Faculty Frequently Asked Questions
How do I upload grades using .txt files?
- When opening the original .txt file in Excel to get it ready for import into WebCT GradeTool, follow these steps:
- Open up Microsoft Excel. Make sure All Files(*.*) are selected so you can see the text file to open it.
- Open up .txt file using Excel. You'll get a Wizard.
Select "Delimited". - For delimiter, select "space".
- When applying formats (General is the default), select the column with the banner numbers and make sure the format is text so that the zeroes hold.
- While working in this same area of the wizard, select the First Name and Last Name columns and select "Do not Import (skip)". It is not necessary to bring in the names (if you do, it will overwrite the names that already exist in the WebCT student roster database).
- After finishing with the wizard, delete (or not, your call) any extraneous rows (it will spit it out later). Note that the top and bottom of the spreadsheet will contain rows that don't apply to your class roster.
- Label columns: UserID (banner #) and whatever you are going to call your column in the Grade Tool (you don't have to actually name the column (in "Manage Students") before doing the import, you can just create the column when doing the import).
- Scroll the spreadsheet, look for oddballs (example: names with 2 parts
like VAN DYKE or MARY JO) that will cause an Overflow Error when importing
into WebCT.
Save As: csv (comma delimited) or txt (tab delimited)
Upload into WebCT (Manage Students/Import Student Data) Follow directions. Keep track of any errors.
Verify and done.
How do I upload files to file manager?
- Create a file filetype native(able to be viewed without foregoing download) like .htm, .txt, .jpg or .gif
- To get a file ready to be used in WebCT you must first upload it to the "My_Files" area of your course. This requires that you "Browse" to find the file on the hard drive (or a floppy disk, or a CD that is running on your computer) and then get it in position to be uploaded. Then you upload it to the "My_Files" section. From here you can actually select or "pick" the file to be used in the course.
- Go into the WebCT course that you are a designer in.
- Select "Manage Files" from the blue navigation bar to the left (under "Control Panel: Visible to Designers"-- 4th one down). This brings you to the "Manage Files" page.
- Look at the page-- you have a number of options:
What you'll do in this instance is select "Upload file" (it's a radio button) and then select <GO>
Now you see a new page with the title "Upload File". Below this title, you see, on the same line: "Filename"; a blank box space and then "Browse". Directly underneath it "Destination Folder" with a pull down menu box defaulted to "My_Files" (if you had created multiple folders in the File Manager then you would have more than one folder that you could choose from as the destination for the file you are uploading). - Select <Browse>
This brings you to your computer-- you'll see a box that reveals your computer's files.
Navigate until you see the file that you want (if you have trouble seeing files of a certain type then select "All Files" from the dropdown box at the bottom of this navigation window-- selecting "all files" lets you see all files).
After you select the file you want select "OPEN". - This loads the file into the blank box next to "Filename". You can see it.
- Then select <UPLOAD>. The file will appear in the folder "My_Files".
As I said above, the look may be different from tool to tool, but the principle remains the same. Practice on a few files.
How do I replace a course with a new one?
- When a course name exists developed by one designer and the course
name is to be replaced by a course developed by another designer: make
backup of course, request another course shell, upload backup into the
new course shell and change designers from the old course to the new
designer OR just nuke the old course and create a new one in it's place
Remember: protect the course by saving it before nuking so if hard work has been done all the hard work is not lost. - If you're having problems refer to the Create, Download and Restore online tutorial.
- Go to "Manage Course"/"Course Functions"... select "create back-up"... Enter a short description (maybe something like: "This is the first backup of this course on 09/04/01") and then select <create>. The back-up will be created on the server.
- Further... download the created back-up to your home computer (if anything happens to the server you can upload the "snapshots" you have taken throughout the course).
- Further... copy the files from your home computer to a zip disk or burn a CD... this is the final safety net.
How do I make a quiz available to my class?
- Follow this path:
While working in the designer area, open up your Quiz/Survey area // select "Quiz Editor" // select the hotlink associated with the quiz or survey you wish to work on // select the radio button "Quiz settings" (or "Survey settings" if working a survey) in the right hand column // select <Go> // in the "Availability" area, select "Allow access now" or select the specific dates you want // scroll to the bottom and select "Update" - Note: If you do not have a Quiz/Survey area, go to "Add Page or Tool" and add the tool to your course-- this will allow you to check submissions also. If you want, you can "Hide" it from the students until you want them to view it.
