• HSTA server at http://www.wv-hsta.org/inspiration/gradsyllabus.htm
• WebCT course web site at http://webct.wvu.edu
  
  

Course Description

This course, available only to teachers participating in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA), is part of a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) project through the WVU Center for Healthy Communities. A special emphasis of the course is human energy balance and its relationship to secondary level science and math. It is intended to enrich HSTA Teachers' knowledge, skills, and ideas in providing HSTA club programming as well as regular classroom instruction for secondary level students. This Spring semester course offering will focus on promoting healthy weight as a public health initiative and the energy expenditure (physical activity) component of the energy balance equation. A Fall semester offering will continue these thrusts and focus more on the energy input (diet) component of human energy balance.

Please Note:: The facilitation of student HSTA club research projects that require but have not received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) are not a part of this course. Additionally, all HSTA club activities must be carried out in accordance with science safety precautions for the regular school classroom, which includes that students are not to do any activities that involve human pathogens or human body fluids. Here is the "Science Education Safety" website of the Council of State Science Supervisors, which also provides links to other valid safety resources: http://csss.enc.org/safety.htm If in doubt about the safety of an activity, check with expert information sources or authorities before doing it.

Course Registration 

By Wednesday, January 22, complete and return via postal mail or fax to the instructor (James Rye, see Instructor Contact Information below) the WVU Extended Learning Registration Form along with your check or credit card (payable to WVU) payment of $99 to cover course fees (the tuition is waived because of the grant we have from CDC). To complete the section at the bottom on the front of the form (II. Registration Form), you will need to know:

• Course CRN#: 15618
• Subject: C&I
• Course #: 694
• Section: 6AA
• Credit Hours: 3
• Grd Opt: 2

If you already are a WVU graduate student, you need only complete the front of the form. However, if you pay by credit card, you will need also to complete the back side bottom of form.

If you are not currently a WVU graduate student, you may take this course for graduate credit only with the permission of the Instructor and this can only be allowed one time in your history as a WVU student. You also will be assessed the $10 "Professional Development" fee and will need to complete both sides of the form: Consult Instructor before registering.  Additionally, you must submit your application for admission to the WVU Graduate school at the same time that you register. You can apply on-line at the throught the WVU web site (see Admissions at http://www.wvu.edu/ )

Instructor Contact Information

• James A. Rye, Associate Professor
• Allen Hall, Room 604L (generally Tuesday through Thursday) or Prete Building, 2nd Floor, Center for Healthy Communities (generally Monday and Friday).
  
• Email: jim.rye@mail.wvu.edu or you may use the private mail tool within WebCT (simply select my name).
  
• Postal Address: Department Educational Theory & Practice, WVU, P.O, Box 6122, WV 26506-6122.
  
• Phone: If you call between 8:15 am and 4: 45 pm, you can reach me through the HSTA toll-free number: 800-345-4267. My direct phone numbers, which have voice mail, are as follows: 304 293-3442 x1326 (generally Tuesday through Thursday) or 304 293-5578 (generally Monday and Friday).
• Fax: 304 293-3802.

Instructor Office Hours:

Monday, 1 pm to 5 pm, in person or by phone or email. Pose questions/concerns via phone or email at any other time, however, the instructor can not always respond immediately.

Course Objectives For Enrolled Teachers

1. Describe contributing factors to and the extent of the overweight and obesity problem in the United States and in West Virginia

2. Explain in detail the concept of human energy balance.

3. Identify misconceptions about diet and exercise as they relate to human energy balance and provide the scientific understandings.

4. Describe credible on-line resources that address physical activity and healthy weight.

5. Develop and provide science instruction and enrichment that (a) integrates the concepts of human energy balance, (b) applies mathematics and (c) aligns with the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives (and accordingly, the National Science Education Standards) in science.

6. Articulate a strong rationale for the inclusion, safely, of physical activity as a component in the prevention and reduction of overweight and obesity.

7. Explain ways in which several national, state, and local resources can be utilized/leveraged to increase physical activity in communities.

