RE: TopClass and WebCT

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Morgan, Brian M (morgan16@marshall.edu)
Sat, 10 Apr 1999 19:40:07 -0400

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Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 19:40:07 -0400 From: "Morgan, Brian M" <morgan16@marshall.edu> Subject: RE: TopClass and WebCT

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Hey John,

We evaluated both TopClass and WebCT for our online courseware delivery
package, along with several others, and at the time of evaluation, WebCT won
hands down! We found TopClass very bulky, hard to use, and proprietary
(about 1 1/2 years ago). WebCT offered so many easy to use tools and
provided us the tools to offer classes totally online and to supplement
traditional courses. Since WebCT is not proprietary in its tools or
content, we were able to easily upload web pages that faculty had already
created, tie in a couple of pre-built WebCT tools, and voila! We were on
our way! Our adoption of WebCT was in October of 1996, and we now have
nearly 300 courses online and have 4000+ students who have used or are using
WebCT at Marshall.

Keep in mind also that WebCT is free to download, install and create
courses. If you don't like WebCT or the course you've created, you've spent
some time but no money. A license is only required when you want your
students to use a course you've created. A BIG PLUS has been WebCT's
product support. THEY ARE TREMENDOUS and VERY easy to work with!

Also, here are a couple of other positive points regarding WebCT:

Widespread use: In the first 16 months WebCT has been in business (to
February 1, 1999), they have sold over 1200 licenses to institutions in over
33 countries.

Publishers: WebCT has been chosen by many of the largest higher education
publishers as their tool to build web-based courses to complement their
course textbooks. Most notably, Prentice Hall, Harcourt Brace, John Wiley
and Sons, Addison Wesley, W. W. Norton and Course Technology are using WebCT
to create online material to supplement their existing textbooks.

Low Cost: Having begun as a university-based project, WebCT's goal is to
charge just enough to provide support, maintenance and continued
development.

Very broad and deep feature set.

Origin: WebCT is a tool built by instructors for instructors.

High Renewal rate. Nearly all (roughly 90%) of our licensees have chosen to
renew their licenses once expired and most have renewed for a larger number
of users.

Language Translations. WebCT's student interface is available in many
languages, including English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Finnish, and more
translations are planned.

IMS conformance. WebCT is a member of the Instructional Management System
Project (IMS), is tracking the standards effort closely, and is implementing
those standards.

Thanks,

-----------------------
Brian M. Morgan
Interim Director, Center for Instructional Technology
Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755
P - (304) 696-6469
F - (3040 696-3229
morgan16@marshall.edu
http://multimedia.marshall.edu/
------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: John Edwards [mailto:jedwards@cennet.mc.peachnet.edu]
Sent: Saturday, April 10, 1999 3:45 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list IFETS-DISCUSS
Subject: TopClass and WebCT

I am evaluating the web course delivery software TopClass and Webct. If
anyone has references to pertinent information or personal experience with
this software, I would appreciate communication on this matter.

Thanks.
John S. Edwards
Information Technology
Macon State College
Macon GA 31206-5144
912.471.2801
jedwards@cennet.mc.peachnet.edu

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