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Faculty Quick Start Guide

The Faculty Quick Start Guide is a comprehensive walkthrough of all basic Sakai Functions. You can save it to your computer to read or for future reference by right-clicking the link and choosing "Save Target As..." It is a great guide for new users, and a nice, quick reference for experienced users.

Getting Started

Below you will find categories of functions of Sakai with links to brief descriptions and help files to help you use Sakai for those functions. See the categories of functions below and click the link to jump to the functions in which you are interested.

Thank you to University of Delaware for the initial content and design of this rubric.

Course Sites - Administrative Procedures

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference

New course sites
Make a Sakai course site Course sites are created automatically once a student registers for a course. The instructor of record is given "instructor" access. Set up a Course Site
Import information from previous Sakai site Use the 'Import from Site' function of the Site Info tool. Site Info
   > Import from Site

Access to new sites
Give registered students access to a course site By using the 'Manage Access' function of the Site Info tool instructors can publish the Sakai page, granting student access to the the site. Site Info
   > Publish
Give TA's access To add a TA, instructors must add a student using the 'Add Participants' function of the Site Info tool, and, when prompted, assign them the role of teaching assistant, grader or course builder. TA's need to be aware that they are responsible for protecting students' privacy. Site Info
   > Add/Edit/Delete Participant
Give other BU users access to a course site Instructors can manually add BU users (faculty, staff, students) to their course sites using the 'Add Participant' function of the Site Info tool. Site Info
   > Add/Edit/Delete Participant

Access to old sites
Remove old courses from tabs Users may hide old course tabs using the 'Preferences' tool, accessed from the My Workspace menubar. My Workspace
   > Showing, hiding and ordering course sites
Republish a course after the term Course sites are automatically unpublished two weeks after a term. Instructors may republish their course sites. Site Info
   > Publish

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Project Sites - Administrative Procedures

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference
Make a Sakai project site Request a Sakai project site by completing the request form. Request a project site

Access to new sites
Give other BU users access to a project site. Users with the role of 'maintain' may manually add BU accounts to their project site using the 'Add Participant' function of the Site Info tool. Site Info
   > Add/Edit/Remove Participant
Allow users to join your project Make your project site "joinable" by selecting the 'Manage Access' function of Site Info, then check the box next to "Can be joined by anyone...". Controlling access to your project site
Become a member of a joinable project Sakai users may search and join joinable sites with the Membership tool from My Workspace. To search, select "Joinable Sites" in the Membership tool. Joining and unjoining project sites

Access to old sites
Remove old courses from tabs Similar to course sites, users may hide old project tabs using the 'Preferences' tool, accessed from the My Workspace menubar. My Workspace

   > Showing, hiding and ordering work sites

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Content Delivery

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference
Upload files In the Resource tool of a project/course site, select an option from the 'Add' drop down box. Resources
   > Working with files in Resources
Upload multiple files
  • Following the instructions from the "Upload-Download Multiples Resources" link in the Resource tool, users can set up WebDAV.
  • WebDAV is a technology that allows you to easily transfer files and folders from your local computer to your Resources folder in your My Workspace, a course site, or a project site to which you belong.
 Resources
   > Uploading files to Resources using WebDAV
Provide links to existing web sites Users may create links to existing web page in the Resource tool, by selecting 'Add Web Links (URLs) from the 'Add' drop down menu. Resources

   >Working with web links in Resources
Add your Syllabus From the Syllabus tool, the "Create/Edit" function allows instructors to choose to either directly input the syllabus, "Add", or link to a online syllabus, e.g. one generated by the department or a file in the Resource tool, "Redirect".

VIDEOS: Adding a Syllabus.		 Syllabus
Link to web sites Web Content can be added from the "Edit Tools" function of Site Info; this tool allows site owners to choose external web sites to display within their worksites.

VIDEO: Adding Web Content.		 Web Content
Create content directly in Sakai In the Resource tool, instructors may create material within Sakai. In the Resource tool, select "Create HTML Page" or "Create Text Document" from the "Add" drop down menu.
Resources
   >Create an HTML file.
   >Create a text file.
Organize files in Resource tool Instructors may organize media within the Resource tool. For example, instructors may: add folders, reorder resources, rename folders/files, and set permissions.

