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The goal of this page is to include all copy text and other resources that have been submitted for the Sakai public Web site. Once all materials are collected, team members will be asked to review, revise, and submit additional content before everything is moved to the Sakai Public Web site. If the content you're looking for does not appear here, please review its status at: Public Site Needs and Responsibilities Matrix.
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- Home
- About Sakai
- Tools
- FAQ
- Implementation Timeline
- Get Involved
- Tutorials Support and WorkshopsTraining (Likely to be re-made or ported AS NOs Training/Support page.
- Announcements
Wiki (Likely to be re-made or ported to NOs Training/Support page.) - Sakai in the Media
- Testimonials / Spotlights / Profiles / Podcasts
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Welcome to the Sakai public Web site. Here you can prepare for the UC Davis roll-out of the Sakai course management system, a group of collaborative learning tools that will eventually replace the MyUCDavis course management tools (e.g. Gradebook and QuizBuilder). Sakai works equally well on both Macs and PCs, So feel free to dig right in and familiarize yourself with the project's history, interact with the new tools, and get involved both by participating in events, and or joining the pilot project.
What is the Sakai Project?
The Sakai Project is a software development effort, bringing together over eighty one hundred educational institutions who have collaboratively constructed created a sophisticated, easy-to-use, extendable set of course management tools known collectively as a Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE).
What's in it for me?
In Sakai , there are has tools for everyone. What can you do with them?
- Instructors: Provide You can provide a collaborative learning environment for students that is accessible on and off campus, encourage collaborative learning by allowing students to build publicly editable wikis, encourage critical discourse on discussion boards, keep track of organize your courseslessons, and host virtual office hours from any location with highspeed Internet accesaccess.
- Researchers: Network You can network with colleagues, organize data, collaborate on projects, chat in real time, brainstorm solutions on discussion boards, host video conferences, and stream PowerPoint presentations, just to name of a few of the possibilities.
- Students: Host You can host Web sites, plan events, share files, form social networks, organize student groups, host study sessions, collaborate on creative projects, create research groups, and more.
Best of all, this stable and easy to use system is open-source and thus completely expandable. With over 85 educational institutions across the country , which allows universities to both improve the existing code and add additional features as they become needed. With such a dedicated group of institutions now contributing to the creation of the Sakai course management system, faculty, staff, students, and researchers will undoubtedly appreciate the unyielding focus afforded to their unique needs , as the system evolves alongside our rapidly changing technological environment.
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Sakai Project Background
Sakai has its origins at the University of Indiana and the University of Michigan, where both universities independently began open source efforts to enhance their course management systems. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford soon joined in, along with the Open Knowledge Initiative and the uPortal consortium.
The Reasons for Change
Many faculty and students have voiced concern about the slowness and instability of MyUCDavis. We understand these concerns and recognize that it is imperative that UC Davis' learning information systems keep pace with the ever- increasing demands and expectations of students, instructors, and researchers. Adopting the Sakai course management tools will allow UCDavis to enhance the tools already provided within MyUCDavis, while leveraging the work, dedication, and support of the international community that aids in Sakai's development.
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- Announcements: Inform site participants of current items of interest
- Assignments: Create, distribute, collect , and grade online assignments
- Chat room: Carry on real-time, online conversations with worksite participants
- Discussion: Hold structured conversations organized into categories
- Drop Box: Share documents within private folders between instructors and students
- Email Archive: Keep track of course or project site email correspondence
- Gradebook: Manage grades and submit as final grades
- Message Center: Communicate through discussion forum topics and private messaging
- Modules: Create ordered content, such as study guides, for student review
- News: Add RSS Include up-to-date news feeds to your worksite
- Preferences: Control how often you are notified of course or project site activity
- Project Sites: Use Sakai for other purposes besides teaching (e.g., research collaboration)
- Quiz and survey: Create online assessments
- Resources: Make any kind of material available online
- Schedule: Organize and post items in a calendar format
- Section/Group: Info Manage sections of a class (lectures, labs, discussions, studio work, recitations, or any combination thereof)
- Site Info: Maintain course or project site settings
- Syllabus: Post and maintain your official course outline
- Web Content: Maintain course or project site settings
- Wiki: Create/contribute to a collaborative, editable Web site
Public Sakai Web Site FAQ
Background
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The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions that we have collected from the faculty, staff, and students who tested the Sakai system in the 2006 Winter and Spring quarters. If you are unable to find an answer to your question, please contact IT Express, the campus computing help desk, at:
Phone: 754-HELP
Email: ithelp@ucdavis.edu
In person: 182 Shields Library
Background
What is Sakai?
