Brandeis will become the first university in Massachusetts-as well as one of the first small liberal arts colleges in the country-to adopt the upgraded version of WebCT next fall, according to Chief Information Officer Perry Hanson.The use of WebCT technology has grown substantially over its six years in use here, with statistics indicating 375 WebCT courses now in session.

The new upgrade, WebCT Vista, will be used by students and faculty in accessing online resources and implementing additional components to classroom learning. It will be phased in over the course of three years.

Brandeis is currently using WebCT Campus Edition 4.0, an older edition of the technology. While the Vista software boasts a number of new features for faculty and students, including drag-and-drop content acquisition, a sharable media library, and an interactive course map, Hanson said that the biggest gains that WebCT Vista has to offer are to be experienced by faculty.

"When WebCT asked customers about Campus Edition, the biggest criticism [concerned] the course creation part under the faculty members," Hanson said.

Hanson described the current process of creating courses and having to slowly add resources to each course online as an exceedingly "obnoxious" one. The new ability to drag-and-drop files will increase considerably the ease and convenience of WebCT course creation.

The new software will also be integrated with the new PeopleSoft program to reveal a "friendlier interface for students and faculty," Hanson said.

Hanson also described the approach of Information and Technology Services (ITS) in gradually adopting the new technology.

ITS and library staff are currently working on learning the software through a trial version of the program. Next fall, between 15 and 20 courses will become pilots for the technology.

Before the fall of 2005, most courses will integrate WebCT Vista, and by the end of 2007, the transition should be complete.

Hanson said the process involves the phasing in of the Vista technology while Campus Edition is phased out gradually, allowing a stable, smooth transition.

"It's a very typical migration strategy," Hanson said. "This way, if we're wrong [in adopting Vista], we can keep using Campus Edition. If we're right, we have a step-by-step way to get everyone converted."

According to Hanson, WebCT Vista will only be a better form of a program that both faculty and students have expressed strong satisfaction with in the past.

In interviews last fall, a number of Brandeis faculty voiced their enthusiasm for the Campus Edition program already in place.

Prof. Peter Woll (POL) said that he enjoyed using WebCT for his classes because "all students automatically have access to it. I like it because it's fun... it's very convenient."

Prof. David Jacobson (ANTH) was one of the original faculty members who first implemented WebCT software.

"People who are shy don't like to bring attention to themselves in class...and feel more comfortable (online)," he said.