In your online adventure you may run across terms that are unfamiliar to you. Below are definitions for commonly used WebCT terminology. You will find a "Back to Top" link at the end of the listings for each letter that will return you to the top of the page.

If you see a term in your WebCT course that you don't know the definition of and would like to see added here, please contact the Online Academic Support Specialist at hreed@yccc.edu.

A

Access Code

A string of alphanumeric characters and dashes that students must enter to gain access to e-Learning Resource Packs (e-Packs).

Action Menu

The top frame of a displayed WebCT content page that gives course participants access to all of the options available for that specific page of notes.

Asynchronous

Communication occurring independent of time or location, for example online discussions. Participants send messages to a central location (a discussion board) where they are archived for later retrieval from other participants. Another example of asynchronous communication is email. The opposite of asynchronous is synchronous.

Attachment

A file attached to an email or discussion message.

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B

Blended Course

A campus-based course that has some web component, for example online quizzes. Blended courses meet the same amount of time as regular courses, but offer additional online tools.

Bookmark

A site a user marks for easier access later on.

Breadcrumbs

A path of screens users have accessed that display as links beneath the WebCT Menu Bar. Users may return to any screen by clicking on its link.

Browser

A software program used to access and view information from the Internet, for example Netscape or Internet Explorer.

Bulletin Board

Another term for Discussion Board. A system that enables users to send or read messages that are of general interest and addressed to no one particular person.

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C

Cache

Browsers such as Netscape and Internet Explorer hold copies of recently visited web files in a memory space called cache. Cache offers the advantage of much quicker loading when files are stored on disk than when they must be transferred from the web. The disadvantage is that it will sometimes show you an old version of a file from your disk when a newer one is available on the web.

To take a WebCT course, your browser cache setting must be set to refresh the page every time you visit it.

Calendar

A WebCT tool that allows students and instructors to exchange information about class events quickly and effectively.

CD-ROM

An abbreviation of Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory, a CD-ROM is a type of optical disk capable of storing large amounts of data. A CD-ROM could contain reference material, databases, audio, video, or software to install.

Chat

To participate in a synchronous exchange of remarks with one or more people over a computer network.

Content Module

A set of course notes or any pages of course content, organized into a hierarchy and sequence by WebCT. Each line in the Content Module listing is a separate set of notes.

Content Page

A page of content or notes listed in the Content Module.

Cookie

A file that is stored on your computer when you access certain web pages. The file often includes data that you entered when you displayed the page. The next time you access this page a check is done to see if the cookie exists. The information within the cookie may well influence what happens next.

Copy

To make a copy of an object from a document and place it in a temporary storage area. In word processing, for example, copy means to move a copied section of text from a document to a temporary area. To copy something, first select it and then press CTRL + C.

Course Email

A WebCT tool that enables messages to be read and sent exclusively inside the course. Also sometimes called Internal Mail.

Cut

To remove an object from a document and place it in a temporary storage area. In word processing, for example, cut means to remove a section of text from a document and place it in a temporary area. To cut something, first select it and then press CTRL + X.

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D

Dialog

An onscreen display that allows the user to select from among several choices how a program should operate.

Download

The process of sending information to your computer from the Internet or from another computer.

Discussion Board

A series of messages that have been posted asynchronously as replies to each other. A discussion board typically contains many threads covering different subjects. By reading each message in a thread, one after the other, you can see how the discussion has evolved.

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E

Email

Electronic mail sent over the Internet.

e-Pack

A set of customizable online course materials developed and formatted by textbook publishers. Instructors may either use an e-Pack as the basis for a course or as a stand-alone unit.

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F

Face-to-face

Describes the traditional classroom environment, where students and instructors are in the same classroom at the same time.

File

Information that has been saved to disk. There are two main categories of file:

• Resources - Files such as a word processed document or a spreadsheet that you will open with a software program.

• Programs - Files which you will use to perform operations such as display a document or play a sound.