The Sakai Project is a software development effort, bringing together over eighty one hundred educational institutions who which have collaboratively constructed a sophisticated, easy-to-use, extendable set of course management tools that can be tailored to the needs of whatever university is using it. When you switch to Sakai, you'll enjoy all the MyUCDavis features you are accustomed to, plus a whole host of new, intuitive, easy-to-use tools created by universities for universities. The Sakai project has its origins at the University of Indiana and the University of Michigan, where both universities independently began open source efforts to enhance their course management systems. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford soon joined in, along with the Open Knowledge Initiative and the uPortal consortium. UC Davis is proud to work alongside all the dedicated members of the Sakai consortium.
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A Course Management System (CMS) is a group of online applications that instructors may use to improve and diversify their classes by bringing in novel online - technologies, such as GradeBook, QuizBuilder, Online Grade Submission, Surveys, Announcements, etc.
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A Collaborative Learning Environment (CLE) refers to new and revolutionary technologies that allow participants to share information, collaborate on research, organize clubs or meetings, and much more. A CLE includes any number of tools, including a wiki (an open, community maintained Web site), chat rooms, discussion boards , and more.
What can students, faculty, staff, and researchers do with Sakai?
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- Instructors: Provide a collaborative learning environment for students that is accessible on and off campus, encourage collaborative learning by allowing students to build publicly editable wikis, encourage critical discourse on discussion boards, keep track of your courses, host virtual office hours from any location with highspeed Internet acces, and more!
- Researchers: Network with colleagues, organize data, collaborate on projects, chat in real time, brainstorm solutions ondiscussion boards, host video conferences, stream PowerPoint presentations, and more!
- Students: Host Web sites, plan events, share files, form social networks, organize student groups, host study sessions, collaborate on creative projects, create research groups, and more!
With Sakai, you have the freedom are free to experiment. There are a multitude of many ways to use Sakai's tools to your advantage, but what you ultimately decide to work with is entirely up to you. To see what other folks are doing with Sakai, see INSERT LINK TO SPOTLIGHTS and PODCASTS. Also, consider reading expanded descriptions of Sakai's features at ADD LINK.
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MyUCDavis is a portal that most all university affiliates use at UC Davis. Inside the portal, there are a group of some tools known as the "Coruse Course Management Tools," which include QuizBuilder, GradeBook, etc. The Sakai system aims to eventually will replace these course management tools with more effective and updateable tools, as well as that work better and can be updated. Sakai will also introduce a whole host of new tools and features that have been designed for your convience. To see what tools are currently available in both Sakai and the MyUCDavis course management tools, please see our Implementation Timeline provided by CS/KA
Why did UC Davis choose to pursue Sakai considering we already have the MyUCDavis course management tools?
The course management tools in MyUCDavis have become increasingly difficult to extend and scale. To address this issue, Sakai is being developed as an open-source project that lends itself well to evolving to meet the needs of its users. In factassociation with the Sakai Consortium, UC Davis will be is sharing resources and collaborating with universities around the country, including world, such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, MIT , and Yale, to develop, test-drive , and improve Sakai. Combining the resources, dedication, and expertise of the top universities in the country should ensure a smooth and successful transition to the next generation of course management tools , – a constantly improving sets of utilities that universities can update and share.
Is the system replacing MyUCDavis and
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do I
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have to use Sakai?
MyUCDavis is the portal by which faculty, students and staff access a number of informational documents, course management tools, and other campus informational systems. At present, there are no plans to eliminate the campus Web-portal system. Sakai is eventually expected to be a full replacement for (just) the course management tools.