• VIDEO: Reorder Resources. 		Resources
   >Working with folders in resources.
   >Changing the permissions for a folder in Resources.

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Assessment

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference

Grading
Provide secure access for students to view their individual grades Instructors may provided current grade information for students using the Gradebook tool.

VIDEOS: Gradebook		 Gradebook
Allow TAs to post grades See Give TAs access to post grades. Section Info
   > Adding, editing, or removing participants
Provide feedback for students Instructors may provide feedback to students within the Gradebook tool. Instructors may add a comment to a grade when it is first entered, or to an existing grade. Gradebook
   > Edit Comments

Assignments
Create online assignments. Adding the Assignments tool allows instructors to create, distribute, collect, and grade online assignments”. It can be added from the "Edit tools" function of Site Info.

VIDEOS: Assignments 		Assignments

Online testing
Administer tests or quizzes online The Tests & Quizzes tool allows the instructor to create online assessments (i.e., tests and quizzes) for delivery via a web interface to students or other groups. It can be added from the "Edit tools" function of Site Info.

VIDEO:Tests & Quizes		 Tests and Quizzes

Reflection
Provide students areas to reflect on their learning and receive feedback The Forum tool can facilitate student reflection and collaboration. It can be added through the "Edit tools" function of Site Info.

VIDEOS:Forums 		Forums
   > Control access to forums

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Communication

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference

Calendar
Maintain a calendar of important dates Instructors can use the Schedule tool to create and organize items in a calender format.

VIDEO: Post a calendar item 		Schedule

Announcements
Make an announcement to the entire class By using the "Add" function of Announcements, instructors may inform site participants about current items of interest, announcements can be posted to site home page as well as e-mailed to participants.

VIDEOS:Announcements.		 Announcements

Online Discussions
Conduct a discussion with students outside of class regardless of time Forums is a communication tool that instructors can use to create an unlimited number of discussion forums for their course or project sites.

VIDEOS:Forums.		 Forums
Conduct a discussion outside of class in real time Instructors can use the Chat Room tool for real-time, unstructured conversations among site participants who are signed on to the site at the same time.

VIDEO: Chat Room.		 Chat Room

Individual Interaction
Contact an individual student Within the Mailtool, clicking "Select Students" next to "All Students" will allow instructors to select a specific student(s) to contact.

VIDEO:Messages. 		Mailtool
Have students keep a journal for only the instructor to see Use Forums and set permissions to allow just the instructor and the individual student to post and read. Forums
   > Forums Admin
   > Control access to forums

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Collaboration

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference
Allow digital material (documents, images, etc.) to be shared with classmates

• Resources: Set up a folder to which students can add files. You will have to change the folder permissions to allow students to add their materials.

• Forums: Set up a forum and topic. Students can add attachments to their forum post.

 • Resources
• Forums
Provide a means for students to create and edit text together Instructors may add the Wiki tool, via "Edit tools" in Site Info, to facilitate student collaboration within a shared document.

VIDEOS:Wiki. 		Wiki

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Presentation and Usability

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference
Provide an introductory screen

• Provide general or contact info.
• Give them learning prompts or highlight important or timely aspects of the course content.
• Guide students to other areas of your course site like Resources or Forums.
• Place a file in Resources and put the link on the home page.

 Home
   > Adding content to Home Page
Add a Syllabus See Add a syllabus

Syllabus
Add profile photo Sakai users may add a image to their profile that can be viewed by other Sakai users. From My Workspace, select the Profile tool then "Edit my Profile".

VIDEO: Add an image to your profile.

My Workspace
   > Profile
Rearrange tools in the menubar Instructors may reorder the tools presented in the menubar through the "Page Order" function of Site Info.

VIDEO: Reorder tools for a site		 Site Info
   > Page Order

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Migrating Content

Task Basic instructions Sakai Help reference
Utilizing tests or quizes from Microsoft Word Tests and quizzes created in Microsoft Word can be added to Sakai by using the "Quick Create" function of Tests & Quizzes. The questions imported must be formatted according to the "Instructions and Examples" listed next to the text box. Tests & Quizes

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