Bringing the web to the classroom

The WebCT software is usually thought of as a tool for distance learning, but it also provides a means for teachers in relatively isolated or resource-poor areas or small countries and territories to expand students' horizons and introduce them to a much wider resource base than would be available in their university alone. This paper discusses advantages of using the WebCT software in conjunction with traditional classroom instruction in a course on Japanese culture, Japan and the Japanese. It points out the tools in the WebCT software that make it particularly useful and analyzes the advantages in the approach from both the learner's and the teacher's perspectives. Among the advantages noted are the ease of use, the ability to use multiple languages, the ability to set up references including URL links, and the availability of searchable and linkable glossaries. Combining use of WebCT with conventional classroom instruction was found to increase student enthusiasm, to make learning more open-ended, and to open students eyes to the wide range of learning resources available on the web.