Firewall

A combination of hardware and software that separates a network into two or more parts for security purposes.

Flaming

A "flame," or "to flame" refers to the unfortunate occasion when one writer verbally attacks another in a public forum, such as a discussion board.

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G

GIF

A graphics file format used to place photographs and illustrations, either animated or still, on web pages.

Gradebook

A WebCT tool that records grades and is accessible by both the instructor and the student. Also sometimes called My Progress.

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H

Homepage

The starting point or main page of a website. This page usually has information about the site and links to other pages within the site. Within your online course, the homepage has icons and links to the tools and content of your course.

HTML

HyperText Markup Language - the text based language used to construct web pages that are then interpreted by web browsers. Web pages are a collection of HTML instructions, which you can see by using the View HTML Source option from your browser’s menu.

Hybrid Course

A campus-based course that has a high degree of web components, for example online research or quizzes. Hybrid courses meet less often than regular courses, but require weekly online participation.

Hyperlink

A highlighted, underlined phrase or word on a web page that can be clicked to go to another part of the page or to another web page.

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I

Icon

A pictographic link on the course homepage.

Internet

The global computer "network of networks" that allows for the transmission of words, images, and sound to anyone with an Internet connection.

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J

Java

A computer programming language that is specifically designed for writing programs that can be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately run without fear of viruses or other harm to our computer or files. Using small Java programs (called "Applets"), web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy tricks.

JPEG

A types of graphics format for web pages that generally provides better quality than GIF images, but consists of more data and takes longer to load.

JavaScript

A script language (with little in common with Java) developed by Netscape for writing short programs embedded in a web page.

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K

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L

Link

See hyperlink.

Login / Logon

The process of gaining access to a WebCT course by entering a username and a password.

Logout / Logoff

The process of ending your access to a particular computer.

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M

Mailbox

The file or directory where your incoming email messages are stored.

Modem

A hardware component that uses a telephone line to connect a computer to other computers by converting digital signals to analog signals for transmission along analog lines.

Module

Groups of readings, activities, tasks, and assignments that are organized around a central topic or theme.

MyWebCT

Your "myWebCT" account is your personalized area of WebCT that acts as a portal to access all of your online courses from one location without reentering your user name and password. It contains the listing of classes that you personally use, announcements, and bookmarks.

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N

Navigation

A system, menu, or directions provided to a user so that they can explore, locate, and proceed to different parts of a leaning environment through a series of events and requests. WebCT has a navigation bar on the left of the browser window that students can either hide or display.

Netiquette

The etiquette guiding principles for posting messages to communication forums, such as chats, discussion boards, and email. Some examples are:

• Do not write messages in all capital letters. In the online environment, this is interpreted as shouting.

• Be careful what you put in writing. Even if you are writing an e-mail message to one person, assume that anyone could read it. Though you may send an e-mail to a single person, it is very easy to forward your message to hundreds or thousands of people.

• Send messages to the fewest recipients necessary. Be careful of replying to all, when you mean to reply to an individual.

• Grammar and spelling matter. Online courses demand the same standard of academic communication and use of grammar as face-to-face courses.

• Never use profanity in any area of an online course. The transcripts of online course discussion boards, email, and chat sessions are savable.

• Do not publicly criticize others. This is known as "flaming."

• Use sarcasm cautiously. In the absence of nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and voice inflections, the context for your sarcasm may be lost, and your message may thus be misinterpreted.

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O

Online Course

A course that is taught on the Internet, where students are located off campus (e.g. at home, or any other place where they have Internet access) and use a computer with web access to learn the course material, to complete assignments, to interact with their instructor and fellow students, and to take tests.

Operating System

Usually referred to as the "OS", this is the software that actually "talks" with computer's hardware. Without an operating system, all software programs would be useless. The OS is what allocates memory, processes tasks, accesses disks and peripherials, and acts as the user interface.

