Introduction
TopClass, developed by WBT systems, is a versatile IMS and as such can be put to a wide variety of uses. WBT systems has corporations and other companies as their main clients, but undoubtedly they also have educational institutions in mind.
Description
TopClass can be divided into six different components (WBT Systems Solutions)
The server can also customize the content of the course depending on the needs of individual students. Tests can also be individualized.
When it comes to sharing content, the server offers a tool called Training Module Library that allows students to share web-based material such as data bases or media content.
The server also provides a discussion groups tool that lets students and instructors collaborate and communicate with each other. The features provided by this tool are moderated discussion, threading and file attachments. Also, the server provides an built-in e-mail system.
The server can handle communities of 10,000 individuals or more.
An interesting feature is that the latest version allows the off-line use of the software. Any user can download course material for use in any standard browser without the need to be connected to the web. Users can also download this material into a CD. The company (WBT Systems Solutions) claims that users can easily and seamslessly switch from on-line functions to off-line functions without having to use different interfaces.
Their latest 3.0 version is also year 2000 compliant.
As for technical requirements, the company has a web page with the features
required for each platform.
The Test assistant is a wizard interface that permits the design of
tests based on the course content, and as such integrated with the rest
of the material created through the use of the other assistants and of
TopClass itself.
- Class, material and student tracking: TopClass has also a feature that can track whether course materials and messages are new or old, read or unread. Instructors can also view the status of courseware for any of their assigned students individually, to allow them monitor how a student is progressing.
- There is a Class Announcements page, as well as a Utilities page, which offers the possibility to change the student's password or view the student's online picture (which the student can supply to the system administrator at will). The Utilities page also facilitates the user the possibility to change preferences, such as border, items per page, background color, visited link, active link, and several others.
- There is also a course material seach tool with the usual options: all words, key words only, search in titles only or in titles and content too.
- At any given moment, the instructor can send a student a message, view a student's profile, see his grades, and interestingly also modify a student's coursework.
- WBT Systems offers support in different areas. They offer training in the areas of administration, course creation and help desk support. Their website features a support page that includes a library of useful information, a discussion group and on-line user conferences.
Back to the home page of our group's IMS critique.Home page of the Multimedia Group.
See my contribution to the Multimedia Group Project.
Page created by José María Pérez Fernández. Last update: May 16 1999.