Not-so-ancient history

When I worked at the University of Aberdeen, in Sept 1997-1998, we undertook a project to evaluate a range of course information system (CIS) and computer mediated communication (CMC) tools, with a view to selecting and deploying the best.

The jargon was different back then, but effectively I was looking at embryonic learning management systems (LMS) and discussion forum software.

In the end we selected WebCT - it was the only thing that worked properly on our servers!

It was a good choice - it proved cheap, stable and popular.

I wrote a range of notes on my evaluation of the various systems. I was probably a bit rude about many of them at the time! Amazingly some of them still exist (sorry if I was rude about you, guys!)

Looking back, I'm amused that I was horrified at the idea of a license fee of $3,000 p.a.... innocent days!

I am publishing this here for the sake of historical interest, but editing out mention of other colleagues involved in the project

Suppliers' documentation:

• TopClass Administrator's Guide, Oct 1997
• TopClass Instructors' Guide, Oct 1997
• WebCT getting started tutorial, March 24 1998
• WebCT student guide, May 1998
• WebCT's license fees, in Feb 1998 - oh the nostalgia!!

My own documentation:

• My summary list of all Course Management systems (and some groupware) reviewed, Jan 1998
  (Aplogies to anyone's product I was rude about!)
• My interim review of CMC and course management applications, Nov 1997
  (written before I had tried WebCT)
• My background thoughts on selection criteria, Nov 1997
• My tutorial manual for WebCT (aimed at course builders), June 1998