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P

Password

A unique code that grants the user acess to a system. Your WebCT password is your student ID number.

Paste

To copy an object from a temporary storage area on your computer to a file. In word processing, text is duplicated in two places by copying and pasting. Text is moved from one place to another by cutting and pasting. To paste something that has been either copied or cut, press CTRL + V.

Path

A set of HTML pages organized in a linear, optionally hierarchical sequence for easy reference and navigation. In WebCT, it contains a standard tool set, along with specially linked tools, and content, that is predetermined by the course designer.

Post

Displays a message you have written on the discussion board.

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Q

Quiz

The WebCT tool that allows you to take tests. Quizzes can be delivered online on a predetermined day, and for a designated length of time. Once completed and marked, the grade, along with comments, is available to the student.

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R

Resume Course

A WebCT function that acts as a course placeholder and allows the user to stop working on a course for a while, shut down the browser and then at later time resume the course where they had left off.

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S

Send

When a student sends a message, it is sent in private course email.

Show All / Show Unread

This is a feature of WebCT that allows students to view either only new messages that are unread (Show Unread) or all messages, both read and unread (Show All) that reside in their email and discussion board accounts on the server.

By default, WebCT will hide all old or read messages, unless students use the Mark as Unread feature to save messages as new after they have opened them. The hide feature is convenient because it reduces clutter from the message screen and enables students to clearly see new messages.

However, there are times when an old message or assignment needs to be reviewed. This is when the Show All feature comes in handy. Students can use the Show Unread feature to show only those messages that haven't been opened.

Synchronous

Occurring or existing at the same time. An example of synchronous communication is the telephone, or virtual chat. Instant Messenger and ICQ are examples of synchronous communication tools. The opposite of synchronous is asynchronous.

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T

Threaded

Allows you to view messages in the discussion board in a hierarchical order, showing original messages and their replies.

Threading is simply a way that discussion boards are set up to organize messages in an orderly manner. A thread is a message and its reply. The reply is categorized under the primary message as a reply or sub-message.

Threading is often used by instructors to conduct surveys: the instructor posts a question and students respond to this one question. All the replies should be posted as messages, as replies to the question, under the primary category or link of the instructor's question. This keeps the window neat and orderly.

In WebCT, students reply to a message simply by clicking on the Reply link in the navigation bar at the top of the message window. If instead, they click on Compose in the main discussion menu, the messages they send will not be linked (or not threaded) to the question they are responding to and will appear as separate and independent messages and not answers to the single question.

Tool

A feature in WebCT that can be used in any course. Tools are accessible via an icon on the course homepage.

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U

Unthreaded

Allows you to view messages in the discussion board in a listed chronological order.

Unthreaded messages are the opposite of threaded. Instead of being organized under another message or associated with a group of common messages (organized by subject. date, etc), unthreaded message are generally organized in simple chronological order.

Unzip

Unzipping is the act of extracting and uncompressing the files from a zipped (compressed) file.

Upload

The process of sending information from your computer to the Internet or to another computer.

URL

The address of a web page. Each web page on the World Wide Web has a unique URL. For example, www.yccc.edu is the URL of the college web page.

Username

A unique name that grants the user acess to a system. Your WebCT username is s+yourfirstname+yourlastname.

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V

Virus

A chunk of computer programming code that makes copies of itself without any concious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves, they might display messages, install other software or files, or delete software and files.

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W

WebCT

WebCT is an acronym for "Web Course Tools." WebCT is an online course management system created by the WebCT Corporation. Visit them at www.webct.com for more information.

Website

A connected group of pages on the World Wide Web regarded as a single entity; usually maintained by one person or organization and devoted to one single topic or several closely related topics.

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X

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Y

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Z

Zip

Large files need to be compressed for sending over the Internet. This is accomplished through programs which zip (compress) and unzip (decompress) the files. Numerous programs such as Stuffit and WinZip are available for compressing and decompressing files.

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