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Adding multiple students
When registration information is included in the global
database, all that is needed to populate a WebCT course is to search the
global database for all the students who have registered for the course.
The workout shows how students are added to a class
roster from the global database on the WebCT server at Western New Mexico
University.
This process is possible because of some behind-the-scenes
work. At WNMU, the global database
of our WebCT server is populated every morning with updated information
on students, including any new accounts that have been added as well as
the courses for which all students are currently registered. Consequently,
during periods of registration and the first few days of classes, this
information will reflect any adds or drops that may have occurred through
the close of the last business day. The
instructor can then search the global database for the latest registration
information for the class.
How to add an entire
class roster
You can add your entire class roster, all at once.
The workout below takes you through adding your students to the class. Remember, this workout applies just to the
WNMU server. The instructions
would need to be changed for other schools.
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Workout:
Add students
A. Import the roster from the WebCT Global
Database
At the Manage
Students screen, use the drop-down list under Options: Records and
select Add/Import students.
Then click Go.
At the Add Students
screen, find Add multiple
students from a registered course.
Enter the codes
that designate your unique course in the Registered course name
box. For this workshop, use CRN 9999 and term code 200920.
Note -The codes
represent CRN and semester term code.
The table below shows
term codes that are used for WNMU during the 2009 school year.
| 2009 Termcodes |
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Fall – 200910
Spring – 200920
Summer I – 200930
Summer II – 200930 |
After you have filled in the course information,
click the Select button
The roster that will be added is displayed on the Select from Global Database
screen. |
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B. Check to see if everyone is acceptable
This Select from Global Database screen shows a list of those who will
be added. It will look something like the one below.
Although they are listed in the table, the students have not yet
been added to the student records for your course.
Check marks next to the boxes indicate that all
the records have been selected and are ready to be added in the
next step.
1. Look through
the list to make sure that everyone on it should be added to your
course. Deselect anyone
you do not want added.
2. If the
list is acceptable, click the Select button to add the students
to the course.
Once you click Select, you have added the students
to the class.
Now the Manage Students screen is populated with
your complete class roster |
Synchronize the roster
In the first days of a semester during the Add/Drop
period, enrollments can change. Synchronizing
the course picks up the most recent adds and drops. The synchronize process allows you to update
your student records after the initial upload. It will compare the records
that you want to upload into the course with the existing roster and tell
you which records to delete, which new ones will be added, and which ones
will be overwritten.
Important: Do
not use Synchronize if you are including multiple sections of a class
in the same course! The reason
for this is explained later on in this unit.
The workout below will take you through the process
of synchronizing the roster.
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Workout:
Synchronize the roster
A. Update the roster.
1. From the Manage Students
screen, under Options: Records, choose Add/Import Students from the drop-down
list. Then click Go. |
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B. Query for your students
1. At the
Add Students screen, scroll down to the Update your existing student list.
Note: Ordinarily, in the Registered course name
box, you will enter the same codes required to add a group of students
to your course. The synchronize
process will then pick up any adds or drops that may have occurred
since the last time the group was added or synchronized.
However, in a workshop setting, we can only simulate the passage of time,
and to have a different list of students to be added from the global
database, we need to use a different code.
Consequently, in the example below, the registered course
number will differ from the codes used when you first searched for
the students. Instead of a CRN of 9999, you’ll be using
9998. The term code will remain the same.
So in the Registered course name box, enter
the codes below:
Then Click Synchronize. |
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C. Check to see if everyone is acceptable
When you click Synchronize, WebCT compares the contents
of the existing student records with this new list and shows you
how the two are different. It will display three lists:
·
Students who will be added
·
Students already present
·
Students who should be deleted.
The Add Records box shows the students who will
be added to the class.
The Update Records box lists students whose status has not changed. Their records (first and last name) will
be overwritten when you add this updated roster. The parentheses show what value the original field held and what
the updated field will be, thereby showing any changes that will
be made.
The Delete Records box shows student who are not listed in the second
upload, and will be deleted. If
you don’t want the student deleted, just de-select the box next
to her name. (If you have added a test student, be sure
to de-select that ID so that the student will remain in the course.)
1. If the
lists in each of the three boxes are acceptable, click Synchronize.
2. You are
returned to the Manage Students screen. The updated roster is displayed. |
Add multiple sections
If you plan to add multiple sections of a course into
a single WebCT course, DO NOT
use Synchronize as you build your roster.
Remember how the synchronization process works: During synchronization, WebCT compares the
existing roster grade book with the group you are adding. It will mark for deletion anyone in the grade
book who does not match the newest group. You would have to de-select those marked to keep them from being
deleted entirely.
Consequently, we do not think that using Synchronize
is the best option when you are adding multiple sections of students to
a single WebCT course. This is
because sometimes instructors or a grader using Sychronize can forget
to de-select those marked for deletion, and delete a whole group of students! When student are deleted, any records, including grades on quizzes
and assignments, will be deleted as well!
The safer option when you are adding a different group
is to choose Add multiple students as you did with your
first upload rather than Synchronize.
You can use the Add multiple students option repeatedly, and WebCT
will add the additional records and not mark any for deletion. This avoids
deleting records you need to retain.
Once final enrollment is determined, you can compare
your grade book with the official roster for your course and manually
delete those students who are no longer registered.
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