Anyone have experience with WebCT?

My school just migrated from the eUniversity platform they were using to WebCT. To me, this has got to be the dumbest move they could make. WebCT is clunky, difficult to use and when compared to eUniversity, it is just more difficult to organize your assignments.

The worst thing is, students weren't even consulted prior to the decision to move to this platform. I now have to go to several different views to find my assignments, to find my grades, to find discussions, to find my emails.

I also noticed that since the migration at the beginning of the semester, the professors are not communicating with us as much as they used to.

I'm just frustrated and needed to vent. Thanks.

 

I have used WebCT during a recent course and agree it can be frustrating navigating through a course. Unlike say Educator which keeps the navigation links visible at all times, WebCT requires the student to return to the 'home' page.

On the plus side though the WebCT discussion forum is easier to use than that of Educator if you are used to threaded discussions say from USENET experience.

 

I have used both WebCT and Blackboard as an instructor and a system administrator**. I am also becoming familiar with Desire2Learn, but am less familiar with eUniversity. Currently, Blackboard and WebCT have about 80% of the market share. Each of the different course management systems have advantages and disadvantages. Clunkiness is definitely one of them.

It sounds as though the problems at your institution have been exacerbated by the lack of a good migration & implementation plan, including adequate communication and comprehensive training.

I am currently teaching 3 online courses via WebCT. It's a decent product if implemented correctly.

Tony Piña
Administrator, Northeastern Illinois University
Adjunct Faculty, La Sierra University

** I am currently authoring a presentation for a technology conference entitled, "Blackboard vs. WebCT: A View from the Trenches".

 

I used WebCT first, and learned my way around. I decided it was OK. Then I switched to Blackboard, thought it was dumb because it wasn't like the WebCT I was used to. Now I'm used to Blackboard. It's the old "change is inevitable, but I still don't like it".

 

Do you have any tips on Desire2Learn from the student's perspective? The University of Oklahoma is transitioning to it from Blackboard starting in the fall semester.

 

Northeastern Illinois University is still using Blackboard. I am supposed to start training on and transitioning my La Sierra WebCT courses to Desire2Learn this month (all of the Seventh-day Adventist afiliated universities, including La Sierra, are moving to D2L). I can give you a more competent answer in a few weeks.

 

Yes, WebCT has a very bad UI interface. Sometimes it is tough to find where the assignemts are.