WebVista
Definition
WebVista is course management software that enables instructors to create and manage, and students to access and participate in, Web-based learning materials and activities using built-in, sychronous or asynchronous learning module, discussion, chat, whiteboard, assessment, collaboration, and other tools. Administrative tools, such as an online grade book and various types of tracking and reporting tools, also are available to instructors. Access to the University's WebVista service is provided by the Office of Information Technology.
Educational Uses
WebVista enables instructors to build rich learning environments that can be used to teach classes completely online, to enhance traditional face-to-face classes, or to support hybrid learning environments. Instructors can use built-in tools for a variety of purpose, such as to
- construct learning modules that deliver content and learning activities to students;
- support online discussions and real-time chats;
- provide quizzes, self-tests, and surveys;
- enable students to submit individual and group assignments and share work with peers online;
- enable students to view all of their class schedules on one calendar;
- automatically calculate midterm and final grades and report them to students; and
- deliver grades to students in a password-protected environment.
Issues
Instructors should be aware of issues such as the following when they use this tool.
- Instructors and students need to use supported hardware, browsers, and plugins, and configure these browsers and plugins correctly, for WebVista to function properly. See http://webvista.umn.edu/browser/ for setup instructions and information about supported systems and browsers.
- Student data at the University is governed by FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), which enables students to suppress some or all of their directory information. Some of this information may be revealed when students use WebVista, so instructors should include a FERPA statement in their syllabi. See http://webvista.umn.edu/instructors/ferpa.shtml for details.
- WebVista course Web sites may not be entirely or easily accessible to people with disabilities who use screen readers, and low visual contrast may make it difficult for some individuals to see certain WebVista controls. Instructors should be aware of these issues and related accessible design and campus support options. Assistance for students and instructors with disabilities is available from the Computer Accommodations Program at http://cap.umn.edu/. See http://webvista.umn.edu/instructors/student-use/accessibility.shtml for more information.
Examples
See the following for examples of how others are using this type of tool to enhance learning.
Faculty Involvement and Administrative Support Are Keys to Delivering Graduate Nursing Programs Online
As part of their efforts to deliver graduate nursing specialty area courses online, University of Minnesota School of Nursing faculty and staff members developed a WebVista template and online orientation course. Information and screenshots are available on the DMC site.
Technologically Delivered Experiential Simulations
Read about how C. Cryss Brunner, an associate professor of educational administration at the University of Minnesota, used WebVista and other tools to assign students new gender/racial/class/positional identities and immerse them in virtual policy forming situations that illustrate how leaders' perceptions and understandings of others' identities shape the way they enhance or restrict participation in decision making.
Web-Based Trading Simulation
A case study of how Brian Buhr, an associate professor from the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota, developed for his students a successful WebVista-delivered trading commodities simulation that mimics conditions in the real market, is available on the DMC site.
WebVista Exemplary Course Project
Profiles of "courses that model best practices in course design, interaction and collaboration, assessment and evaluation, meaningful technology use, and learner support" are available on the WebVista company site.
Resources
The following sources may help you use and teach with this type of tool.
WebCT, Inc.
Information about how to use WebVista, find out how other instructors are using it worldwide, participate in WebCT user groups, access digital content, and more is available on the WebCT company site.
Research
The following research literature has been published about the educational uses of this type of tool.
Online Nursing Curriculum Evaluation
As part of an effort to evaluate a large federally funded project, faculty members in the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota and DMC consultants collaborated in conducting the formative evaluation of 16 online graduate nursing courses delivered with WebVista. The evaluation instrument is available on the DMC site; it can serve as a useful guide for developing or revising online courses.
"Pictures of Practice" Case Studies of Online Teaching
DMC research associates are conducting case studies describing the efforts of University of Minnesota faculty members who have found innovative ways to use WebVista, and educational technology more generally, to support teaching and learning. Preliminary information is available on the DMC site.
Technology Surveys
Representatives of several colleges, the Office of Information Technology, and the DMC conduct biannual separate surveys of University of Minnesota faculty members' and students' uses and perceptions of educational technology, including WebVista. Reports about the results are available on the DMC site.
