Sakai Information included in this section: • Sakai Access • Sakai Sites • Help/Further Assistance
Sakai Sakai is a learning management system used by Lees-McRae College as a resource for courses provided in the classroom and to deliver online courses.
Accessing Sakai • You can access Sakai directly at sakai.lampschools.org or by visiting www.lmc.edu and selecting “Sakai” from the navigation at the top of the page • To login, you’ll need your LMC email address and password • If you are unable to access Sakai, please contact the technology help desk at helpdesk.lmc.edu
Sakai Sites • Once you are logged into Sakai, you will see tabs across the top of the page for each of your courses. Click any tab to access that site. The tab includes sites that are not displayed across the top upon login (for lack of space). If you cannot see a desired site, click on the More Sites tab. Sites are listed under course term and project titles. • You can also search for your sites by navigating to from the left margin on your landing page. • Please note that courses are not available to you until your instructors publish them and make them active.
Sakai Sites Every time you login to Sakai, you will automatically land on My Workspace. My Workspace is an individual online worksite that functions as a private workspace for each user. When on My Workspace, you’ll find the following tools available in the left margin: • View Announcements from all your sites. • View and edit your profile. Add a picture. • Post files in your own private Resources tool. You can save drafts or backup copies of work in progress to cloud storage. • Manage your own private Schedule. View an integrated Schedule for all sites in which you participate by subscribing to site schedules. • Customize how tabs are viewed at the top the Sakai page and how you would like to be notified for activity in your sites. • Provides instructions for Sakai tools.
Commonly Used Tools You will likely find that your instructors make each Sakai site unique and engaging in their own way, but you many use the same tools to do so. Here are some of the most commonly used tools in Sakai and what to expect from each.
Home • The “Home” tool is the landing page for each site. • Some information is populated automatically for each site, including Site Information Display and Message Center Notifications. • Other tools may display on the home site if added by your course instructor.
Announcements • The Announcements tool is used to inform site participants about current items of interest. • Announcements can have attachments, such as documents or web addresses (URLs) • Course announcements will also show on your My Workspace site.
Assignments The Assignments tool allows instructors to create, distribute, collect, and grade online assignments. Assignments are private and are not visible to other student users of the site. Completing and Submitting an Assignment: 1. In the left margin of the appropriate site, click Assignments. 2. Click the name of the assignment to open it. 3. To work on the assignment, follow the instructions from your instructor or project leader. You may need to type within the text box, or add an attachment, or both. 4. To add an attachment, click Browse to find and select the file on your computer. 5. To save your assignment to complete later, click Save Draft at the bottom of the screen. When you want to reopen it, you'll find it listed in the assignment list with a status of "In progress". Note: While your assignment is saved as a draft, your instructor cannot see it. For your instructor to see it, you must submit the assignment. 6. When you have finished, click Submit at the bottom of the screen. Note: Don't click Submit until you're certain you're finished with an assignment. Once you click Submit, you'll no longer be able to access the assignment (e.g., to add more text or attachments) unless your instructor returns it to you.
Assignments The instructor has the option to allow students to resubmit an assignment. If this option is not available and you need to resubmit an assignment, notify the instructor. Resubmitting an assignment: 1. In the left margin of the relevant site, click Assignments. 2. Click the title of the assignment you want to resubmit. Note: Returned assignments will say "Returned" in the "Status" column of the Assignments table. 3. You will see the original assignment instructions and your original submission text. Your instructor may have included comments in the text of your original submission, which will appear in red. Any additional comments from your instructor will appear near the bottom of the page. In the box labeled "Enter resubmission text below", edit or paste your revised submission for the assignment. 4. When you are finished revising your assignment, click Resubmit. Alternatively, you can click Save draft to save your submission and continue working later.
Chat Room The Chat Room tool is used for real-time, unstructured conversations among site participants who are logged into the site at the same time. To post a message: 1. In the left margin, click Chat Room. 2. In the text box at the bottom of the window, type your message, and then click Add message. Note: No one can see your message until you click Add message, but once you do, only an instructor or a participant with special permission can delete your message. 3. To discard a message that you haven't sent yet, click Clear.
Forums A forum is a mandatory category or grouping for topics. Topics, which are created within forums, are where participants can post conversations. To post a message that begins a new conversation: 1. In the left margin, click Forums. 2. Click the title of the topic for which you'd like to start a conversation. 3. Click Start a New Conversation. 4. Next to "Title", type the subject of your conversation. 5. Under "Message", use the rich-text editor to compose your message. 6. Click Add Attachments to attach a file from your local computer (Optional). 7. When you're finished, to post your message, click Post.