Rest assured that the current The MyUCDavis course management tools you are accustomed to will still be remain available for at least a year while Sakai is perfected. In the meantime, to give you plenty of time to begin learning and transfering your class materials to the new system. During this transition, you can use either system you prefer . Nonetheless(or both!). That being said, we strongly encourage users to begin to play with Sakai, because getting your toes wet will make the transition easier when MyUCDavis course management tools are eventually retired.
What
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In the winter and spring of 2006, the Faculty Mentoring Faculty program hosted a Sakai pilot, where instructors from various departments tested Sakai and provided their feedback as well as feature requests. Intrigued by Sakai's features, various instructors have begun using Sakai both in and out of the classroom. As of now, programmers are working to enhance the QuizBuilder and GradeBook so they more accurately respond to professors' needs. In addition, the Sakai Community continues to enhance the core Sakai toolset. The timeline for these changes will allow UCD to make Sakai available for an extended pilot in the Fall 2006. Additional functionality in support of large courses with multiple sections and instructors should be available for testing by Winter Quarter 2007. More detailed information on these developments should be available mid summer 2006.
What's in it for me?
TOP TEN REASONS TO USE SAKAI <-- INSERT HERE.
Who should consider using Sakai this fall?
Instructors teaching small classes with a single section, or who often include group work, research, collaboration, and technology in their curriculum, are encouraged to begin experimenting with Sakai this fall.
As Sakai's GradeBook does not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections, participation by professors of such courses is not recomended at this time.
I have a large class with multiple sections, should I consider using Sakai to manage the class?
At this time, Sakai does not adequately handle large classes with multiple sections. Programmers at UC Davis and UC Berkely are working hard to add this functionality. Until then, we recommend you stick with the old MyUCDavis course management tools. To be notified when the tools you need are added, please request to be added to the sakai-info@ucdavis.edu mailing list.
I use QuizBuilder and GradeBook frequently. Does Sakai have all the same features I'll need?
Sakai has both a GradeBook and a QuizBuilder; however, at this time both tools are missing some functions that instructors may require. For that reason, it is suggested that instructors use the traditional GradeBook and QuizBuilder within MyUCDavis until all issues are resolved. However if you are new to online quizzing and/or grading you may wish to start becoming familiar with the new tools as existing features will likely remain while new ones are added in the coming months. To be notified when the tools you need are added, please request to be added to the sakai-info@ucdavis.edu mailing list.
What is the Sakai pilot project and why should I join?
The Pilot Projects provides a route for those interested in Sakai to play a primary role in its construction and release. By practicing with the system and offering suggestions, pilot users provide programmers with an invaluable perspective on users needs.
Pilot participants participate in the following activities:
- Test and closely evaluate new collaboration and learning tools
- Identify suggestions and issues encountered
- Prioritize enhancements to suit the system to your needs
- Receive one-on-one technical support from team members, as well as the dedicated ET Partners.
- Provide recommendations to guide the direction of Sakai development.
How do I give a presentation to my department, encouraging them to explore and perhaps adopt Sakai for their own needs?
- KA/NO
- The Sakai Program Manager, Kirk Alexander and the Training and Support Coordinator, Nancy Olsen are both available to speak with you and members of your department. Please contact them for more information
http://mediaworks.ucdavis.edu:8080/confluence/x/Wgs draw from this page: winter pilot kickoff document
What is the Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program (FMFP) and how do I get involved?
The Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program provides UC Davis faculty an opportunity to mentor and to learn from other faculty interested in instructional technology. Participants will learn about Sakai, as well as tools such as Macromedia Breeze.
Have others already tested and used Sakai?
More than 100 Universities across the globe have embraced SAKAI, including its originators: MIT, Stanford, University of Michigan, and Indiana University. On campus, Faculty recently tested Sakai in both the Winter and Spring 2006 pilot project under the Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program. In addition, several students have already experimented with the system and were trained to provide one on one support to faculty interested in using Sakai.
What are Worksites, how can I make one, and what I can do with one?