8. Develop a proposal or position paper on increasing physical activity opportunities/levels in communities.

Prerequisite Technology and Related Expectations

This course is delivered partially via "distance education" through the use of email, some on-line readings, a course web site, and on-line discussions at that course web site. Therefore, you need a computer with Internet access and email, and you need to know how to search the Internet and do email, including email attachments. You also need to know how to post messages with attachments to on-line discussion folders and reply to messages in threaded discussions. An orientation to posting is available at the course web site (see below). Additionally, you should have a copy of Adobe Acrobat® Reader (Viewer) software on your computer to enable you to read portable document files (.pdf). You can download a free copy of this reader at the Adobe web site: http://www.adobe.com/.

Please Note: It is very important that you check your email from the instructor at least once a week and respond as requested.

A 3-credit semester course at WVU has 45 contact hours (includes breaks) and attendance is expected. See the section on Grading to ascertain how attendance affects your course grade. As part of this 45 hours, you may count 15 hours of the total time that you spend attending and facilitating HSTA clubs during the Spring semester (15 hours amounts to 1/3 of the total contact time for this course). Additionally, another 1/3 of the contact time is devoted to attending the Spring HSTA Teacher workshop and HSTA Symposium. The total contact time/attendance consists of the following:

• Attending and facilitating your HSTA club meetings (15 hours).
• Attending and participating in the Spring Semester HSTA Teacher workshop Feb 21-22 in Charleston at Capital High School or Feb 28-March 1 in Morgantown in 601 Allen Hall on the WVU Evansdale Campus. A full agenda and directions are forthcoming. (9 hours).
• Attending and facilitating your students' presentations at the HSTA Annual Symposium May 3 in Charleston (6 hours).
• Attending the on-line threaded discussions. This means participating by the dates specified in each of the five on-line Discussion Folders at the WebCT course web site (15 hours).

Please Note: Because much of the class contact time dovetails with what you would do anyway as a HSTA teacher (club meetings, symposium), please give considerable thought and attention to the 5 on-line discussions as well as the assigned readings and other assignments described in the "Assignments" section of this syllabus. Your full participation in the discussions and assignments will help to make us a learning community, where we (and ultimately, our students) can benefit from the ideas, experiences, and feedback from each other. Thank you in advance.

Course Web Site

WebCT (http://webct.wvu.edu/) is used to support the on-line discussions in this course. Here you will find an electronic version of this syllabus, discussion folders, an orientation to the use of these discussion folders, and other referernce material.

Instructions for accessing WebCT: To log in, you must access the WebCT site (http://webct.wvu.edu/) and type in your Username and Password.

• Username: type your wvu.edu email address without the @mix.wvu.edu. (e.g., jstudent)
• Password: type the last four digits of your social security number. (e.g., 2303)
• Please do not give your password to other individuals. Note that you also can change your password.
• Detailed instructions for logging in to and troubleshooting problems with WebCT are appended at the end of this syllabus.

Course Texts and Other Print and Electronic Resources

1. Readings for On-line Discussions. Readings from these sources will be assigned for our on-line discussions. For specific reading assignments, see the "Schedule for Discussion Folders" table under Assignment 1 in the Assignments section of this syllabus.

• Beyond Ideal Body Weight: Body Composition Assessment Applied to Goal Setting. (Full reference: Rye, J. (1990). Beyond Ideal Body Weight: Body Composition Assessment Applied to Goal Setting. Dietitians in General Clinidcal Practice, 8, 2-8, 10, 13-14.) This reading is available at WVU Libraries Electronic Reserves: http://ereserves.lib.wvu.edu/. After clicking on the previous URL, select the instructor or course (via the "browse" function) and enter the reserve reading username and password given to you by the instructor.
  
• Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior.* (Full reference: Summerfield, L. (2001). Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning). This text will be mailed to you in January.
• Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action.* (Full reference: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. (2000). Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action. Champaign-Urbana, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.) This text will be distributed at the Spring workshop.
• Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available on-line at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity (Note Appendix B provides links to a wealth of on-line resources to promote healthy weight and increase physical activity levels.)
  

*These two readings are from textbooks provided to you.