Forums To post a response: 1. In left margin, click Forums. 2. Click the title of the topic, and then the conversation you want to take part in. 3. In the conversation, find the message you want to reply to and click Reply, or click Reply to Initial Message to reply to the first message in the conversation. 4. Below "Reply Title", give your reply a title. 5. Under "Message", use the rich-text editor to compose your reply. To insert a quote of the original message, click Insert original text (located above the richtext editor). As you type, the number of words will appear beside "Word Count". 6. Click Add Attachments to attach a file from your local computer (optional). 7. When you're finished, to post your message, click Post.
Gradebook The Gradebook gives your instructor the opportunity to post grades for your participation and assignments so that you may keep track of your grades throughout the term. When you enter Gradebook, depending on what information your instructor has made available, you will see one or both of the following: • Course Grade: The course grade is a cumulative grade based on items you have completed. Any items you have not completed are not included in the course grade calculation unless your instructor has explicitly assigned zeroes to those items. A grade percentage appears in parentheses and shows the actual percentage derived from completed items. • Gradebook Items: The list of gradebook items shows each item name, its due date (if applicable), your grade, and any comments associated with the grade.
Meetings Meetings is a synchronous, real-time, and interactive Internet conferencing tool. This tool is used for online meetings of groups or individuals. To access a live meeting: 1. In the left margin, click Meetings. 2. Click on meeting name you wish to join. 3. A new browser tab will open and you will be logged in automatically.
Messages You can send messages to other site participants, and reply to messages sent by other participants. To send a message: 1. In the left margin, click Messages. 2. On the Messages screen, or while viewing the contents of a Messages folder, click Compose Message. 3. Use the list to select the individual(s) or group(s) you want to receive the message. You can also choose to send your message to the entire site, or to all users with a particular role (e.g., all instructors or all students). 4. Under "Label", use the drop-down list to change the priority status for your message. 5. Next to "Subject", type the subject of your message. 6. Under "Message", use the rich-text editor to compose your message. 7. Under "Attachments", you can attach a file from your local computer or from Resources, or specify the URL for a file on the web. 8. Click Send.
Messages To reply to a message: 1. In the left margin, click Messages. 2. On the Messages screen, click Received to view the messages you've received. 3. Click the message to which you're replying. 4. Click Reply or Reply to all. 5. Click Send.
Resources Using the Resources tool, your instructor can share many kinds of material securely with members of the site. Click on item to open it. If folders are used, click on folder to expand and view all items.
Syllabus Your instructor may choose to embed your syllabus on this link or to upload a document version of your syllabus here.
Test & Quizzes This tool allows the instructor to create online assessments (i.e., tests, quizzes, and surveys) for delivery to students. To start an assessment from within Tests & Quizzes: 1. From the left margin, click Tests & Quizzes. 2. Under "Take an assessment", you'll see a list of available assessments. Click an assessment's title to get started. You'll see information about the assessment, such as the date due, whether or not there is a time limit, and whether or not the assessment will automatically be submitted if the time limit expires. Your instructor may have also included special instructions listed here. 3. Click Begin Assessment to take the assessment, or Cancel to abort. 4. How you proceed through the questions will depend on how the assessment is designed. If the assessment has more than one page, click Next to save the current page and advance to the next one. 5. When you're ready to submit the assessment, click Submit for Grading on the last page of the assessment and confirm your submission. You'll receive a confirmation number, which you should keep.
Lessons The Lessons tool provides a way to structure online courses by unit or week. Material for the unit or week can be accessed from one page instead of clicking on single tools (assignments, tests/quizzes, resources, etc.). Instructors will choose how to name lessons (example: Week 1, Unit 1, etc.). Each lesson will be accessible through the left margin. Many Sakai tools are also accessible on the Lessons pages, depending on how your instructor has structured the course. From a lesson, you my be able to access Tests and Quizzes, Assignments, Resources, Links, etc. If a tool takes you to a different page, click Return to Lesson at the top of the page to go back to the Lesson home page.
Help • Access Help from the left margin for detailed instructions for various site components. • If you are unable to access Sakai or are experiencing other technical issues, please visit the technology help system at helpdesk.lmc.edu to submit a ticket. • If you have questions regarding specific course information, please contact your course instructor for assistance.