WebCT User's Guide

LOGGING ON:

To access the password-protected portion of the course web site, click on PASSWORD-PROTECTED COURSE MATERIALS on the web site HOMEPAGE

All access to this portion of the course is password-protected, so you must have a valid userid and password to view any material beyond the Welcome Page. To log on to the course, simply click on the Login button at the bottom of the Welcome Page. You will be prompted for a username and password. The course instructor provides both of these for all registered students in the course; see him if you don't yet have either.

Note: Usernames and passwords are case-sensitive, so make sure to type in the name and password exactly as they were assigned to you.

NOTE TO AMERICA ON LINE USERS: Some students using AOL browsers have experienced problems with portions of the WebCT programs, particularly those involving posting messages and sending email. If you have similar troubles, first, be sure you are using the latest version of the AOL browser; if not, download the newest browser software from AOL, install it and see if things improve. Another "fix" involves setting your current browser so that it accepts Javascript commands. To do that, follow these steps (as worked out by Mark Prestien, a CSU student enrolled in HIS 393, Special Topics -- Local History Seminar in Spring 1999):

Click on MY AOL at the top of your browser screen.
Select PREFERENCES.
Click on the WWW button.
Select SECURITY ALERT button.
Click on the ADVANCED button.
Check the Box "Run Scripts".

This should the trick; let the instructor know if it doesn't and we will work out another approach (if we can think of one!). Another comment on AOL: I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but I have found that with AOL 4.0, not only is it necessary to connect to AOL, but you have to actually connect to a web page within AOL (using its browser, whatever it may be) before you can connect to the web with another browser.

THE PASSWORD-PROTECTED COURSE MATERIALS HOMEPAGE

Once you've logged on successfully, you will see the (Password-Protected Course Materials) Homepage. The Homepage is the starting point for all accesses to the password-protect course materials. The center of the Homepage shows a number of icons which will take you to these parts of the course. The sections below describe some of the icons you will see.

Discussions at the KISSATEN Coffee House

The KISATEN serves as the main form of group communication for the course. This Bulletin Board is an effective way for students to participate in class discussions outside of the regular class sessions.

Clicking on the Bulletins icon divides the window into 3 frames. The left frame contains various selection options; the top right frame contains the listing of messages; the bottom right frame is used to display an individual message.

WebCT keeps track of which messages each user has read, and by default displays only messages which have not yet been read (these messages are denoted by a "New" icon to the right of the message in the message listing). To view all messages, whether read or unread, select "All" in the "Show:" drop-down list in the left frame, and then press the "Update Listing" button.

To compose a new message, click on "New Message" in the top right frame. A composition window will appear, into which you can type in a subject and the body of the message.

The Bulletin Board allows you to perform a number of search operations to extract messages. Refer to the online help (by clicking on the Help button in the left frame) to find out about all of the bulletin board features.

What's New on the Password-Protected Web Site

Information on new additions to this part of the web site are listed here for your information.

Back to the Course Homepage

Click this to return to the non-protected portions of the course web site.

Course Tools and Student Files

Click here to bring up a series of icons conntecting you to the following useful tools:

Email Contact with Fellow Students

Student Course Files

This tool allows you to view the grades that the instructor has released. You can also view the statistics for the class by clicking on a hyperlinked column label.

How Am I Doing?

This part of the web site provides feedback on how many times and in what capacities you have accessed the Password-Protected portion of the larger course web site.

Change Password

The Password tool allows you to change your WebCT account's password.

Course Calendar

The Calendar tool allows you to view scheduled events posted by the instructor or other course participants. You can add private entries to the calendar (visible only to yourself) and, if the instructor has allowed it, public ones (visible to everyone in the course) . A list of new events pops up when you access the calendar informing you of all the new entries.