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to Top of Page Active Development: Software to
Empower the Web
http://activedevelopment.com
Active Development is a company that provides online software tools to those
interested in developing distance learning courses or corporate training programs.
Their customers range from those creating sites for pre-schoolers to university
professors to business professionals in the corporate environment.
Blackboard
http://www.blackboard.com
Blackboard began as a student/faculty project at Cornell University and is considered
to be the "leading provider of Internet infrastructure software for e-Education".
The company was founded in 1997, and serves 5.4 million users today.
Information about a recent Blackboard acquisition can be found in the February 4, 2003 issue of The Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20911-2003Feb3.html.
ClassNet
http://classnet.cc.iastate.edu
ClassNet is a course management and development tool created by the Iowa State
University Computational Center. Instructors can create classes, develop &
manage assignments, and communicate with students via e-mail, chat or newsgroups.
ClearLearning: Test Pilot
http://www.clearlearning.com
ClearLearning is a corporation founded in 1999 with assistance from the University
of Chicago and Purdue University to be a vehicle to commercialize the online
assessment product Test Pilot. The original version of Test Pilot was completed
in 1998 at Purdue University and can be installed on almost any PC or Web server.
Free trial downloads are available.
Comparison of BlackBoard and WebCT
Course Management Platforms
http://etatmo.missouri.edu/courses/resources/comparison.htm
Faculty members often use BlackBoard or WebCT to develop online courses, and
many prefer one or the other. Distinct advantages can be found with both tools,
and the University of Missouri at Columbia has outlined a side-by-side comparison
of the products.
Comparison of Online Course Delivery
Software Products
http://www.marshall.edu/it/cit/webct/compare/comparison.html
With so many reviews about course development software available, it may be
difficult to determine which product is the best one for individual institutions.
Marshall University (West Virginia)'s Center for Instructional Technology compiled
this list outlining the features of 20 different online course development tools,
like BlackBoard, WebCT, TopClass and Virtual-U. Items addressed at this site
include developmental features, instructor tools and features, student tools,
tech support, costs and hardware requirements.
The COSE Virtual Learning Environment
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/COSE
COSE, pronounced "COSY" is not freeware or shareware, but the license
for it is free. It was developed by examining the learning process first and
then looking at the technology. The goal of this product is to produce active
learning experiences that are easily implemented and managed. It has been in
use at Staffordshire University for over four years.
Course Name
http://www.nea.org/he/coursweb/index.html
Not sure how to design a course Web site? This site posted by the National Education
Association's Higher Education section provides examples for developing a department
home page, a professor's page and a campus site.
Course Server Software for Online
Teaching
http://wwwtlc1.murdoch.edu.au/teach/guide/res/examples/course-servers.html
Descriptions and links to several different course development software packages
can be found at this site. The page was first launched in June 1997 and is maintained
by Roger Atkinson. Other resources available at this site include examples of
Australian projects using some of the tools featured at this site. Other comparison
and reference sites are also included.
CourseWork
http://getcoursework.stanford.edu/
Stanford University has released its course management system (CMS) at no charge
to users. Any school can install and customize the system designed for faculty
to develop online course offerings for students. Stanford's Academic Computing
Group developed this CMS as part of the Open Knowledge Initiative, and CourseWork
has been officially used on campus since January 2002.
CyberLearningLabs.com: ANGEL
http://www.cyberlearninglabs.com/
CyberLearningLabs, a company based in Indianapolis, IN, develops and markets the
course management system known as ANGEL. This tool is designed to be used in conjunction
with traditional courses or as a vehicle to deliver distance education programs.
ANGEL is considered to be flexible, intuitive and requires little or no training
to effectively use.
Designing More Usable Web Sites
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/world/web
Trace Research & Development Center was founded in 1971 and is part of the
College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The Center's
goal is to help people create more usable Web sites, and this site provides
links to resources such as accessible Web guides, selected resources on disability
and Web use, and organizations addressing accessibility issues.
The Distance Ed. for WebHeads
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/EmirMohammed/index.html
Emir A. Mohammed created the Distance Ed. For WebHeads page, formerly known
as the Distance Ed. For Dummies Homepage. The purpose of the site is to assist
adult post-secondary learners, and it provides links to online programs, articles
and other distance education Web resources.
