I've been handed the following model that best describes how we currently work within Courseware.
"I want timed release so I can stay one (maybe two) week(s) ahead of the students. I'll give a vague schedule for the year and then update it depending on how students are getting on with the stuff and adding it new case studies and news articles as they happen/as I find them."
How do we continue to work like this within the WebCT envronment without expecting staff to become WebCT authors? Then even if we do find a way (perhaps via external apps. such as Contribute), what happens when staff want to use additional tools? Do they for instance have to learn to manage their own electronic submissions?
"I want timed release so I can stay one (maybe two) week(s) ahead of the students. I'll give a vague schedule for the year and then update it depending on how students are getting on with the stuff and adding it new case studies and news articles as they happen/as I find them."
How do we continue to work like this within the WebCT envronment without expecting staff to become WebCT authors? Then even if we do find a way (perhaps via external apps. such as Contribute), what happens when staff want to use additional tools? Do they for instance have to learn to manage their own electronic submissions?
posted by Richard E @ 4:25 pm
2 Comments:
At 1:02 pm,
Anonymous said…
Hi Richard
instructors can do selective release from a single page which lists everything in the webct area.
However, if people are in the habit of adding new things as they go there are two options. Either you process all documents through a WebCT developer, probably based in the Departmental office (this happens in 2 departments now), or staff will need some designer knowledge (which is what happens everywhere else, including several departments where every unit has a WebCT presence). Using a 3rd party app for that seems a bit OTT - it isn't that hard to upload using Vista, and they'd have to learn the 3rd party software anyway.
The advantage Vista would have over Courseware in the situation ou describe is the ability to organise other learning activities around the new material (eg discussion groups, self tests, material presentation).
For electronic submissions, the split will be similar: in your case you would really need to talk to the DAA anyway as there is a Faculty system.
hope this helps
Rachel
At 1:34 pm,
Richard E said…
Selective release is good.
Option One: 'through a WebCT developer' - we're losing staff not gaining. We also don't want to move from a system that let us do it to a system that doesn't!
Option Two: Agreed best option, like to know in 'those' departments how much the do add each week.
Agreed, 3rd party app not best of options but may be a consideration if it gives simplified sub-developer access.
'Advantages of Vista' is where the rub lies. Courseware supports teaching not the other way around, we want Vista to support teaching first then maybe later use its tools to provide 'learning activities' if and as required.
[A thought - is it possible to tweak user rights. ie. we create a new sub-developer user that can add, edit and remove?]
Finally re. electonic submissions. These are only as per this year where electonic submission in most cases is done in addition to the normal submission of the printed copy. But yes, this is an issue looming.
Thanks for the comments.. watch this space!
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