WebCT Customize Your Course Look How to Guide

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1 WebCT Customize Your Course Look How to Guide HOW TO GUIDE CONTROL THE LOOK OF YOUR COURSE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO As a course instructor you are in control of how your course appears to you and your students. You can change the tools and features such as the navigation menu, the color and icon themes throughout the course, adding banners, and adding text headers. The following information will guide you in changing the look of your course in each of these areas. Anytime you would like to see what students see, click the Student View tab. CUSTOMIZE THE NAVIGATION MENU IN YOUR COURSE You will notice that in your WebCT course the left side of the window is allocated for the navigation menu. The navigation menu enables you and your students to access all the tools and content sections of your course. Tools are course functions such as assessments, assignments, discussions, chat rooms, s, web links, learning modules and numerous other tools to make communication accessible to and from your students. The menu bar is customizable and may be altered in appearance, order and position. Manage your Course from the Build Tab 1. Click the Build Tab; 2. Click Manage Course located under Instructor Tools; 3. Click the Tools heading; 4. Click to check the box next to any of the tools you want to show in the Navigation menu; 5. Click Save. Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 1

2 Customize the Menu Bar from either Build or Teach Tab 1. Click Manage Course. 2. Click Course Menu heading; 3. Click in the radio button next to the General Settings to see the tools and layout you prefer; such as the icons, text, vertical, or horizontal navigation; 4. Click Apply Settings button after making your selections. Under the heading Visibility to Students you can click to hide links or to show links in the Student View. The steps are: Click the Hide Link so you can hide the link on the navigation menu or Click the Show Link button to show the link on the navigation button Also you will notice next to each Course tool is a check box and this icon is the Move icon to move course tools up or down in the hierarchy of the Navigation menu; 1. Click to check a box next to the course tool you want to move. For instance if you want to move the Chat tool above the Announcements, click in the check box next to the Chat tool; 2. Click the Move icon at the location you plan for the course tool to be moved. Using the example above, click the move icon next to the course tool Announcements; 3. Click Move Selected Above or Move Selected B elow. You will see the course tool will show either above or below of the course tool you have clicked on. Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 2

3 Select an Icon Theme from either the Build or Teach Tab WebCT has icon sets you can select from to display on your Content Page in WebCT. The icon sets have different icons corresponding with the tools and features such as a file, folder, or assessments. 1. Click either the Build or Teach Tab; 2. Click Manage Course; 3. Click Course Content Icons heading; 4. Click the radio button next to the icon set of your choice; 5. Click Apply. CUSTOMIZE THE ICONS You can move, change the title, add a description, and even hide or reveal icons. You can customize the icons when you click on the Action links next to any of the icons. 1. Click on the ActionLinks; 2. Click the Arrow to Move the icon. The icon will move one icon space in the direction that the arrow is pointing; Move Icon step 1. Click the ActionLink; step 2. Click Edit Properties; step 3. Type a Title of your choice; step 4. Click Save. Edit Title Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 3

4 Type a description here. 1. From the Build tab, select the ActionLinks menu next to the icon that you would like to change; 2. Click the Edit Properties button in the ActionLinks drop-down list; 3. Type a description in the Description box; 4. Click the radio button Show or Hide the Item. The icon is now hidden from the students. Note the word "Hidden" in parentheses appears next to the icon. To reveal a tool or icon, click the Show Item button from the Action Menu. The icon will then be revealed to the students. 5. Click Save CUSTOMIZE THE COURSE CONTENT WINDOW Add Text or an Image to the Header 1. Click the Build tab; 2. Click the Course Content from Navigation; 3. Click the Page Options button. 4. Select Edit Header. 5. Click Enable HTML Creator ; 6. Enter text or Insert an Image.* 7. Click Save. Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 4

5 * When you insert an image to the header, you need to create an image in a software program such as Photoshop or Fireworks. Save the image on your computer. Browse for the image on your computer from the dialog box that will appear when you click on the image icon. Type alternative text for the image under display and click OK. You can request a custom made banner from CHANGE THE LAYOUT ON THE COURSE CONTENT The icon layout for the Course Content Home can be changed to display icon titles or no titles and the quantity of icons displayed horizontally Click the Build tab; Click the Course Content button; Click the Page Options button; Select a Layout Template option. If you opted for the Customize Layout, you will have the option to change the display for columns, icon/text, icon placement, and alignment and table width; Select the check box for Change all existing folders to these settings to apply to all existing folders; Select the check box for Change all existing folders to all new folders to apply to all new folders. Add Background Image 7. Click the Browse button and locate the image to add a background image. Select a background image that will not overpower the content on your page. Change Background Color 8. Click the Select Color button and choose or enter a web color to change the background color. 9. Click Select. 10. Click Apply when you are done with your changes. Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 5

6 Color Each course can be customized to include a built-in color theme or can be customized to include colors of your choice. Change Colors 1. Click the Build tab; 2. Click the Manage Course button; 3. Click the Colors button; 4. Click the radio button of a set to preview the color changes. To Customize the colors a. Click the radio button for Custom, under Colors Set; 5. Click Apply; 6. Click the following icons in the preview window to modify the background or text colors, and a color picker window will appear; 7. Choose a color by clicking on the color; 8. Clicks apply; 9. Click Apply. Academic Technology and Creative Services. Spring 2008 WebCT. Customize your course look 6