It was 2:25 p.m. Tuesday and 3,772 visible users were logged in to eLearning Commons – the replacement to WebCT – and you might have been one of them.

The University’s licensing agreement with WebCT is about to expire and professors are beginning to use eLearning Commons, or eLC, in its place. Blackboard Vista 8, the software behind WebCT, also produced eLC.

“We learned in 2006 that the Blackboard company that offers WebCT would no longer support it,” said Sherry Clouser, coordinator of instructional and distance technologies.

She said the University ran a pilot program in fall 2007 between Blackboard Vista and another program, Sakai Collaboration and Learning Environment, and selected Blackboard Vista for its similarity to WebCT.

“Mainly because of its feature set, it looked good,” Clouser said. ” Most of the features in Blackboard are in WebCT.”

Most universities in the University System are using the same software, Clouser said.

“That’s good for support. If we have a problem, they could help – and if they had a problem, we could help,” she said, adding that in-state transfer students may benefit from their familiarity with the program.

eLearning Commons’ features include a “Who’s Online” chat that allows students to communicate, a grade book and a “My Settings” option that enables students to personalize their page layout and profiles.

Students can also forward e-mail on eLC to their e-mail accounts.

UGA professors were able to access eLC in March, but some didn’t begin using the program until May.

Shannon Miller, a women’s studies professor, said she hasn’t used the program yet, but plans to make the switch. Miller said she will attend upcoming professor workshops at the University on the new system.

“I think I have to. How else am I going to use it?” she said. “I am really big on WebCT, but will switch to eLC,”

For students who need help using the new system, there is a link to a student help option on the homepage of eLC’s Web site.

Clouser said she has heard positive feedback about the new program and people “think it is easier to use.”

For Mac users, the most recent version of Safari isn’t compatible with eLC, but previous versions are, she said.

“It’s a good idea to go in and click on ‘check browser’ [on the front page] to make sure that the browser configuration is proper,” Clouser said.

So far, some students are receptive to the new program.

Hannah Farrow, a junior from Carnesville, who used eLC for her sociology and Spanish classes during the summer, said she likes the new system.

“I think it is a pretty good tool, especially since you can chat,” she said. “I think it’s like WebCT, but the fuss [over eLC] is because it is different.”

Melanie Stewart, a junior from Stone Mountain, is using eLC for all of her classes this semester and used a program similar to it in the past.

“I did joint enrollment in high school and the college I went to had a similar program,” she said. “I think it’s pretty basic and it’s more colorful than WebCT.”

eLC is not on the MyUGA portal, Clouser said, but it will be soon.

In the meantime, students can find a link in the “Announcements” section of their WebCT homepage to eLC, or go straight to the eLC Web site at www.elc.uga.edu.