- Also, if you wish to add a statement that pops up when students have finished submitting, on the Quiz/Survey settings page, towards the bottom, there is a "Submission" area-- simply type what you wish to say in the box and it will appear to the students after they submit their quiz or survey.
How do I change my password to WebCT.
- To change your password, go to the "myWebCT" screen (the one that shows all your courses), and right below your personalized welcome you'll the Password settings button.
How do I deny/allow access and delete student records from my course?
- Follow this path:
Go into Manage Course/ Manage Students:
from here there are many ways you can go--"allow/deny access", "make active/inactive" or "delete student records" for individual students by selecting the hotlink on their name and then performing the operation from the resultant screen -if it is a range of students (for instance: the whole class at once), simply select the proper action ("allow student access", "deny student access", "delete all records") from the drop box (directly under "Manage Students") - If it is a mix of students (for instance: some are denied access, some are not denied access-- and you want to allow access to a range of students) use the "Select students to view" function of the drop box (directly under "Manage Students"). When the screen comes up with the class roster, select the students you wish to view by putting a checkmark in the check box next to their name (note: by default, the entire roster is initially selected) and then select "View" (directly above). This will allow you to selectively "work" on the range of students you choose.
- After completing your work, it is a good idea to select "Show
all students" from the dropbox (directly under "Manage Students")
so you can see all the students again.
- *CAUTION: Be very careful with "delete all records", "delete shown records" (any "delete" function associated with student records) as these functions are not un-doable-- if you delete student records then they are gone permanently! Unless you have created a backup just prior to deleting student records, you will not be able to get the information associated with the students back.
- As far as Netscape vs.. IE-- it is totally your call. I like IE because it gives me the ability to maintain many browser windows under different accounts at once... something Netscape will not allow me to do. This is useful as a designer because I can be in my course as a designer and then access it as a student and have both those windows running simultaneously... this facilitates an easy toggle back and forth to check my work from a student point of view.
How do I Bookmark my MSU WebCT Course?
- Bookmark the "webct.montana.edu" log on page-- not the "home"
page of your course.
Why? When you bypass the "webct.montana.edu" log on page, you may miss important announcements from the WebCT server administrator. Under certain conditions (browser type, Windows OS settings), if you bypass the WebCT Log On page, your browser may behave unpredictably.
How do I link an assignment to the action menu?
There is no built-in way of linking an assignment to the Action menu, but you can add a Link to the Action Menu with the URL of the student view of the chosen assignment. The same technique also applies to other internal links (eg to another content module).
- Method: Log into the course in Student View (you will need a student Account for this).
- Go to the Assignment Drop box page.
- View the source code for the page (in Internet Explorer,
Right-click on the page and choose View Source). - Look for the part that looks like -
/SCRIPT/<courseid>/scripts/student/dropbox_view.pl?START+_side_nav++9-digit-number.
This is the link to the assignment. Note: To use this in a Link in the
Action Menu, you will need to add the server address. - While viewing the page where you want to add the assignment link,
go to Designer View and choose Links -> Go. - Give the link a name (eg "Assignment") and click Add.
- Select the checkbox next to your link and choose Edit Link -> Go
- Under Add Link, click Go
- Enter the URL in the "Link URL" box, enter a description and make sure the link opens in the Main Frame and click Add.
- Don't forget to Update Student View.
You can alternatively add the link directly to your html to provide a link within your page. The html code would look something like - < a href="/SCRIPT/<courseid>/scripts/student/dropbox_view.pl?START+_side_nav++9-digit-number"
target="_self">Link to Assignment</a >
NOTE: Remove the spaces - I put them there so you would see the code in this message.
You can use the same methods to find other internal links.
How do I edit the assignment drop box column created in the graded tool?
- Unfortunately the grade tool does not allow you to "edit"
fields. There are two ways that instructors have gotten around this
dilemma.
