Sent: 2013-08-27
From: Julie Lockett, Center for Academic Technology Support
To: Employees
Subject: Critical Information: WebCT Inaccessible after September 13
To: All WebCT Users
The official learning management system at EIU has been Desire2Learn (D2L) since Fall 2012. During this time, faculty and staff have still been able to access WebCT to download content, grades and student data even though WebCT was no longer used for course delivery. Requested courses were also transferred from WebCT in order to prepare for the use of D2L. (Grades and student data are not included in course transfers from WebCT to D2L.)
At the end of the workday on September 13, 2013, WebCT will no longer be accessible. The server will be dismantled and we (including WebCT Administrators) will no longer have the ability to open WebCT course files. All WebCT users should have already downloaded any necessary content and grade books last year when we discontinued the use of WebCT.
As a reminder, final grades are stored in banner each semester but individual scores leading up to final grades are not. Student data and grades are stored in the grade book in the learning management system. For that reason, faculty typically keep an alternate grade book or download a copy of the grade book from the learning management system at the end of each semester for a possible grade appeal or to meet departmental/University requirements.
If you need to download the grade book or content files from any of your course accounts in WebCT, this MUST be done by Friday, September 13, 2013. Directions are listed below.
To access WebCT, go to: http://webct.eiu.edu
Use your current EIU ID and password to login to WebCT.
Select your course from the Course List.
To download a copy of your grade book from WebCT:
*Select the "Teach" tab.
*Select "Grade Book."
*In the bottom, right corner of the grade book, select "All" in the drop-down list after "Page" and select the green arrow.
*Select the "Export to Spreadsheet" button in the bottom, left corner of the grade book.
*Change any settings if necessary and select "Export."
*The ".csv" file will download. Location will depend on your browser settings.
*The file can be opened in Excel and converted to a spreadsheet.
To download content files from WebCT:
*Select the "Build" tab.
*Select "File Manager."
*For individual files,
*Select the down arrow to the right of the file.
*Select "Download" from the drop-down list.
*The file will be downloaded. Location will depend on your browser settings.
*To download multiple files,
*Place a check mark before each file you want to download.
*Select "Zip." (This will combine multiple files into one.)
*Locate the Zip file you just created and select the down arrow to the right of the file.
*Select "Download" from the drop-down list.
*The Zip file will be downloaded. Location will depend on your browser settings.
*Open the file on your computer to "unzip" it.
To download a discussion thread from WebCT:
*Select the "Build" or "Teach" tab.
*Select "Discussions."
*Select a discussion topic.
*Place a check mark before each message you wish to download.
*Select "Create Printable View" near the bottom of the discussion list.
*Select "Save File As."
*The text file will be downloaded. Location will depend on your browser settings.
For assistance with WebCT, contact CATS training Services at 217-581-8452 or cats@eiu.edu.
For questions or assistance regarding access to WebCT or downloading files, contact the ITS Campus Technology Support at 581-HELP.