The Distance Learner's Guide
http://cwx.prenhall.com/dlguide
The Distance Learner's Guide is the companion Web site to the Prentice Hall
textbook by the same name. Some areas of the site, like the Syllabus Manager
section, are restricted, but resources and information associated with each
chapter are freely accessible.
Diversity University Educational
Technology Services, Inc.
http://www.du.org
Diversity University (DU) claims to be unique in that they are the first MOO
designed specifically for classroom use. DU is a "real-time, Internet accessible,
virtual reality educational environment". DU Main is a project developed
by DUETS, Inc., a non-profit educational organization designed to provide resources
for individuals and institutions involved in distance learning.
DoIT Learning Technology and Distance
Education
http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/ltde
Even though this is a University of Wisconsin at Madison specific resource,
numerous materials of interest to others involved in distance learning are provided.
The mission of DoIT is to lead "the university community in the integration
of appropriate technologies. We advise, teach, research, promote partnerships,
and offer services that strengthen the teaching and learning environment".
Information on accessibility, online course development and online training
& tutorials are also provided at this site.
eCollege: The Leading eLearning
Software and Services Provider
http://www.ecollege.com
eCollege was founded in 1996 and claims to "support more fully accredited
degree programs than any other eLearning provider". The company employs
educators and technologists who partner with schools, colleges, universities
and corporations to develop online learning programs and courses. The eCollege
site also presents a list of teaching resources, online publications and other
materials that may be useful to those involved in distance education.
EduResource Portal
http://sage.eou.edu/SPT/
This portal provides numerous resources and "announcements", and is
designed to be a gateway for faculty and instructional designers who are developing,
modifying or supplementing course materials. The EduResources Portal works in
conjunction with the Edu Resources Weblog (http://radio.weblogs.com/0114870/).
The Weblog site covers lots of topics dealing with the use and development of
online resources. Both sites are maintained at Eastern Oregon University by
Joseph Hart.
EduTools
Entry for Educational Technology:
An Encyclopedia of Web-Based Course Management Tools
http://mason.gmu.edu/~ndabbagh/wblg/WBCMT-encyclopedia%20entry.htm
Nada Dabbagh, an assistant professor in the Instructional Technology Program
at George Mason University developed this page that outlines Web-based authoring
tools and Web-based course management tools. Descriptions and links to Web-based
course management tools like WebCT, BlackBoard, TopClass and Virtual-U are also
provided.
The Faculty Connection
http://www.facultyconnection.org
Courses delivered over the Internet, materials about technology in the classroom,
provocative articles, faculty discussions and other sites are available at this
award-winning site. The Faculty Connection is designed to be a resource for
post-secondary faculty that provides examples and discussion topics pertaining
to teaching and learning with emerging technologies.
FAQs on WebCT Accessibility
http://snow.utoronto.ca/access/courseware/FAQsWebCTVersion3_5.html
Laurie Harrison, Education Coordinator at the Adaptive Technology Resource Center
(ATRC) at the University of Toronto, discusses how WebCT improved Version 3.5
to ensure access for students with disabilities. Harrison also looks at how
WebCT works for students who are using screen reading software to participate
in online courses.
Guidelines for Creating Accessible
Multimedia Content
http://www.webaim.org/howto/mmguides.php
These multimedia standards for accessibility have been adapted from WAI's (Web
Accessibility Initiative) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 1.0 and
WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 2.0 and Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act Guidelines for Web-based intranet and Internet information
and applications.
Hot Potatoes
http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/hotpot
Hot Potatoes is a software tool for those involved in online course development.
It is not freeware, but it is free to non-profit educational organizations.
Six applications are included in the Hot Potatoes "suite" and include
resources to create multiple choice, short answer, jumbled sentence, crossword,
matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises. Version 6 of this software is expected
to be released in the second quarter of 2003.
How to Build a Course Website
http://www.trainingcafe.com/members/coursesite/index.asp
Patti Shank, an instructional technology consultant and faculty member at the
University of Colorado at Denver, developed this guide to help faculty develop
course Web sites. Design tips, templates, Web resources, and other examples
are provided.
Instructional Design Standards
for Quality Online Courses
http://ideos.mivu.org/index.tml
This site outlines the standards developed by the Michigan Virtual University.
It covers areas such as technology, usability, accessibility and instructional
design.