For each class, a Worksite is generated for use by both student and instructor. Beyond that, however, you can create an additional worksite for any number of university-related tasks. For example, if you would like to use all of the Sakai tools to help organize an academic club, you could create a worksite for chatting, discussion, and wiki-building within that community. Other possibilities include sports teams, events, study groups, creative writing workshops, etc.
How are others using Sakai?
LINK TO PILOT PROFILES HERE
Support and Training (Nancy Olsen)
THIS ENTIRE SECTION IS BEING TRANSFERED TO Nancy Olsen and will be available on her Support and Training Worksite.
Who do I contact for support?
For questions, concerns, and technical support, contact IT Express at 530-754-HELP (4357), e-mail them at ithelp@ucdavis.edu, or visit 182 Shields Library for walk-in assistance.
Are you offering training for those interested in using Sakai?
- Yes. For information on training and classes, please see our Training and Support Page
What documentation is available to get me up to speed on the new system?
- For Sakai documentation, please see our Training and Support Page
What do I need to tell my students when introducing them to Sakai?
Does Sakai have Browser requirements?
If have a number of quizzes and a large Web site in MyUCDavis. How can I ensure all my course materials will successfully transfer to Sakai?
How much storage space do I have in Sakai?
Sakai users are provided with 100mb of storage space.
Tools
Does Sakai have the old tools I am used to from MyUCDavis' course management tools?
At this time, Sakai has many of the same features and several additional ones. The Sakai system is still evolving dramatically, however, and the more sophisticated tools are the ones which will continue to change the most. GradeBook and QuizBuilder are in this category and still lack some of the features you may find useful in MyUCDavis. In particular, those teaching large classes with multiple sections should continue using MyUCDavis Course Management Tools at this time.
What new tools/features does Sakai have?
Using Sakai, you'll have access to a number of brand new tools, including:
- Discussion forums for critical discussion and group work.
- A Wiki or dynamic Web site created, edited, and maintained by your students, club-members, or research-associates.
*Web-Content for incorporating Web content directly into your project's Web site. - A Drop Box for file sharing
- Sequential Modules for automating the process of releasing content on your project's site slowly over the course of the quarter, year, etc.
For a complete listing of tools, please see LINK TO TOOLS PAGE
What is a wiki?
A wiki is unique, dynamic Web site that anyone can contribute to. With everyone having the ability to read, edit, add, and revert content, a collaborative, evolving environment is created that encourages critical thinking and a community respect between participants. For more information, see 7 Things You Should Know About Wikis.
How do I edit a wiki?
On a wiki, all you have to do is click the "Edit" link on the page you would like to make changes to. You'll see a small style guide to the right of your screen that explains how to format your text.
Can we have more than one wiki?
For any single Work site, there is provided one editable wiki; however, your wiki can have as many pages as you'd like. As a result, if you'd like to seperate your wiki into two ares of study, or two research programs, simply add links to your first wiki pages for the desired secondary categories.
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resources are available for transferring documents from MyUCDavis to Sakai and how do I access these resources?
You can export quizzes from the MyUCDavis Quiz Builder to a file that can then be imported into Sakai. The tool currently exports only full quizzes, but support for question pools will be available soon. To begin exporting your quizzes from MyUCDavis, click the "Export" button that now appears in the Quiz Builder tool on MyUCDavis.
In Sakai, what processes will be automated so that I need not worry about them?
To make it easier for instructors, Sakai has been programmed to create course sites and fill your class rosters automatically. Direct connection to the Final Grades Submission is not yet automated, but should be available for use along with GradeBook's upgrade in Winter 2007.
What, specifically, should I do to get started with Sakai, to create an account, and to setup a worksite or personal site.
This depends on when you want to begin. Prior to fall 2006, please forward your requests to sakai-info@ucdavis.edu, ask to be a participant in the pilot project and we will review those requests together. Everyone gets a "MyWorkspace" site automatically.
What is the current status of Sakai and what are the university's future plans?