2. Electronic Resources for Academic Enrichment and Proposals to Increase Physical Activity in Communities. The above resources also may be useful for club or classroom activities, or for constructing proposals to increase physical activity opportunities in WV communities. Here are a list of additional resources that you may want to visit as a part of this course, for club or classroom activities, or for proposals to increase physical activity opportunities in WV communities:

• Healthfinder® Web site - the Federal gateway to information on health. http://www.healthfinder.gov/.
• Healthy People 2010. Available on-line at: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople. (Full reference: Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2001). Healthy People 2010. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)
  • Companion web site for Healthy People 2010: http://www.healthypeople.gov/Implementation/compdocs.htm
  • Other "Healthy People" Publications, including statistical publications: http://www.healthypeople.gov/Publications/
• Guidelines for Comprenhensive Programs to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. http://www.astphnd.org/programs/guidelines.htm or http://www.astphnd.org/. Hard copies may be ordered from Human Kinetics Publishers: http://www.humankinetics.com/ . (Full reference: Nutrition and Physical Activity Working Group, Centers for Disease Control (2002). Guidelines for Comprenhensive Programs to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Champaign-Urbana, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.)
• Kids-Walk to School. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/index.htm .
  • Kidswalk to School: A Guide to Promote Walking to School. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/pdf/kidswalk.pdf
• Obesity: Facts, Figures, Guidelines. (2002). Charleston, WV: West Virginia Dept of Public Health, Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion. Available on-line at http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/obesity/default.htm
• Resources for a More Walkable World (CDC Kids Media site). http://www.cdc.gov/kidsmedia/walkableworld.htm
• Walkable Communities: http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/hp/card/walkcomm.htm
• West Virginia Bureau of Public Health, Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion Publications: http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/hsc/vr/publicat.htm
• West Virginia Healthy People 2010. (2001) Charleston, WV: West Virginia Dept of Health and Human Resources, Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion. http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hp2010/objective/contents.html
• West Virginia Physical Activity: http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/hp/card/default.htm

3. Software. A software program on diet and physical activity will be provided and utilized in the course (distributed at Spring semester workshop).

Assignments (including points and due dates)

Assignment 1 below is part of the course contact time, but the readings that you do to prepare for the threaded discussions are part of the expected "out of class" assignments. Assignments 2 - 4 also are outside of the course contact time, however, the course readings and these assignments each may be of some assistance in working with your HSTA club.

1. Five On-Line "Threaded" Discussions in Discussion Folders at WebCT Course Web Site. 35 points total. Due Date: See "Schedule for Discussion Folders" (table) below.

We will have "threaded discussions" in five different Discussion Folders. We will begin the first threaded discussion ("Overview of Energy Balance Problem") on February 5. Each threaded discussion will span approximately a 10-day time period. The threaded discussions in each Discussion Folder will be based on the assigned readings, including web sites provided in the readings. The schedule for the threaded discussions in these five Discussion Folders, and the related assigned readings, is provided in the table below. In each Discussion Folder, you are to do the following:

1. Initiate a threaded discussion through composing an "Initiating post."

2. Participate in the threaded discussions of at least three of your colleagues by reading and replying to their initiating posts. Please attempt to participate in the threaded discussions initiated by all of your colleagues over the duration of this course, i.e., don't always reply to the same colleagues as we move from one Discussion Folder to the next.

3. Monitor your own threaded discussion by reading and replying to at least two of the responses you received.

In order for this system to work, you must make your postings by the specific dates shown in the Schedule Table below. Your postings should be relatively free from grammatical and typographical errors and any URLs should work: Please preview your post before posting it.

General "how to" guidelines for posting to the WebCT Discussion Board are appended to end of this syllabus.

