Respondus Instructor Support and Training

From CTLpedia

Project Summary: The CTL has supported the use of the Respondus software by faculty for several years as it allows instructors to more efficiently create WebCT assessments in comparison with the WebCT Assessments tool.

Contents 1 Project Goals 2 Relation to CTL Department Plan Initiatives 3 Project Staff 4 Project Timeline 4.1 Current Status 4.2 Future Directions 5 Project Resources 6 Project Outcomes

Project Goals

• Provide and promote the Respondus software to faculty using WebCT in order improve the quality of their courses and to simplify the process of creating online assessments.
• Provide training and support to faculty using Respondus.
• Continually evaluate the quality, efficiency, and usefulness of the Respondus software and it's usage by WebCT instructors.

Relation to CTL Department Plan Initiatives

• Innovative New Technologies
• Support for Online Learning at MCC

Project Staff

• Melanie Kroening, Peggy Johnson, and Donna Gaudet provide documentation, training, support, and communication to faculty interested in using the Respondus software.
• Martin Lehner developed a secure software download site that allows the CTL to track the number of Respondus users.
• Paul Hickey installs and maintains the Respondus software on all CTL computers.
• Jeffrey Anderson is the primary support contact at MCC for Respondus.

Project Timeline

• Project was initiated in 2003 by Alan Levine at the district. The district negotiated pricing of the software for all interested Blackboard and WebCT schools in MCCCD.
• The CTL evaluated the Respondus software and found it simplified the assessment creation process in WebCT and purchased the software as a pilot for the first year.
• The CTL evaluated the usage of the Respondus software after a pilot year and requested that this campus-wide product be purchased annually by MCC due to it's low cost and high usage.

Current Status

• The Respondus software is purchased annually by MCC and is supported by the CTL. Primary contact is Jeffrey Anderson, but several staff members can assist with questions. Respondus (PC only) client software is available for MCC faculty at http://ctl.mc.maricopa.edu/softsense.

Future Directions

• CTL will continue to support and promote the use of the Respondus software through workshops, one-on-one appointments, and online documentation.
• The CTL will annually evaluate the cost of Respondus, the number of faculty using Respondus, and efficiency of the software in comparison to the WebCT Assessments tool.

Project Resources

• Staff time has been required to develop and deliver the Respondus workshop.
• The Respondus software was purchased during the pilot year by the CTL but is now renewed annually by MCC.
• Staff time is required to support instructors using this software.
• Staff time has been required to develop a secure downloading site that also tracks downloads to provide feedback on the usage of Respondus.

Project Outcomes

• The Respondus software currently is the most efficient method for instructors to develop online Assessments for WebCT. It is more efficient and intuitive to use the Respondus software than to develop an online Assessment directly in WebCT.
• Respondus continues to partner with publishers which allows more and more instructors to download testbanks directly for their text to use in creating online Assessments for WebCT.