In the winter and spring of 2006, the Faculty Mentoring Faculty program hosted a Sakai pilot, in which instructors from various departments tested Sakai, provided comments and requested changes or additions. Intrigued by Sakai's features, various instructors have begun using Sakai both in and out of the classroom. As of now, programmers are working to enhance the QuizBuilder and GradeBook so they more accurately reflect the instructors needs'. In addition, the Sakai Community continues to enhance the core Sakai toolset. The timeline for these changes will allow UCD to make Sakai available for an extended pilot in the Fall 2006. Additional functionality to support of large courses with multiple sections and instructors should be available for testing by Winter Quarter 2007. More detailed information on these developments should be available midsummer 2006.
What's in it for me?
Top 6 Questions about Sakai
- What is Sakai?
Sakai is a sophisticated, easy-to-use, extendable set of course management tools that make it easy for you to organize and collaborate with anyone (students, colleagues, or research partners to name a few), from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. - Who created it?
Sakai has its origins at the University of Indiana and the University of Michigan, where both universities independently began open-source efforts to enhance their course management and collaboration systems. Their work caught the attention of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford, who soon joined the project, along with the Open Knowledge Initiative and the uPortal consortium. Today some one hundred institutions of higher education are working together on the project. - Why did they create it?
The answer is simple: cooperation. Previously, institutions of higher education all worked separately, hiring programmers to develop software to suit their specific course management and collaboration needs at any given time. These systems proved useful, though difficult to extend and scale. As a result, institutions found themselves duplicating others' efforts and rebuilding from scratch, when old approaches proved too limited. With Sakai, universities can join their efforts to create a single system that is easy to customize, and thus able to keep up with the fast pace of technology. - Why UC Davis is adopting it
The course management tools in MyUCDavis have become increasingly difficult to extend and scale. By tapping into the combined resources, dedication, and expertise of the top universities, our campus gains the opportunity to move up to the next genration focourse management and collaboration tools. - What's in it for me?
- Instructors: Provide a collaborative learning environment for students that is accessible on and off campus, encourage collaborative learning by allowing students to build publicly editable wikis, encourage critical discourse on discussion boards, keep track of your courses, host virtual office hours from any location with high-speed Internet access.
- Researchers: Network with colleagues, organize data, collaborate on projects, chat in real time, brainstorm solutions on discussion boards, host video conferences, and stream PowerPoint presentations, just to name of few of the possibilities.
- Students: Host Web sites, plan events, share files, form social networks, organize student groups, host study sessions, collaborate on creative projects, create research groups, and more.
Who should consider using Sakai this fall?
Instructors teaching small classes with a single section – or who often include group work, research, collaboration, and technology in their curriculum – are encouraged to begin experimenting with Sakai this fall.
As Sakai's GradeBook does not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections, participation by instructors of such courses is not recommended at this time.
I have a large class with multiple sections, should I consider using Sakai to manage the class?
At this time, Sakai does not adequately handle large classes with multiple sections. Programmers at UC Davis and UC Berkely are working hard to add this functionality. Until then, we recommend you stick with the old MyUCDavis course management tools. To be notified when the tools you need are added, askt to join the sakai-info@ucdavis.edu mailing list.
I use QuizBuilder and GradeBook frequently. Does Sakai have all the same features I'll need?
Sakai has both a GradeBook and a QuizBuilder; however, at this time both tools lack some functions that instructors may require. For that reason, we suggested that instructors use the traditional GradeBook and QuizBuilder within MyUCDavis until all issues are resolved. However if you are new to online quizzing or grading you may wish to start becoming familiar with the new tools while GradeBook and QuizBuilder are refined. Plus, other new and interesting tools may be added in the coming months. To be notified when the tools you need are available, please request to be added to the sakai-info@ucdavis.edu mailing list.
What is the Sakai pilot project and why should I join?
The pilot projects provide a route for people interested in Sakai to help shape its evolution. By trying the system and offering suggestions, pilot users provide programmers with an invaluable perspective on users needs.
Pilot participants participate in these activities:
- Test and closely evaluate new collaboration and learning tools
- Identify suggestions
- Address any issues encountered
- Prioritize enhancements to suit the system to your needs
- Receive one-on-one technical support from team members and ET Partners.
- Provide recommendations to guide the direction of Sakai development.