Here are instructions for what to include in your initiating, participating, and monitoring posts (messages):

Initiating Post. Each initiating post should be at least 300 words in length (this would be almost one page if it was double spaced, size 12, Times font). To avoid losing your post due to a computer malfunction or shutdown, type/save the post in a word processor first and then paste it into a compose window in the Discussion Folder. Make sure to type a "title" into the "subject box" of your post that attempts to capture the interest of your colleagues. If there is more than one assigned reading for the Discussion Folder, make sure to bring in each of the readings somewhere in your post. Also, please bring in one of the web sites that you visited; give the URL and please don't forget the "http" portion so it will hotlink. Use the "Preview" feature in your compose window before you actually "post" the message to insure the hotlink(s) work. In your post, include all three of the following:

1. Some of your thoughts, reactions and/or experiences relative to the assigned reading(s) and web site(s) visited. Sometimes, the instructor may ask you to provide your thoughts or reactions to specific content or a web site: Therefore, make sure to read the posting provided by the instructor in each Discussion Folder before composing your post.

2. An idea that you have for applying some content/concepts from one of the assigned readings in your HSTA club or regular classroom.

3. Substantive questions for your colleagues to stimulate some discussion about the assigned reading(s). Your questions can be related to applications of the content in everyday life or to instruction.

The instructor will provide an example "initiating post" for the first Discussion folder.

Participating and Monitoring Posts. No required length is given for the replies that you make to your colleagues, but your replies do need to be substantive and more than just two or three sentences. Their are two main purposes of replying: (a) to respond to your colleagues' questions and ideas and (b) to enrich the conversation that is enusing by contributing other relevant information, perspectives, and so on. If you find that you disagree with something that your colleague states, this is fine but please be respectful in your response. Feel free to provide a link to a related web site(s) as a part of your reply: Please include the "http://" portion and preview the post to insure the URL works..

Each of the 5 threaded discussion experiences (each Discussion Folder) is worth 7 points. Points awarded will be based collectively on your initiating, participating, and monitoring posts to the threaded discussions in that folder. It is not possible for the instructor to read all of your postings, so the grade assigned for each Discussion Folder will be based on the postings that he selects to read.

Schedule for Discussion Folder Postings (Threaded Discussions) and Related Assigned Readings

Due Dates for Postings This column lists the dates by which your initiating, participating, and monitoring posts need to be done. Before composing your initiating post, make sure to read the posting that the instructor has made in that Discussion Folder.	Readings to Complete Before Posting This column lists the readings that need to be completed prior to the date on which your initiating post is due for each Discussion Folder. Please continue to refer to these readings during the threaded discussions. The full reference as well as where and how to locate these readings is listed earlier in the syllabus under "Readings for On-line Discussions." As part of each reading, make sure to visit a couple web sites that are listed therein. Your initiating post is to be based on these readings and web site visits.
Folder 1: Overview of Energy Balance Problem
Feb 5 - Initiate Feb 10 - Participate Feb 14 - Monitor	Surgeon General's Call to Action: Read entire document beginning with page v. Note Appendix A provides a compendium of Federal Programs and Initiatives and Appendix B provides links to many on-line resources. Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior: Read Preface and Chapter 1
Folder 2: Body Composition/Weight Assessments & Energy Metabolism
Feb 19 - Initiate Feb 24- Participate Feb 28- Monitor	Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior: Chapters 3 & 6 (and Appendix B) Beyond Ideal Body Weight: Entire article. (Note especially math applications)
Folder 3: Physical Activity & Exercise Foundations
March 5- Initiate March 10- Participate March 14 - Monitor	Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior: Chapter 8 Promoting Physical Activity: Chapters 1 and 2
Folder 4: Physical Activity, Weight & Behavior Change
March 26- Initiate March 31 - Participate April 4 - Monitor	Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior: Chapters 9 & 10 Promoting Physical Activity: Chapters 3 through 6
Folder 5: Prevention, Planning & Implementing Interventions
April 9 - Initiate April 14 - Participate April 17 - Monitor	Nutrition, Exercise, and Behavior: Chapter 12 Promoting Physical Activity: Chapters 7 through 10

2.  Five HSTA Club Meeting Plan/Agenda and Reports.  25 points total. Due Dates: Within 5 days of the respective club meeting.

