WebCT news at SFU

The selection list can be a good way of organizing student information. In the gradebook, you can create a new column with a drop-down menu attached. When entering informattion, therefore, you can avoid typing, and ensure consistency in spelling by using the selection list. Consistency of spelling will make it easier to search in the gradebook later. One typo can eliminate a student from a search. The selection list appears in the gradebook, and can be released (or not) to students.

For example, if some students had specific experience that others did not, your selection list could be yes/no (where the selection list column title would be: Co-op student experience). It could also identify what area students are majoring in.

It could also be a very simple grading matrix (very good/ acceptable/ needs work). This might be useful if you had several TAs and wanted a consistent but very general matrix, or if it was just simpler than typing things out. Using complete words (rather than VG/A/NW for the above example) will reduce student questions. Maybe you want to avoid assigning a numeric or letter grade for something that you are assessing that may not be part of the final grade.

Any other ideas?

Create some basic, but customized buttons for WebCT using this button maker resource.

It is very basic - you can only change the colour and the text of the button, but it’s all yours. I had to choose very short words to fit!

 Iconfinder will let you search for icons. There is not a directory that you can browse, so you’ll just have to input specific words until you find icons you like. Searching for objects (”fish”) seemed to work better than searching for concepts (”communications”).