WebCT Support for Students

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What is WebCT?

WebCT (Web Course Tools) is a web-based course management system that provides an integrated set of tools for both developing and delivering courses. It allows your instructor to organize and distribute course content (syllabi, announcements, lecture notes, grades, etc.) in a secure environment. Interactive tools (discussions, chat, online assessments, etc.) also facilitate communication between your instructor and yourself, as well as encouraging communication and collaboration amongst students.

Using WebCT

There are four steps to ensuring you can properly access your WebCT courses, each outlined below:

• Activate your WebCT service
• Ensure you are using a supported web browser
• Ensure your web browser is configured as required
• Log into WebCT

Activate your WebCT service

To use WebCT to access your courses, you must first activate your WebCT service. This is a one-time only process; your WebCT service will be active until you deactivate it or leave York.

1. Go to Manage My Services page at http://mms.yorku.ca
2. Log in to Passport YORK as directed.
3. Once you've logged in, select Activate New Service, and then select WebCT from the list of your available services.
4. Follow the instructions to select your WebCT password.
5. To exit, click the Logout button in the upper right corner.

Your WebCT account will be active in approximately 30 minutes.

Your WebCT username is the username you used to log into Passport YORK. Your WebCT password, as selected during the activation process, may be the same or different from your Passport YORK password. Ensure you remember your WebCT password. You may change either your Passport YORK or WebCT password with Manage My Services.

Ensure you are using a supported web browser

The web browser you use to connect to WebCT is important. You'll also need to ensure your browser is properly configured, as outlined below. WebCT supports Netscape 6.2 and later, as well as Internet Explorer 5.0 and later (excluding 5.5 Service Pack 1). Earlier versions are not supported as they do not implement Java and JavaScript properly. For best results, we recommend:

• PC users: Netscape 7.1 or Internet Explorer 6
• Mac OS 9 users: Internet Explorer 5.1
• Mac OS X users: Netscape 7.1 , Internet Explorer 5.2 or Safari 1.2

If you do not have an up-to-date version of Netscape or Internet Explorer, you can download the latest versions from:

• Internet Explorer (PC): http://www.microsoft.com/ie/
• Internet Explorer (Mac): http://www.microsoft.com/mac/
• Netscape (PC): http://www.cns.yorku.ca/computing/apps/netscapecomm/pc.html
• Netscape (Mac): http://www.cns.yorku.ca/computing/apps/netscapecomm/mac.html
• Safari (Mac): http://www.apple.com/safari/

If you are not sure which version of your browser you are using, select Help > About "Browser Name", where "Browser Name" is Netscape or Internet Explorer as appropriate.

Ensure your web browser is configured as required

For WebCT to function correctly you must ensure that Java and JavaScript are both enabled, your browser cache will refresh pages as required, and that your browser can accept cookies. Follow the appropriate instructions for your browser version on the following table.

Browser settings for PC:

Browser settings for Macintosh:

Login to WebCT

To access your courses, open http://webct.yorku.ca in your browser. Fill out the username and password fields as appropriate and click Log In. Once you've successfully logged in, your personal myWebCT page will be displayed.

The login is case-sensitive. Ensure you are not typing uppercase when you think you’re typing lowercase. Usernames are always lowercase.

To log out of WebCT when you are finished your browsing session, click Logout in the upper right corner of any page. It is especially important to log out if you are working in a lab or at a publicly accessible computer. Otherwise, the next person using the computer will be able to access your account and course information.

myWebCT

myWebCT is a portal that links you to all the courses on WebCT that you are currently registered in. You can move between courses without having to login again. If you have registered for a course after it has begun, you might need to wait up to 24 hours before you see the course listed on your myWebCT page.

In addition to acting as a portal to all the WebCT courses for which you are currently enrolled, your myWebCT page also provides other important information:

• Announcements: WebCT server outages and other important information will be announced in this section.
• Institutional Bookmarks: Links to useful resources.
• Personal Bookmarks: Create your own bookmarks within WebCT.

If there are new calendar items, mail, discussion postings, grades, quizzes or assignments available, you can click on the individual icons below the course title to access the new material.

To access one of your courses from your myWebCT page, click on the course title and you will be taken to your course Homepage. You may return to your myWebCT page at any time by clicking the myWebCT link found at the top of every page.

Additional Support

Learning Support

Your course instructor is the primary contact for learning support.

Technical Support

If you have a question about using WebCT, take advantage of the Help link at the top of every page within your WebCT course. In additional to this guide, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on this website also has information you need for using WebCT at York University. The WebCT Student Orientation Centre also provides numerous resources on the web.

University Information Technology (UIT) Client Services is also available to provide assistance with technical difficulties related to WebCT, such as login problems. If you contact Client Services make sure you communicate your full name, student number, York username and course name.

UIT Client Services can also assist you with Passport YORK or WebCT password problems.