For your choice of five HSTA club meetings that occur between January 13 through May 2, email the instructor the plan/agenda and report about each meeting. Send the agenda and report as an attachment (or paste it into the email message) within five days of each meeting. The email should state the meeting date and length and have the following components:

• plan/agenda for the meeting;
• description of the experience(s) that occurred during the meeting; and
• reflections on the strengths and limitations as well as how you might improve or follow-up on the experience(s). 

Each report needs to be at least 300 words (this would be almost one page if it was double spaced, size 12, Times font). No points can be awarded if you are not present to facilitate each of these meetings.

If two teachers enrolled in this course are facilitating the same club, you may use the same plan/agenda and description of experience, but you must submit your own reflection.

3. Your Choice--One Lesson Plan and Reflection Dealing with Human Energy Balance for Either: (a) HSTA Club Enrichment Activity OR (b) Regular Classroom Instruction. 20 points total. Due Date: By May 7.

Please Note: There are many educational activities that can be done that do not involve actually measuring your students' body weights or the taking of other personal health measurements. An individual's body weight and other health measurements are considered to be confidential pieces of information. Your students are minors: If you want to include in your educational activity actually taking measurements of students' body weight, body composition (e.g., skinfolds and circumferences), or other fitness measures, you need to have parent permission in writing. Additionally, the measurements should always be voluntary. Students should never be put in a position where they feel they have to be measured or required to disclose to other students their body weight or any other personal health information. Also, for taking measurements beyond body weight, such as measurements of body composition or physical endurance, you need to involve a qualified professional in taking those measurements.

Also, any educational activity on the topic of overweight/obesity needs to be done in a manner that is respectful of all individuals regardless of body weight. Please be careful to not offend individuals who are overweight.

If two teachers enrolled in this course are facilitating the same club, you each will need to submit a different lesson plans, e.g., two separate HSTA club lesson plans or one club and one classroom lesson plan.

(a) HSTA Club Enrichment Activity

For one HSTA club meeting, develop a lesson plan for and provide a science/math enrichment activity for your HSTA club students. Base the activity to some extent on the content/materials in this course. Share the lesson plan for and your reflections on doing this enrichment activity with the other teachers in this course through the WebCT discussion folder entitled "HSTA Club Activity." Your reflection should be the "message" and your lesson plan (see below) should be an attachment to your message.

Lesson Plan. Your lesson plan should contain the following components: Title; Key References (provide URLs if Internet); Objectives; Brief Description of Content/Skills Addressed; Advance Preparation and Materials Needed; Safety Precautions as Applicable; Procedures (see below).

Procedures. Please outine the procedures clearly and in sufficient detail so that another teacher could "run with it." If the procedures placed in your lesson plan include any information taken directly from another source, place that information in quotations and cite that source (give the full reference). If any of your procedures are adapted from another source, state "Adapted from (give citation)" in your lesson plan. If you link to an Internet site as a part of your procedures, state the name of that site in your procedures.

(b) Regular Classroom Instruction

For one of the subjects that you teach in the "regular classroom," develop a lesson plan that would last for one or more class period(s) that applies the content/materials in this course. Please develop a lesson that you actually will be able to teach during the Spring semester. The lesson plan should be related to one or more of the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives (http://wvde.state.wv.us/igos) in your subject area. Share your reflection and the lesson plan with the other teachers in this course through the WebCT discussion folder entitled "Regular Classroom Instruction." Your reflection should be the "message" and your lesson plan (see below) should be an attachment to your message.

Lesson Plan: Your lesson plan should contain the following components: Title; Grade Level; Subject in Which Lesson is Taught; Key References (provide URLs if Internet); West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives (give number and brief description); Objectives; Brief Description of Content/Skills Addressed; Advance Preparation and Materials Needed; Safety Precautions as Applicable; Procedures (see below); and Assessment..

Procedures. The information described for the HSTA Club Enrichment Activity also applies here.