An Instructor's Not So Comprehensive
Guide to Designing Instructional Support in an On-line Environment
http://www.proofofconcepts.com/TOC.htm
Daniel Freeman, an education specialist & instructional designer, developed
this site primarily for instructors and others who want to learn more about
using the Web for educational purposes. He provides links to resources such
as HTML editors, online quiz & test generators plus tips for designing instructional
Web-sites.
Integreator .com
http://www.integreator.com
Integreator.com is the Web site of Applied Courseware Technology (ACT). It was
established in 1988, and produces instructional design productivity tools. Two
commercial products created by ACT include Integreator Pro and Multi-Media Integreator.
Interactive Education: Impact
of the Internet on Learning & Teaching
http://ubmail.ubalt.edu/~harsham/interactive.htm
Dr. Hossein Arsham, The Wright Distinguished Research Professor in Decision
Science and Statistics, believes that online students and instructors are partners
in the education process. He developed this guide to help those involved in
distance education to create and implement successful online courses and programs.
The Learning Manager
http://www.thelearningmanager.com
The Learning Management Corporation, formerly Synectic Learning Systems designed,
developed, supports and markets The Learning Manager as well as other products.
Their products are the result of 25 years of evolution of software development
to supplement education and training.
Lotus LearningSpace
http://www.lotus.com/products/learnspace.nsf/wdocs/homepage
Lotus LearningSpace is a course development software tool produced by IBM. Products
included in the Lotus LearningSpace family include the LearningSpace Forum and
the Lotus LearningSpace 5 Core and Collaboration products.
Mason's WebCT Resource Page
http://www.irc.gmu.edu/WebCT/default.asp
Even though this page is designed to be a resource for students, faculty and
staff at George Mason University, it does provide links to sites that may be
of interest to others working with WebCT. Faculty, WebCT designer, and student
handouts plus references to teaching strategies using WebCT are also available.
McGraw-Hill Learning Architecture
http://www.mhhe.com/digital_solutions/mhla
McGraw-Hill Learning Architecture is a course delivery system that allows users
to manipulate and customize the Online Learning Center in ways that fit their
needs. This system can be used for online quizzing, student collaboration, course
administration and content management.
MindEdge
http://www.mindedge.com/home/index.phtml
MindEdge, formerly known as NewPromise.com, was founded in 1998 by professors
at Harvard and MIT, and is considered to be the "leading e-learning database
and educational infrastructure company". Browse courses and programs by
subject categories or search by school, subject area or by type.
MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW)
http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html
This site provides an initial peek at a pilot version of MIT's OpenCourseWare.
It is a Web-based electronic publishing initiative made possible by the joint
efforts of the William and Flora Hewlette Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
and MIT. The goal of this project is to accomplish the following:
An article about the OpenCourseWare
product appeared in the December 6, 2002 issue of The Chronicle of Higher
Education and can be found at http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i15/15a03101.htm.
Online-Lab Software Simulates
Chemical Interactions -- and Explosions
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/12/2002121001t.htm
Brian F. Woodfield, an assistant professor of chemistry at Brigham Young University,
developed a computer software program that simulates chemistry lab experiments.
This article from the December 10, 2002 issue of The Chronicle of Higher
Education describes how the software works, which institutions are using
it and the potential options available for distance learning students.
Selecting an Online Course Authoring
System
http://www.geteducated.com/articles/corpauth.htm
Many institutions are racing to develop Web accessible courses. Vicky Phillips
addresses issues that should be considered when selecting a Web-based training
product. Phillips explores instructor/institution's needs, technical requirements
and cost restrictions in this article that originally appeared in the April
1998 issues of Training Magazine. Links to the top 10 course development delivery
systems as well as Web-based training electronic discussion forums are provided.
Standards for Quality Online Courses
http://standards.mivu.org/standards
MVU, the Michigan Virtual University, has posted 4 different categories addressing
the following:
Taking Your Course Online
http://www.ncsu.edu/it/edu/online
North Carolina State University's Department of Computing Services created this
site as part of a workshop designed to introduce instructors to ways technology
could be used to enhance the teaching and learning experience in the classrooms.
How to communicate electronically, tips for using the Web effectively and online
course templates are just a few of the resources found at this site.
Tools/Reviews & Comparisons
http://www.osc.edu/education/webed/Tools/review.shtml
WebED, an Ohio Supercomputing Center initiative for Web-based education and
online learning since 1995, provides information on distance learning topics
and related tools for K-12 and higher education teachers, students and support
technicians. One resource available on WebED's Tools/Reviews & Comparisions
site is a collection of annotated links to resources that compare various course
software programs.
