Abstract:

This research aimed at evaluating the use of WebCT in teaching at the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) by revealing its advantages and difficulties from the perspectives of: professors, students, and technicians. To fulfill the aim of the research, the researcher followed the descriptive analytical method. They prepared three questionnaires which distributed to the participants. Each one consists of two domains: advantages and difficulties of using WebCT in teaching. Three groups: professors, students and technicians at IUG; were participated to complete the research questionnaires. Frequency, percentage and relative mean were used to analysis the data statistically. The results showed that:

-Professors' responses on the advantages of using WebCT in university teaching were scored high ratio for strongly agree and agree, which means that professors got a lot of advantages out of using WebCT in teaching, such as: motivating them to use recent technology and developing their computer skills.

-There were some difficulties in using WebCT according to Professors' responses, such as: needing effort and time to design effective WebCT course and difficulties in tracking huge number of students in many courses.

-There was a general agreement among students on the advantages of using WebCT in teaching, such as: decreasing the opportunity for practicing book-based learning model and developing students' computer skills.

-There were no serious difficulties facing IUG students in using WebCT, except: needing internet access to skim electronic resources and lacking of well-equipment laboratories parallel with students' huge numbers.

-Technicians' responses on the advantages of using WebCT in teaching were scored high ratio for strongly agree and agree choices, for example: giving opportunity to store/retrieve a lot of questions and providing ability to reveal and hide course contents.

-There were some serious difficulties in using WebCT according to technicians' responses, which are: no support for Arabic language in Glossary tool, absence of voice chat between professor and his students, weakness of users' (professors and students) computer skills, and negative attitude toward employing e-learning from the perspectives of some professors and students.

Keywords:

e-Learning; Evaluation; Blackboard; TEL