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New Mexico State University

WebCT Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty/Designers

Welcome to the WebCT Faculty/Designer FAQ page. This page will include information and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding WebCT. If you wish to contribute to this page, please contact ICT Training Services at 646-5125 or e-mail training@nmsu.edu.

Getting Started/Technical Help

Troubleshooting Your Course

What is WebCT?
WebCT is course management software that enables an instructor to incorporate the Internet into delivery of a course. At NMSU, it is used by for both distance education and campus-based classes. It is available to all campus faculty and instructors. Some of the more common features include a chat room, bulletin board, private mail, access to grades, online quizzes, a calendar, and student presentations.
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What version of WebCT does NMSU currently use?
NMSU currently uses WebCT Campus Edition 4.1.
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How do I get started with WebCT?
Although it is possible to learn WebCT by purchasing our comprehensive manual, the best way to begin is by attending one of our basic workshops. Information on all of our WebCT workshops can be found by accessing our training calendar. Information about our basic and advanced manuals with pricing can be found by clicking here.
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How can I sign up for WebCT training?
Visit our training calendar, select the workshop that best suits your needs and schedule.
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How do I request a WebCT course?
All course requests are handled by the WebCT administrator. Certain information is required in order for the administrator to process your request; all requests must be submitted utilizing our online Request a Course form.
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How do I add students to my course?
Once you are ready to bring students into your course, you will need to manually add the student roster in WebCT. To add students to your WebCT course, please follow the instructions detailed at http://ict.nmsu.edu/~training/webct/import_students.html
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What settings do I need to change in my browser?
You will need to set your cache to reload every time, and you will need to enable Cookies and Java and JavaScript.
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How do I test my browser to ensure that I have the proper settings?
WebCT offers a browser tuneup page. You can access the page to see if your browser settings are properly configured. You can also check to see if your browser version is supported. In the browser tuneup page, select your operating system (Windows or Macintosh). Once you select your operating system, select your browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, AOL, Mozzila), and scroll down to see (1) the browser versions that are supported and/or (2) the browser settings required to run various WebCT tools.
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How do I change my password?
At NMSU, your password can be changed by accessing my.nmsu.edu and clicking on the My Account link located in the upper left corner.
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Do I need to know HTML in order to use WebCT?
No, you do not need to know HTML in order to use WebCT-but it helps. Most of the materials that you upload into WebCT will be HTML documents. You can use the file>save as>webpage command in your word processing software but there are formatting issues. Your best bet is to learn a simple HTML editor such as FrontPage or Netscape Composer to design your course materials in. Also, WebCT has certain areas where you can benefit from a little HTML knowledge.
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How do I log out of WebCT?
To log out of a WebCT session, simply click the logout link located in the top right corner of your course.
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How do I populate my roster?
Here at NMSU, WebCT is partially integrated with our student records system. Designers have the ability to query the Global DB and automatically add students that have registered for their course. Detailed instructions for adding students can be obtained by clicking here.
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What do I do if my students can't view course content (Notes, presentations, materials etc.)?
There could be a couple of problems:

  1. Make sure that you do not have any icons that are conditionally released.
  2. Make sure that your students have the correct applications to open any non-HTML files that you have linked in WebCT. Example: If you are going to utilize Adobe PDF files to create your course notes, your students will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them.

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What do I do if students can't access material from the Content Module?
Chances are you forgot to update the Student View after you created or made changes to your Content Module. To update the Student View, go into your Content Module and select Designer Options than click on the Update Student View link. Choose the option to Update the Entire Course.
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How do I make grades available to students?
First you need to add the My Grades tool to your course. Than you need to make sure that all the columns in your gradebook that you wish for your students to see have been released.
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How can I view my course from a student perspective?
You can view your course from a student perspective to test content, take quizzes, etc. To do so, you must first add your mock "WebCT" student to your course (If you don't have a mock student and would like one please e-mail ICT Training Services at training@nmsu.edu. After you have added your student, you can launch a new browser session, go to WebCT and enter the User Name and Password. You are now logged on as a student.
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How do I reuse my course for another term?
You can reuse the same course content each term that you teach a WebCT course. There are several steps in this process and you should take special care to back-up course content before resetting your course for a new term. Please follow our detailed instructions for resetting your course for additional information about this process..
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