How can I use WebCT to Support Teaching and Learning in Economics?

Guglielmo Volpe, University of North London, g.volpe@unl.ac.uk

Background

WebCT is a software product that provides an integrated approach to the design and delivery of Web based modules/courses. In simplistic terms WebCT could be regarded as a 'black box' containing a set of 'tools' that lecturers can arrange and use to design an electronic version of their modules and to enhance the learning experience of students. It is open-ended software that can be customised for the delivery of courses in any subject. For example, the University of North London (UNL) has adopted it as the main course management system and it is widely used by lecturers in various subjects such as law, chemistry, psychology and marketing. Some of the tools available in WebCT include:

Student management: access to and use of the Web site can be monitored by the course tutor
Bulletin and chat-room: students can interact publicly or privately with other students and the teaching team
Course content: Web based lectures can be developed and made available to students
Self-tests: multiple choice quizzes or other types of self-tests can be developed
Assessment management: coursework and other in-course assessment material can be handled via the Web site. Marks can be posted and made available privately to each student
Group work management: student groups can be created for collaborative work and protected discussion boards can be allocated to each group
Personal Web-pages: students can create and post their own Web pages

These are just some of the main available features. More information can be found at http://www.webct.com/

My Use of WebCT and an Initial Assessment

WebCT is a flexible instrument and it lends itself well to the development of economics courses. I started using it this year as an additional learning support in all my modules (macroeconomics, economic policy, business economics). My intention was to develop Web sites that would allow students to download course material, communicate among themselves and with the teaching team, access economic statistics and helpful Web sites, read useful economic articles from journals and newspapers, self-test their understanding of the subject, access an electronic version of the module content that supports interaction, dynamics and multimedia (e.g., dynamic graphs, simulations, etc.). WebCT allowed me to develop such Web sites easily and quickly. Many in-built resources such as the bulletin board, the module syllabus, the calendar of class events, the self-tests can be set up very easily and do not require any prior knowledge of Web-page design. However, the development of the other features required me to be familiar with Web-page authoring. This implies that it is up to the tutor to develop the module-specific Web-pages (e.g., links to useful Web sites or an e-version of the module's content). These pages can then be easily uploaded into WebCT for online delivery. The need to be knowledgeable in Web-page design can deter tutors from using WebCT. On the other hand, however, this flexibility allows tutors to 'customise' WebCT according to their own teaching style and pedagogical approach.

The following considerations have emerged from my use of WebCT:

WebCT can be regarded as a particularly helpful resource for long-distance courses where access to resources must be easy, fast and where use must be screened and monitored.
The availability of communication tools greatly enhances the flow of information among students and facilitates the monitoring of students' needs.
WebCT plays a positive role in empowering students by giving them more independence and responsibility in handling their learning.
Not all facilities in WebCT can always be effectively exploited. For example, university regulations prevent me from personally handling students' coursework (it must be processed through a centralised assessment unit) and to post the end of semester results on the Web site.

My experience has been positive as WebCT is easy to use for both students and teachers. Students find the additional support helpful, easy to use and, in particular, they appreciate the effort by the teaching team to supply them with extra resources.

In conclusion, I think that the vast array of available resources and the simplicity of use make WebCT an effective instrument for the management of economics courses. Finally, its use should also appeal to technology-shy lecturers even if some training in Web-page design is required.