This document provides an overview of a webinar on communication tools in Sakai, an online learning management system. It discusses tools like site information, announcements, chat, mailtool, email archive, and messages. It provides brief descriptions of each tool and considerations for how to use them effectively. The document emphasizes choosing the right tools based on the instructor's goals for using Sakai in a fully online, blended, or face-to-face course. It also lists Academic Technology staff who can provide support.

1. Academic Technology
http://www.antioch.edu/at/default.html
Webinar Storyboard
Communications Tools in Sakai
(Fully online, Blended-Hybrid, Face-to-Face)
Site Information, Announcements,
Chat, Mailtool, Email Archive, Messages
Quick Overview of:Discussion Forum, Forum, Blog, Wiki
Please call the telephone bridge for audio:
Turn your Elluminate Mic and Speakers all the way down
Call In Info: 866-453-5550 Wendy McGrath
Participant PIN: 6354113# Instructional
Systems
Designer

2. Sakai should add real value to your course and to the experience.
If something can be done better face to face, or through some other
real-life means…..carefully reconsider a choice to replace it with Sakai.

3. Goals
For Overview
• Become familiar with the array of tools for actively communicating
with students in Sakai
• Understand the implications of your choices
• Be prepared to choose the right tools for your needs
• Be able to effectively use:
•Worksite Information Options
•Announcements
•Chat Room
•Mailtool
•Email Archive
•Messages Which
Tool?

4. General Principles
Keep in mind…
• Tools developed by different groups - still in the process of
integrating them
• Self-contained tools
• The same basic is everywhere - you should know how to
use it well
• Notification possibilities for some tools via Preferences in My
Workspace

5. Site Information Display
Site Information Display
• First thing your students see.
• They will ignore it if it stays static.
• Use for essential course information that needs to persist.
• Use Options to Edit. The box title can be changed to
better reflect how you intend it to be used.
• Some additional options available via Site Editor.
•Photos, contact information, key
course dates, descriptions, “need to
know right now!”

6. Essential Question: static or dynamic?
Do
Do
Site Information
Hands on:
QuickTime™ and a
• Change the title decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Add a welcome
message

7. Announcements
Announcements
• First page is a display of announcements. Options here
changes the layout only.
• Announcements link at left is where you add new
announcements and access/edit old announcements.
• Uses the same editor for create and edit. Can include
images.
• Will appear on students “My Workspace” announcements.
Notify options in My Workspace control email notifications
of Announcements.
Welcome announcements, Essential,
dynamic information. USE it if you
want students to notice.

8. Essential Question: How might this fit into your course?
Do
Do
Announcements
Hands on:
• Post a welcome QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
announcement are needed to see this picture.
Extension: Add an image

9. Chat Room
Chat Room
• If the tool is turned on, students will see “recent chat
messages” on the course home page
• Synchronous communication
• History - not like FirstClass - All chat messages are archived
and can be read by any site participant.
• You can tell if someone is in a chat on your site by the (very
small) icon next to their name in the bottom left box
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Again - all chat messages can be read
by any site participant!

10. Essential Question: off or on?
Do
Do
Announcements
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Hands on:
• Open the chat
• Post a message
• Notice the icon
• Look at the
“recent chat QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
messages” are needed to see this picture.

11. Mail Tool
Mail Tool
• May use this to email all students, selected students, other user
types (members of your course) or to other email addresses.
• Uses the email address stored in Sakai.
• Uses the editor.
• You may attach files.
• Send yourself a copy via checkbox at the bottom to verify it went
out.
• If the Email Archive option is turned on, you will have the option to
store a copy there.
If there are other instructors in the course -
‘all participants’ does not include this
group.

12. Essential Question: in or out?
Do
Do
Mail Tool
Hands on: QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Send an email
to all
instructors
• Send a copy to
yourself

13. Email Archive
Email Archive
• Each site can have an email address : You’ll be able to create this
address within the email archive tool.
• You and other site participants can send an email to all members of
the site (that is, to their “outside” email addresses) by sending email
to this email address.
• The tool also archives all email that has been sent to this address
for future reference.
• You may use Preferences in My Workspace to set your notification
options for this tool.
• Can be used as a listserve.
• You can use attachments.
Recommendation: Use your course ID
number as your course email address.

14. Essential Question: what do you have to
know to use this tool well?
Do
Do
Email Archive QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Hands on:
• Send a
message to
your site.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

15. Messages
Messages
• Send and receive messages within the course itself. Not
emailed unless you choose that option.
• If this tools is “on” - message notifications appear on the
course home page.
• Can have messages forwarded to your email using “Settings.”
• Self-contained tool. All must go to messages to send, receive,
and manage.
• Can include attachments.
• Can create message folders.
Be certain use of this tool is an
explicit part of the course “culture”
and all know to check and use
Messages

16. Essential Question: mailtool…or messages?
Do
Do
Messages
Hands on: QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Send a
message
• Create a folder
• Set up
Messages to
forward to your QuickTime™ and a
email decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Check Message
notifications

17. Quick Overview of Other Tools
Quick Overview of Other Tools
The following tools are covered in detail in other Webinars
• Discussions Forum - Private Messages - completely
different tool from ‘Messages’
• Forum tool - not as intuitive - does thread messages - use
with caution because most people use the Discussions
Forum - learning curve
• Blog - wait till we replace it
• Wiki - what and why/why not
Be certain your use of any tool is an
explicit part of the course “culture”
and all know to use it

18. Tool Selection Should be Related to Your Goals for Sakai
I want Antioch Sakai to support my intention to…
Fully Online Blended-Hybrid Face to Face
• Set up one-stop shopping: If students • Create a location for retrieval of all
• Design a point of entry for all materials course documentation, such as:
need any information or materials
and course interaction. related to the course - it is in Sakai. •Syllabus
• Facilitate small group project work and • Facilitate a dialogue on essential •Readings
make this process transparent to all questions to uncover ideas and •Web links
• Create a location for collaborative editing understanding
of an emergent idea set re: content •List of assignments
• Create a persistent record of the
• Manage the flow of student work on emergence of student understanding •Surveys, quizzes, practice
assessments materials
• Share my views and ideas with
• Provide timely and ongoing feedback to students • Make it possible for students to hear
students • Create opportunities for student audio of missed lectures
• Keep students engaged with the material interdependence and leadership • Build a collection of resources
and others • Provide a template for staying on track students discover via their inquiry
• Create a sense of community with the material activities
• Create a community “memory” of key • Follow-up on face to face dialogue • Allow students to share their work with
student ideas and contributions • Keep students informed of critical one another
• Make it possible to access an organized changes
set of a wide range of media • Assure students have clear guidelines
• Facilitate student-helping-student for
• Immerse students in relevant imagery on due dates
content and technical issues
• Create a structure for journal partnering • Give students who are quiet in class a • Set up a way for students to contact
• Share selected student work with the forum for adding their voices me that doesn’t end up in my email
public • Create a “homeroom” for the course
• Include open-source learning objects

19. Academic Technology
Daniel Tyger Harold Hale
Director Sakai Support
Academic Specialist
Computing
Wendy McGrath Katie Golus
Instructional Sakai Support
Systems Instructional
Designer Designer