Scenario 1: Create a new column that exists next to the existing assignment drop box column (Manage Course/Add or Modify columns (under
Manage Students)/Add column/<GO> [lower right-- make sure it is a numeric column if you want the values to be involved in a calculated column later on... but remember, you can also convert later if you forget now]. Enter the grades manually. Choices: Either transfer all the grades from the original assignment drop box column into the new column (if concerned with releasing grades to the students) or run two columns. - Scenario 2: Get the students to upload a "dummy" (or the original) file into the assignment drop box (once they get the hang of uploading to the assignment drop box or manage to troubleshoot and eradicate the problems they were experiencing previously). This will set the assignment drop box so that the instructor can grade. Instructor grades as usual. This eliminates the need for the double columns. Note: Instructor may have to selectively release the assignment again to the student if the assignment due date (cut-off date) has passed.
- Open content module that you created earlier. Select designer options mode. Select "Edit Settings"/<GO>. Under "A reader entering this content module will first see" select "The first document listed in the Table of Contents"-- this will get rid of the Table of Contents statement.
- To grade them you need to go to the assignments page and then switch form View to Designer Options. Then you'll see a column to the right of "Grade" called "Results" - you can click on "Submissions" to see who's submitted what.
How do I add a "student view" account for testing my WebCT course?
- When in your course(s) as a designer, go to Manage Course/Manage Students (Add Students hot link)
- Add this student (under "Import From Global Database") : s_yourWebCTID (for example if your WebCT ID is jsmith your student view account id will be s_jsmith)
How do I add a PDF file so my students can access it?
- Turn the file into a PDF. Upload the PDF into My-Files. Add "Single Page". Associate the file with that page (select "opens in same browser window") and it will be good to go. Considerations: Dependent upon the browser, the PDF will either download to the student's home computer and then open with Acrobat or it will open in the frame. Putting it in a content module is not a good idea although it does seem to work. Remember... students will have to get Acrobat if they don't already have it on their computer. The browser usually takes care of that though because it is usually a plug-in associated with the browser. Also, consider file size as it effects download time.
How do I add a student to my course roster?
- You need to know the student's WebCT ID. After securing this information: Go to Manage Course. Under Manage Students, select "Add Students"/type the WebCT ID of the student into the text box in the "Import From Global Database" area and select "Add". The student will appear on the course roster.
How do I change the name of the instructor for a course.
- When you go to the course home page, click on Designer options, then
scroll to the bottom of the page.
There is a link that says:
To edit the Course Menu in the Navigation Bar, go to Change Course Settings.
The instructor name can be changed at the top of the settings page.
How can I delete things I don't want from my course?
- You can delete all the material yourself very easily from any "Organizer
Page" you create.
For instance, deleting an upper textblock on the "homepage" of the WebCT course:
Select Designer Options (on the black bar)-- radio buttons will appear. One will be next to that "upper textblock" that has the written information. When you select the "upper textblock" (click on the radio button next to it), you can delete it (or edit it or whatever) by going down below to the left (Modify selected textblock or add text) and selecting the appropriate action (radio button) and then hitting <GO>. - Deleting documents or tools:
Likewise for single page document or a content module document... select the document or tool (click on the radio button next to it), you can delete it (or edit it, move it, hide it, delete it or whatever) by going down below to the right (Modify, move etc. selected link) and selecting the appropriate action (radio button) and then hitting <GO>.
Why do I get a "invalid character" error when I try to upload a file to the "Assignment Dropbox"?
The filename the student is trying to upload contains spaces or any number of invalid characters...
- Solution:
Strip out the file name fully (or right-click and rename), and rename making sure the new name contains no spaces or characters that WebCT doesn't like. For a list of these file naming conventions, go to the "WebCT Reference Manual for Designers" Page #7. - Additionally:
Sometimes people will add extensions onto their files (they'll actually type .html at the end of the file) on a machine that already (unbeknownst to the user) does it for them resulting in a file name that has "blahblah.html.html". This will cause problems as WebCT detects a dot in the file name. The remedy for this (on the PC side) is to:
A.) remember that your machine is doing this and never add extensions manually or
B.) observe files before uploading them to see if they have the correct extension... - *User must remember that Windows adds extensions automatically. To make sure that the machine the user is working on shows all file extensions to the user, find "Folder Options" (on Windows '98, for instance, you go Start/Settings/Folder Options), select the "View" tab and de-select the checkbox for "Hide extensions for known file types"... this will show all file extensions in the "OPEN" (or pretty much any) dialogue boxes... assuring the astute observer that their file name contains the correct extension for "popular" files.