If you are interesteed in joining a pilot project or would simply like more information about how you can get involved with Sakai, please e-mail sakai-info@ucdavis.edu.
How do I arrange for a presentation to my department, encouraging them to explore and perhaps adopt Sakai for their own needs?
- Sakai Program Manager, Kirk Alexander (kdalex@ucdavis.edu) is available to speak with you and members of your department. Please e-mail him your questions and requests for more information.
What is the Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program (FMFP) and how do I get involved?
The Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program givesUC Davis faculty a chance to mentor and to learn from other faculty interested in instructional technology. Participants learn about Sakai, as well as other toosl such as Macromedia Breeze.
Have others already tested and used Sakai?
More than 100 universities across the globe have embraced Sakai, including its originators: MIT, Stanford, University of Michigan, and Indiana University. Moreover, many of our campuses, including UC Berkeley and UC Merced are cooperatively testing the Sakai system. Here at UC Davis, faculty tested Sakai in both the Winter and Spring 2006 pilot project under the Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program. Several students have also experimented with the system and were trained to provide one-on-one support to faculty interested in using Sakai.
What are Worksites, how can I make one, and what I can do with one?
For each class, a Worksite is generated for use by both student and instructor. Beyond that, however, you can create an additional worksite for any number of university-related tasks. For example, if you would like to use all of the Sakai tools to help organize an academic club, you could create a worksite for chatting, discussion, and wiki-building within that community. Other possibilities include sports teams, events, study groups, creative writing workshops, etc.
How are others using Sakai?
LINK TO PILOT PROFILES HERE
Support and Training (Nancy Olsen)
THIS ENTIRE SECTION IS BEING TRANSFERED TO Nancy Olsen and will be available on her Support and Training Worksite.
Who do I contact for support?
For questions, concerns, and technical support, contact IT Express at 530-754-HELP (4357), e-mail them at ithelp@ucdavis.edu, or visit 182 Shields Library for walk-in assistance.
How do you delete a wiki page?
At this time, there is no physical way to delete a wiki page. For the time being, simply choose to edit your page and then remove all content. Then, remove all links that point to that page.
What happens if two people try to edit a wiki at the same time?
If a wiki page is edited by two people at approximately the same time, the first person to submit the edit will change the wiki content. The second person attempting to edit the page will receive a message stating that the wiki page has been updated with new content.
Can I use the Test and Quizes tool as well as the Gradebook tool in my class??
These tools do not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections. Thus, their use is not recomended at this time. These tools are expected to be fully compatible with instructors needs by winter of 2007.
Does Sakai support extended/complex mathematical symbols?
- The next release of Sakai will use a different web editor that supports multiple fonts including Greek symbols. This is not quite the same as having a fully functional equation editor but it will permit direct editing of mathematical symbols.
Can I use Sakai for my online grading?
As Sakai's GradeBook does not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections, participation by professors of such courses is not recomended at this time. When these updates are made and Sakai can succesfully communicate with the registrar, online grading should be fully supported. This is expected for winter, 2007.
Customization
How do I give guest access to my Sakai worksite?
- All access to Sakai requires a registered University Login ID. Faculty and Staff may request temporary access to University systems including Sakai by filling out a Temporary Affiliates Form (http://email.ucdavis.edu/forms/files/taf.pdf) or
using the online service to register such an account (coming soon).
How can I view my worksite from the perspective of a student, guest, or other external person?
- At present this is accomplished by enrolling one of the test student accounts in your course and logging in to this account in a separate browser. Please contact Faculty Support for assistance.
Can I resort the buttons on the left?
- This is currently possible with the assistance of a systems administrator. A future release of Sakai is expected to delegate this privilige to Instructors. Note, however, that for consistency from course to course it is recommended that ordering of these buttons not be altered significantly.
How do I change the look and feel of the main page?
The top button tool is the one that will apppear on the front/default page. Pointing the top button to a personalized Web site or HTML file will allow you full control over your main page's look and feel.
- CS/KA - Is there a more accurate way to describe this process?
Can I make new buttons and link them to Web content?
Yes! Simply choose to "Revise" your worksite and then add the tool "Web Content." Select a name and URL for that button and students should be able to access via the menu on the left.
