Re: Web CT / Blackboard

[etienne -dot- grosjean -at- sympatico -dot- ca]

> I've been looking at a few jobs in my area that are related to training /
> online course design and most of them mention that they want you to have
> experience with Web CT or Blackboard.  Can someone please give me a brief
> overview of what these programs are and if you can learn them quickly? 
> Thanks!

I have been using both programs as an instructor and also blackboard as a
student. I have not used them as an administrator.
Both programs have sensibly the same set of features.
The concept as an instructor is to post lessons as HTML pages. You set the
time when the lessons start (and stop) to be available. You exchange
information with the students through a discussion board. You can (I have
not) setup quizes. You can monitor the student activities (how often the
look at each lesson), etc.
Students look at lessons, post questions and comments on the discussion
board, answer quizes, etc.

I have found that it is easy to learn at the level I used. It is a little
bit more difficult as an administrator. The documentation is reasonably
good. I think both program let you download some evaluation systems.

Personally I prefer Blackboard, but it is possible that it is because I am
working with the latest version and it is not fair to compare it to an
older WebCT version.

Hope it helps,

Etienne