On the Mac side, note that users must add the extensions manually.
How do I view changes announced on the "My WebCT" page?
- Add your "student view" account to your course so you can see from the student view. (See How do I add a "student view" account for testing my WebCT course? for assistance with this step.)
- This will allow you to see the course updates on their "my_webct" page. The way it functions is that once you've been in and to the area it ceases to be "new news" anymore-- so as a designer, always going in, the course news will not be new.
How do I publish class grades for viewing?
- Follow this Path: After getting into your course as a designer, select Manage Course/ Manage Students/ Modify Columns [under Advanced Options drop-down menu]<GO>. What you are looking at now is the grade book columns (not where you enter/edit grades but rather, where you work on the specifications for the columns themselves).
- To release the quizzes so that the students can see the results, select
the checkbox above the column you wish to work on (multiple columns
can be selected) and then select the radio button to the right that
is called "Released". Then you must select the drop-down menu
(corresponding to the "Released" radio button) so it designates
"Yes".
Then hit <UPDATE>. This should release the grade columns for all to view.
How do I read the entire thread of a mail messege at once?
- To read an entire thread at once, you click to make a check mark inside the box to the right of that thread's blue arrow.
- Then, in the box just above the list of messages (to the right of
the small blue "Select all Select none" boxes, after it says
"Apply to selected message(s) below"), click the down arrow
and select "View Thread". This will open a new window with
the entire thread in it.
Back to top
How do I access a survey to see results?
- Go into the quiz/survey area. Switch from "View" to "Designer Options". Select "Management and Analysis".
- Find the survey you want to look into and use the bottom scroll bar to scroll over until you can see "Submissions" (the one that corresponds to the survey you are interested in).
- Next window shows a class roster tally that lets you know whether people have submitted the survey (YES or NO).
- Select "Detail". Initially, it tells you that "There are no results available." In that case you must select "Update Table"<GO> (Under Manage Columns" -lower right-) and then the results will be revealed to you.
- After the first update, the results stay there but be aware that if you had some late submissions you would have to update whenever they were received in order that their information is included in the end result.
How do I access a quiz to grade it?
- Go into the quiz area. Switch from "View" to "Designer Options". Select "Management and Analysis".
- Find the quiz you want to look into and use the bottom scroll bar
to scroll over until you can see "Submissions" (the one that
corresponds to the quiz you are interested
in). - Next window shows a class roster tally that lets you know whether people have taken the quiz.
- Go to "Manage Course"/Add or Modify columns/select the column
(relating to the quiz) you want to work on
How do I enter student assignments into the assignment dropbox column associated with the grade tool?
- Unfortunately, the assignment dropbox column created in the grade tool does not allow you to "edit" the fields. There are two ways that instructors have gotten around this dilemma. Checking with WebCT support shows no other way around it.
- Scenario 1: Create a new column that exists next to the existing assignment dropbox column (Manage Course/Add or Modify columns (under Manage Students)Add column/<GO> [lower right-- make sure it is a numeric column if you want the values to be involved in a calculated column later on... but remember, you can also convert later if you forget now]). Enter the grades manually. Choices: Either transfer all the grades from the original assignment dropbox column into the new column (if concerned with releasing grades to the students) or run two columns.
- Scenario 2: Get the students to upload a "dummy" (or the original) file into the assignment dropbox (once they get the hang of uploading to the assignment dropbox or manage to troubleshoot and eradicate the problems they were experiencing previously). This will set the assignment dropbox so that the instructor can grade. Instructor grades as usual. This eliminates the need for the double columns. Note: Instructor may have to selectively release the assignment again to the student if the assignment due date (cut-off date) has passed.
How do I allow students to re-submit an assignment?
- The instructor has to reset the student account in order to open the door again to that student. To do this, follow this path: Open up your Assignments Dropbox after getting in there, make sure you are on "Designer Options" (as opposed to "View")select "Submissions" on the corresponding assignment in question/select the student (checkbox to the right of student name) hit "Reset".
- The WebCT Support Knowledge Base
- The WebCT Support FAQ's
- The ultimate Documentation Resource Site