UMUC-Verizon Virtual Resource
Site for Teaching with Technology
http://www.umuc.edu/virtualteaching
This award-winning site was developed as the result of the joint efforts of
the Center for the Virtual University and the Center for Teaching & Learning,
both in the Office of Distance Education & Lifelong Learning at the University
of Maryland University College (UMUC). The site is divided into two modules
designed to help faculty understand emerging pedagogy of online education. The
first model addresses the selection and use of Web-based media to enhance the
student learning experience. In module two, the focus is on the delivery of
online courses. Faculty interviews outline some of the truths and fictions of
teaching Web-based courses.
The Virtual Lab Experiment
http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i21/21a03001.htm
Brian F. Woodfield, an assistant professor of chemistry at Brigham Young University
has developed a hands-on laboratory simulation called Virtual ChemLab that allows
remote students to fulfill part of their degree requirements without coming
to campus. A number of other institutions are experimenting with the concept
of a online lab component, and this article from the January 31, 2003 Chronicle
of Higher Education discusses the Virtual ChemLab and other methods institutions
have developed to teach lab courses at a distance.
A Virtual Laboratory Simulates
Physics Experiments
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/12/2002121601t.htm
Professors at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro are developing
a virtual lab that will allow distance education physics students to conduct
physics experiments without going to the lab. The virtual lab, known as Learn
Anytime Anywhere Physics (http://www.laaphysics.org/),
includes computer simulations of common lab components such as tables, instruments
and other students. This article from the December 16, 2002 issue of The
Chronicle of Higher Education indicates that the lab is still under development,
and a trial version should be available in the spring of 2003.
Web-Based Evaluations Let Instructors
Poll Their Students Anonymously
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/01/2002010901t.htm
Bruce Ravelli, instructor of sociology at Mount Royal College (VA) along with
designer Zvjezdan Patz developed the Free Assessment Summary Tool or FAST. Ravelli
found in his own experiences that the scantron evaluations given to students
at the end of the semester did not help him assess students' thoughts and opinions
about his courses. FAST allows faculty to ask up to 20 open-ended questions
with immediate results from students presented in a spreadsheet format.
Additional information about this assessment tool can be found at the FAST Web site at http://www.getfast.ca/.
WebBoard
http://www.akiva.com/products/webboard/index.cfm?&from=www.webboard.com
WebBoard is a message board tool developed by Akiva.com, and is designed to
foster communication within corporate intranets, extranets, educational institutions
and departmental workgroups. The latest version of this product includes the
option to have an add-on module that allows WebBoard to be seamlessly integrated
into the Blackboard Learning System.
WebCT 2002 Student Survey
http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwets/support/reports.html
This 2002 survey was conducted by the eLearning Group of University Educational
Technology Services at Georgia State University. The survey was designed to
capture how students use WebCT, as well as their opinions about this courseware
tool. The first survey was conducted in November 2000, and it is also available
at this site. In April 2002, the second survey was conducted, and it not only
reports those findings but also compares them to the results from 2000.
WebCT Instructor Walkthrough
http://www.ion.illinois.edu/pointers/2002_09/page2.html
Virgil E. Varvil Jr. created this Walkthrough that was presented as part of
the Illinois Online Network Pointers & Clickers Technology Tip of
the Month for September/October 2002. This graphical tutorial walks WebCT users
through the start up process, how to design the look of a course, ways to managing
files and students and suggestions for adding tools to a course plus other tips.
WebCT.com
http://www.webct.com
WebCT, a privately held company, is the world's "leading provider of e-learning
solutions to the global higher education market". They are partnered with
more than 2500 institutions in 81 countries, and WebCT software is available
in 10 major world languages.
Web Course Tools Evaluation
http://sunil.umd.edu/webct
Web Course Tools Evaluation is a site created on June 21, 1998 by Sunil Hazari,
a faculty research associate and adjunct professor at the Robert H. Smith School
of Business at the University of Maryland at College Park. Hazari discusses
the applications of course development and management tools for the Web. Rather
than describing and recommending particular course development packages, Hazari
outlines methodologies and selection process suggestions designed to assist
institutions in selecting tools that best fit their needs.
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