4. Your Choice: (a) HSTA Club Research Project Proposal to Increase Physical Activity in Your Community OR (b) Position Paper on Increasing Physical Activity in Communities: 20 points. Due Dates: April 15 or May 7 (see material below)

(a) HSTA Club Research Project Proposal to Increase Physical Activity in Your Community

The instructions for the proposal will be prior to or at the HSTA Teacher Spring Semester workshop, explained in detail at that workshop. Note: If two teachers enrolled in this course are facilitating the same club, the proposal can be a joint effort, i.e., both teachers may hand in the same proposal. However, in this case, each teacher also must append a one to two page report/reflection that addresses the following questions: 1. What, specifically, were your principal contributions to the proposal; and 2. What are ways in which you involved the HSTA club students? and 3. What resources were especially helpful and how/why?

Due Date: No later than April 15 to be considered for support during the 2003-2004 school year (a total of 6 will be selected for support from all proposals that are submitted by HSTA teachers/clubs). If you are not submitting this proposal to be considered for support for 2003-2004, then it is due May 7.

(b) Position Paper on Increasing Physical Activity in Communities

Employ the text and on-line resources from this course to write a paper that sets forth a strong rationale for increasing physical activity opportunities/levels in communities as a means to prevent and reduce obesity. The paper should cite several authors/works in the text and include a literature cited (references) section at the end. The paper should be at least 4 full pages in length, double-spaced, size 12 font.

Due Date: May 7.

Grading 

The maximum points possible for the above assignments total 100. A grading scale based on the maximum points possible appears below. However, it is not possible to earn the 70 points needed for a C in this course if you miss the Spring HSTA Teacher workshop or Annual Symposium or do not facilitate on a regular basis your HSTA club meetings. Additionally, if you do not participate fully in most of the 5 on-line Discussion Folders, the highest grade you can earn is a C. The instructor will consider a make up experience under special circumstances: It is your responsibility to contact the instructor in advance or immediately after any missed contact time to arrange for such. If you need to take a grade of Incomplete, the request must be made in writing and approved by the instructor no later than April 25. Such requests are approved only under special circumstances.

90-100 points   A

80-90 points    B

70-79 points    C

Assignments turned in as electronic files will not be returned, so please keep a copy. Assignments turned in as hard copies will be available for you to pick up during the teacher training week of the HSTA Summer Institute in late June.

Syllabus Changes.  The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the course syllabus.

Academic Integrity. "The academic development of students and the overall integrity of the institution are primary responsibilities of WVU.  Academic dishonesty is condemned at all levels of life, indicating an inability to meet and face issues and creating an atmosphere of mistrust, disrespect, and insecurity.  Faculty, students, and administrators have shared responsibilities in maintaining the academic integrity essential for the university to accomplish its mission." (West Virginia University 1998-2000 Graduate Catalog,  pp. 45-46.)

Social Justice Syllabus Statement.  West Virginia University is committed to social justice.  I concur with that commitment, and expect to foster a nurturing learning environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination.  Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national origin.  Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.  If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700)

How to Log Into WebCT

 1.  Go to http://webct.wvu.edu

 2.  Click on LogIn

 3.  You will be prompted for your username and password:

                  Username:   type your wvu.edu email address without the @mix.wvu.edu.               

                  Password:    type the last four digits of your social security number.

                        Example: 

Username:  jstudent

Password:  3456

4.  Successful completion of steps 1 – 3 will take you into an area entitled My WebCT where you will see a list of the courses to which you have been given access. 

5.  Click on the Course title to access the course materials. 

Having Trouble Logging In?

What should I do if I don’t know my WVU email address?

If you do NOT know your wvu email address:

1.      Visit  http://directory.wvu.edu//

2.      Perform a search for your name.

3.      If you still do not find your email address, contact the WVU email helpdesk at       (304)293-4444 ext. 1

            What should I do if I get the message : You entered an incorrect username or password?

1. WebCT login is case sensitive. Make sure that you do not have cap locks on and do not enter any spaces.

2. Type your User ID all lowercase.

3.  If your password does not work or you have forgotten it, contact your Instructor and ask him/her to reset your myWebCT password.

How to Log Out of WebCT

If you do not log out of WebCT, others using the same computer can get into your courses and see and modify your materials.

1.       Click the Log Out link in the upper right of your WebCT screen

OR

Close the browser window.

NOTE:  If you have more than one browser window open you must close them all, or click Log Out for all instances.