Can I change the order of the buttons?
- KA
Implementation Timeline
http://sakai2.ucdavis.edu/access/content/group/57c3877b-1b08-4eab-005e-f1fc1d9f3ff4/timeline.html
Get Involved
Join the Pilot Project!
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Are you offering training for people interested in using Sakai?
- Yes. For information on training and classes, please see our Training and Support Page
What documentation is available to get me up to speed on the new system?
- For Sakai documentation, please see our Training and Support Page
What do I need to tell my students when introducing them to Sakai?
Does Sakai have Browser requirements?
If have a number of quizzes and a large Web site in MyUCDavis. How can I ensure all my course materials will successfully transfer to Sakai?
How much storage space do I have in Sakai?
Sakai users are provided with 100mb of storage space.
Tools
Does Sakai have the old tools I am used to from MyUCDavis' course management tools?
At this time, Sakai has many of the same features and several additional ones. The Sakai system is evolving dramatically, however, and the more sophisticated tools are the ones which will continue to change the most. GradeBook and QuizBuilder are in this category and still lack some of the features you may find useful in MyUCDavis. In particular, instructors teaching large classes with multiple sections should continue using MyUCDavis Course Management Tools at this time.
What new tools/features does Sakai have?
Using Sakai, you'll have access to a number of brand new tools, including:
- Discussion forums for critical discussion and group work.
- A Wiki or dynamic Web site created, edited, and maintained by your students, club-members, or research associates.
- Web Content for incorporating external Web sites and HTML documents directly into your project's Web site.
- A Drop Box for file sharing
- Sequential Modules for automating the process of releasing content on your project's site slowly over the course of the quarter, year, etc.
For a complete listing of tools, please see LINK TO TOOLS PAGE
What is a wiki?
A wiki is unique, dynamic Web site that anyone can contribute to. With everyone having the ability to read, edit, add, and revert content, a collaborative, evolving environment is created that encourages critical thinking and a community respect between participants. For more information, see 7 Things You Should Know About Wikis.
How do I edit a wiki?
On a wiki, all you have to do is click the "Edit" link on the page you would like to make changes to. You'll see a small style guide to the right of your screen that explains how to format your text.
Can we have more than one wiki?
For any single Work site, there is provided one editable wiki; however, your wiki can have as many pages as you'd like. As a result, if you'd like to seperate your wiki into two ares of study, or two research programs, simply add links to your first wiki pages for the desired secondary categories.
How do we convert wiki information into a completed, static document?
There are a number of ways to accomplish this goal, depending on the length, depth, and complexity of your wiki. Simply copying and pasting text to a word processing program will work, though if this proves too time consuming, you should consider contacting IT Express to discuss other possible methods. Contact IT Express at 530-754-HELP (4357), e-mail them at ithelp@ucdavis.edu, or visit 182 Shields Library for walk-in assistance.
How do you delete a wiki page?
At this time, there is no physical way to delete a wiki page. For the time being, simply choose to edit your page and then remove all content. Then, remove all links that point to that page.
What happens if two people try to edit a wiki at the same time?
If a wiki page is edited by two people at approximately the same time, the first person to submit the edit will change the wiki content. The second person attempting to edit the page will receive a message stating that the wiki page has been updated with new content.
Can I use the Test and Quizzes tool as well as the Gradebook tool in my class??
These tools do not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections. Thus, their use is not recomended at this time. These tools are expected to be fully compatible with instructors needs by winter 2007. To receive updates about Sakai and related announcements, please send a subscription request to sakai-info@ucdavis.edu
Does Sakai support extended/complex mathematical symbols?
- The next release of Sakai will use a different Web editor that supports multiple fonts including Greek symbols. This is not quite the same as having a fully functional equation editor but it will permit direct editing of mathematical symbols.
Can I use Sakai for my online grading?
As Sakai's GradeBook does not yet provide adequate support for larger classes with multiple sections, participation by instructors of such courses is not recomended at this time. When these updates are made and Sakai can succesfully communicate with the registrar, online grading should be fully supported. This is expected for winter, 2007.
