Features & Comparisons
How is WebCourse different from other online instructional products?
WebCourse offers many benefits that separate it from similar products. A few of the differences include:
- Is feature-rich, interactive e-learning software that works well for
a variety of organizational learning situations.
- Contains the unique SingleVutm web interface that allows
instructors to present assessment tools, such as questions, on the same screen as instructional materials.
- Allows those involved in online instruction to create learning content quickly and cost effectively using existing instructional
materials including paper-based materials or other materials accessible
via the Internet or through corporate Intranets.
- Allows for uploading of numerous file types including word processing documents, slide presentations, spreadsheets,
PDF files, multimedia and many others.
- Offers instructors exceptional class management controls including monitoring tools that let
instructors keep close track of student's work within their WebCourse.
- Is effective either as a supplement to a classroom-based course or as an entire online course.
- Web-hosted to run on WebCourse's own servers with your company branding.
- And much more…
What exactly is SingleVutm technology?
For detailed information on our unique SingleVu tm design
please click here.
How can an instructor monitor student activity within a WebCourse?
The course management features available in WebCourse offer several student monitoring tools including a
TimeWatch report that will show when students have logged into your WebCourse and how long they were logged in.
Also, reports are available that indicate students' status on assigned tasks
including how many LearningSite assignments have been completed.
--Back to Menu--
Basic Operations
Is WebCourse designed only to supplement a classroom course or can
it also be used to deliver an entire course online?
One of the great advantages of WebCourse is that it can do both! Currently, many
of our users prefer to use WebCourse as a supplement to classroom learning such as
out-of-class assignments. However, a growing number of instructors are finding that WebCourse
offers powerful features for delivering an entire course online. Whether used as a
supplement or for delivering an entire course, WebCourse has the features to
handle your needs.
Is there a lot to learn in order to use WebCourse? Is there help for learning how to use it?
As we like to say "WebCourse ... It's Easy!" No matter what the user's computer
skill level you'll find WebCourse's intuitive design makes it easy to use.
However, just in case there is a question, WebCourse can offer help in several
ways including a fully detailed
Knowledge Base that includes all the information you'll need to get the most out of using WebCourse.
The Knowledge Base is accessible once a user account is created. We also offer
technical support either by phone or email and, in certain situations, we offer
on-site training.
What exactly are LearningSites? What is a Unit?
LearningSites are materials, such as training documents, Web sites, videos or
many other materials,
accessible via the web. These LearningSites may be materials that resides on your own servers,
such as an organization's internal Intranet Web site, that reside on the
Internet, such a public Web sites, or for the
Web-Hosted Service option material you
upload and store on
WebCourse's own servers. Any web-accessible files such as slide presentations, word processing documents,
spreadsheets, multimedia, and of course, HTML, can be used as LearningSites. In this way students who
can connect to the Internet can access this material from anywhere at anytime.
A Unit is a topic area that may consist of a number of LearningSites. In a broad
sense you can draw an analogy to a book chapter that has many topics in the chapter.
Thus Units are the holders of the LearningSites.
How do students get access to WebCourse?
WebCourse is a web-based product that can be accessed by through a web browser. It works equally well on PC and Apple computers.
As long as users have access to the Internet and a web browser they can use WebCourse.
--Back to Menu--
Company Information
How long has WebCourse been around?
WebCourse was a pioneer entrant into the online courseware market and can trace
its beginnings to 1996 when an earlier version was used to deliver the first
online college-level course in the state of Pennsylvania. Since then WebCourse has evolved
with its most recent design incorporating SingleVutm released
for public use in 2003.
--Back to Menu--
Infrastructure
Can our organization install WebCourse on its own network servers?
Yes, we offer organizations the ability to purchase a full-featured, stand-alone
version of WebCourse that can be run from your own servers.
Additionally, purchased products can be customized to meet the needs of the
purchasing organization. Contact us about this option.
Is a web-hosted, ASP model available?
Yes, WebCourse offers a web-hosted service with several service plan levels.
How reliable is the Web-Hosted version of WebCourse?
Our Web-Hosted Service runs on state-of-the-art servers and is connected to the Internet via high-speed,
redundant
telecommunication lines. The servers and the Internet connection are extremely reliable
and rarely is there a problem with access.
--Back to Menu--
Privacy
How secure is the information I put on the web-hosted version
of WebCourse?
Very! WebCourse's servers offer the industry's highest level of security. While
no computer service can guarantee perfect security, you can be assured that
WebCourse works extremely hard to make sure your information is protected.
My organization uses filtering software on its computers, how is WebCourse affected by this?
Before we answer this we should point out that filtering software is designed to screen out
Web sites and web-based materials
that are considered inappropriate for certain people. However, depending on how a certain filtering software works it can
also inadvertently screen out information that actually is appropriate for people to experience. So while it generally
does a good job, filtering software is by no means perfect.
Filtering software is potentially a problem in some limited circumstances when using WebCourse. These problems occur in
situations in which a Web site or web-based material, that is selected by the
instructor and is part of a LearningSite,
is screened out by the filtering software. Obviously we assume that this was appropriate material and for some reason the
filtering software will not let it get through. The screening will only occur on computers on which the filtering software
resides. For instance, it is possible that a Web site will be filtered out if the student attempts to access the LearningSite
from a work or school computer, but may be accessible from the student's home computer if the filtering software is not
installed on the home computer.
For instructors who wish to have their students use WebCourse at locations where filtering software may reside, we
suggest you make sure the Web site or web-based material is accessible before adding it as a LearningSites. If it is not
accessible you may want to contact your network administrator to see if there are any work-arounds to the problem.
One final note, the selection of LearningSites are made by the WebCourse
instructor (i.e., account holder). It is important
that the Web sites or web-based materials that are selected as LearningSites meet the
requirements of your company, school, local government, etc. In addition, the LearningSites
must comply with the conditions set worth in WebCourse's
Terms of Use.
--Back to Menu--
Technical Support
If I have a problem where can I go for help?
We have made every effort to make WebCourse as easy to use as possible, no matter what
your computer skill level. However, if you do run into a problem we are more
than happy to help you. A simple email from you explaining the problem will be
answered promptly. You can find our email addresses by
clicking here. If additional
information is needed we will follow-up with a phone call.
Does WebCourse provide on-site training?
Yes, WebCourse staff are available to provide on-site training
to help instructors use WebCourse. For more information about the availability
of on-site training please contact us.
-Back to Menu--
Ordering
How can I order WebCourse?
To place an order for WebCourse please contact us.
Can I try WebCourse before we buy it?
Yes! We offer a Free Trial period that shows off the Web-Hosted service version. To access the Free Trial
click here.
|