-McNeal hosted the Electronic Express Brownbag Session held in Smith Hall Wednesday. The session presented attendees with WebCT the new course management system software adopted by the TBR.
There were 19 people in attendance for the session. It took place between 12:30 through 1:30 pm.
All TBR schools participating in the online degree program will use the new software. Pellissippi State Community College and Tennessee State University are already using WebCT.
The system will be serviceable by Fall 2001 according to Burr-McNeal.
"(By) fall 2001 WebCT will be the standard course management system but CourseInfo will still be available," Burr-McNeal said. "We're hopeful everything will fall into place in the fall."
According to Matesich WebCT integrated with campus pipeline will be beneficial for professors and students.
If the program is successfully integrated students will not have to use a username and password to confirm who they are.
"WebCT working with campus pipeline will be tremendously helpful for all us," Matesich said. "We don't have a seamless intigration (currently), but our staff will be involved in getting people transfered over."
The session included a preview of features WebCT has to offer.
Center for Academic Excellence Graduate Assistant, Allison Wasklewicz, said she has developed and enrolled in courses using the current software CourseInfo but she said she thinks WebCT is more flexible.
"I'm excited, having taken and developed courses in CourseInfo," Wasklewicz said referring to what she felt about WebCT and why she could compare the two software. "I think (WebCT) will be a little more flexible as far as the way things are organized."
Wasklewicz also said she liked the look of WebCT.
"It has a much softer interface," Wasklewicz said.
Professors interested in playing around with the new software can log onto WebCT Website and set up a course at http://v3trials.webct.com/freetrial/.
Engineering Technology Professor, Carl R. Williams said WebCT looked intriguing to him.
"It looks very interesting," Williams said. "It's much more flexible than CourseInfo."
Williams said he has tested online before and he liked that WebCT provided a more natural learning and testing environment for students.
"You test people in a real environment and not an artificial classroom environment," Williams said.
WebCT uses password protection for its security measure.
"It's all password protected. The content is secure we are very sensitive to security issues," Burr-McNeal said.
"It's a great experience that this is second course management material we used."
Burr-McNeal said she is looking forward to faculty incorporating the software as soon as it is in use.
Matesich said he encourages faculty to use the new software.
"We're definitely asking faculty who are developing new courses to use WebCT and develop them." Matesich said.