Using and Customizing the New Tools
How do I sign up for a worksite and get started?
If you're teaching a class in Sakai, visit http://www.sakai2.ucdavis.edu and login using your kerberos name and password as always. Your class and roster should be available automatically. If, on the other hand, you'd like to create a personal worksite for your own personal project, please fill out the worksite request form at XXXXXX ASK KIRK ABOUT THIS ANSWER.
How do I give a guest access to my Sakai worksite?
- All access to Sakai requires a registered university login ID. Faculty and Staff may request temporary access to university systems including Sakai by filling out a Temporary Affiliates Form (http://email.ucdavis.edu/forms/files/taf.pdf) or
using the online service to register such an account (coming soon).
How can I view my worksite from the perspective of a student, guest, or other external person?
- At present this is accomplished by enrolling one of the test student accounts in your course, and then logging in to this account in a separate browser. Please contact Faculty Support for help
Can I resort the buttons on the left?
- Yes, with the assistance of a system administrator. A future release of Sakai is expected to delegate this privilege to instructors. Note, however, that for consistency from course to course it is recommended the ordering of these buttons should not be altered significantly.
How do I change the look and feel of the main page?
The top button tool is the one that will appear on the front/default page. Pointing the top button to a personalized Web site or HTML file will allow you full control over your main page's look and feel.
- CS/KA - Is there a more accurate way to describe this process?
- There should be a tech tip made for this if there is not already...(ka)
Can I make new buttons and link them to Web content?
Yes! Simply choose to "Revise" your worksite and then add the "Web Content" tool. Enter a name and URL for that button and students will be able to access the site by clicking on its title in the menu on the left.
Can I change the order of the tabs at the top of the page?
- Yes! You can change the order using the "Customize Tabs" function under "Preferences" which itself is under the "My Workspace" tab. These should not be confused with the bottoms on the left (see above).
Implementation Timeline
http://sakai2.ucdavis.edu/access/content/group/57c3877b-1b08-4eab-005e-f1fc1d9f3ff4/timeline.html
Get Involved
Join the Pilot Project!
Want to be one of the first to test-drive Sakai? Want your course-management needs heard? Joining the pilot project gives you the opportunity to work side-by-side with specially-trained ET Partners, who are available help you develop your sites.
The Pilot Projects provide a route for those interested in Sakai to play a primary role in its construction and release. By practicing with the system and offering suggestions, pilot users provide programmers with an invaluable perspective on users needs.
Pilot participants participate in the following activities:
- Test and closely evaluatethe new collaboration and learning tools
- Identify suggestions and problems
- Prioritize enhancements
- Receive one-on-one technical support from team members, as well as the dedicated ET Partners.
- Provide recommendations to guide Sakai'a development.
If you are interesteed in joining a pilot project or would simply like more information about how you can get involved with Sakai, please send an e-mail to sakai-info@ucdavis.edu.
Faculty Mentoring Faculty Copy Text
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Managed by Andy Jones, a longtime user of instructional technology at UC Davis, the Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program will guide faculty through the technical and teaching opportunities the new course management tools offer, tools such as including the new lesson builder, digital drop box, integrated calendar, wiki, and improved assessment tools. The Faculty Mentoring Faculty Program will also help transmit information and ideas about teaching and instructional technology between UC Davis faculty, The Teaching Resources Center, and Mediaworks, the Instructional Technology and Digital Media Center at UC Davis.
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Attend Workshops / Meetings
Include Workshop/Meeting Schedule Here
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TuSupport and
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Training
- Responsibility for this page has been transferred to NO. NO plans to develop this page as a worksite that we will link directly to. For those interested, she has developed the following timeline:
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If you're ready to get started, try the chat room, the wiki, or the message center bulletin boards?.
If you want to know when a new tool will be available for use, select "Implementation Timeline" on the left to get a list of current features and the planned release dates for future tools. To get updates about Sakai, contact sakai-info@ucdavis.edu.
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These have not been completed or submitted. Caren Weintraub and the ET Partners are both aware of and participating in the creation of Bill Buchanan is working on these.