2.       If you are prompted by the browser with the option to have it remember your password, click NO.

SELECT YOUR DISCUSSION FOLDER (TOPIC): Before you click on the command "Compose Message," make sure you are in the correct Discussion Folder (also called Topic). You can select the Discussion Folder (Topic) that you want from a screen that shows the list of all Discussion Folders (Topics), or you can select the folder (topic) you want when you are already inside of any given folder (topic). In the screen shown above, the user already is inside of a given Discussion Folder (entitled STS Issue Discussions). how to select a different folder (topic) if you are already inside a folder. Note:: If you are not in the "correct" Discussion Folder (topic), your post will go into the wrong topic area and your colleagues likely will not read it.

COMPOSING YOUR MESSAGE: To start your own (a new) threaded discussion within a selected topic, (e.g., Folder 1: Overview) hit "Compose Message." In the screen that will follow, type in the "Subject" of your message and the text of your message (or you can paste in text that you have written and copied from another document, e.g., a Microsoft Word or NotePad file). If you want to include a link to an Internet site in the message, you must type the entire URL (include the "http://" portion). You will not be able to "test" if the link works untile you preview your message. Don't "post" the message yet: Continue reading below!

ATTACHING FILES TO YOUR MESSAGE: Sometimes you will want to attach a file(s) to your post. Below the message that you have composed, you will have the opportunity to "Browse" to the location of that file (e.g., a file on your floppy or in a folder on your hard drive) and then "attach" the file. Don't "post" the message yet: Continue reading!

PREVIEWING YOUR MESSAGE: Below the message that you have composed you are also given the opportunity to preview that message. Please always preview BEFORE posting to insure you are satisfied with what you said, including your use of grammar etc. Also, make sure to try out any URL hotlinks so you are confident that they "work," and, if you attached something, make sure it is really attached. If you are dissatisfied with anything in your message, hit "Edit," make your revisions, and preview your message again.

POSTING YOUR MESSAGE: Once you are satisfied with your message, hit "Post."

MAKING SURE YOUR POST GOT THERE: after you have clicked "post," make sure your message actually got posted. To do so, click "update listing" and see (scroll) if you message appears below. If it does not appear, then it did not get posted or it got posted in a different topic area! You will have to post it again, or if it is in the wrong topic area, ask your instructor to move it to the correct topic area.

READING YOUR COLLEAGUES' MESSAGES/POSTINGS: Simply click on the subject (title) of the message or the name of the person who posted the message and the message will appear. Once you read a post from a colleague, WEBCT remembers that you read it and will not show it as being there. Hit "Show All" if you want to read it again. See notes below:

• If there is a triangle to the left of the title of any message, that means there are replies to that message below that message. If you want to see the titles of those replies, or read or reply to any of those replies, you must click the triangle so the titles of those replies will appear.
• While you are looking at any given message, you can go immediately to the next message in that threaded discussion by clicking on the command at the bottom of that message entitled "Next Message in Thread."

REPLYING TO MESSAGES: While you are viewing the message of a colleague, you can reply to that message by clicking on "reply" or "quote"--but do not hit "Compose." When you are done with typing your message, please change the words in the Subject Box to reflect the nature of your reply (The subject box will say "Re: Topic"--change those words to reflect the essence of your reply. See notes below:

• If you hit "quote," you will be able to read your colleague's message while replying to it in the space above (when done replying, you can select and delete what your colleague said and then post your reply).
• The main purpose of utilizing these Discussion Folders for class is so we all have access to what each each others' thoughts and ideas on the topic. However, occasionally you may want to reply privately to the person who wrote any given message. To do so, hit "reply privately," in which case your reply will be sent as an email message (private mail within WEBCT) only to the person who posted the message: No one else will be able to read it.
• Please don't forget to put the full URL into your reply if you are sending readers to an Internet site, and don't forget to preview your message before posting
• In replying to others, be courteous and constructive. Do not "attack" the colleague to whom you are replying: We are entitled to our own viewpoints. You can "take the other stance" by critically analyzing the issue, not the colleague who posted the issue.

BACK TO TOP OF SYLLABUS