Concordia University Student Resources Toolbox

WebCT is the primary course delivery platform. The CT of WebCT stands for "Course Tools" and and all online classes take advantage of these rich resources. You will have a single log in location to access all of your course materials, as well as communicate with the instructor and your fellow classmates. Look at the Course Tool Tour in WebCt to get a sense of the online resources that are available to you.

Email (electronic mail) is mail that is electronically transmitted by your computer. Email sends your messages instantaneously. Email within WebCT is intended only for communication with the instructor and others in the course, and does not communicate outside the boundary of the course. It can be used to share ideas, ask questions or share documents (which can be attached to an email and distributed electronically). As a result, you will need to return regularly to your WebCT site to retrieve and send email for your courses.

Chat provides a way for you to communicate "synchronously" (in real time) with one or more people who are logged into the chat tool at the same time. This communication is textual in format, and can be used for a discussion on a course project, a study session, or general discussion about ideas generated through the course. The instructor or a student can arrange for a chat at a specified time, or a group of students can chat because they happen to come together at the same time.

Threaded discussions, also known as bulletin boards, provide opportunities for learners to carry on "conversations" around specific topics even though individuals access the discussion at different times (asynchronously). Threaded discussions start with a topic proposed by an instructor or student, then others respond either to the question or statement, or to another response. This tool allows for new discussions outside of class, or for the continuation of discussions started in class. Unlike a real classroom discussion, you are not forced to respond immediately, so take a little time to reflect on the discussion prior to responding. This can make for a much more meaningful discussion for everyone.

One of the multimedia resources available for CU Online courses is the ability to provide audio and video streams. This means that you can listen to an audio file or watch a video file without first waiting for the entire file to download. Instead, the file plays as it is streamed to you over the Internet. These files are usually pre-recorded and can be played whenever you choose to access the file (on-demand). In most cases, live synchronous events can be recorded and archived for future on-demand access. The specific software used for these media events can include Real Media, Windows Media, and Tegrity.

Often your instructor will ask that you complete an assignment and “drop it” into the assignment drop box. This tool will allow you to "drop off" your assignments during a permitted timeframe and will provide a date and time stamp for the file.

Another multi-media tool that you might see during your online experience is HearMe, a Voice Over IP (VoIP), or "voice over the internet" application. This tool will allow you to carry a synchronous verbal conversation with one or more colleagues over the internet without any long distance or conference call costs.

Your instructor may choose to use the course calendar tool, which is a feature inside of WebCT. With this tool, the instructor can record key dates for classroom events and assignments. These items will be added to your personal WebCT calendar. Be sure to check your course calendars regularly.

This WebCT option allows you to follow your progress as recorded by the instructor in the course gradebook. You can also get statistical information on your performance.

Sometimes instructors will choose to make documents available to learners through WebCT. In these cases, you will be directed to click on a link (word or picture) and your computer will download the file. If you have the application on your computer, the file will open automatically. If not, you will be prompted to download the file to your computer.

Online Learning Toolbox