This document summarizes Jaclyn Schildkraut's presentation at the 2012 Jasig Sakai Conference. It discusses how she incorporated Sakai tools like announcements, forums, assignments, and multimedia links to enhance student participation and engagement in her Criminological Theories course. These tools allowed students to participate asynchronously, submit assignments digitally, receive personalized feedback, and access supplemental videos and materials online. A survey of students found that using Sakai increased class participation, improved assignment scores, and led to better test performance and understanding of course content.

1. Jaclyn Schildkraut
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
June 10-15, 2012
Growing Community;
Growing Possibilities

2.  Texas State University, by way of the University of
Central Florida
 Research Interests
 Teaching Experiences
 Teaching Philosophy
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

3.  CJ 4340 is an undergraduate level core class, providing
students an overview of an array of criminological
theories and concepts
 Taught Spring, 2012
 Traditional face-to-face class
 33 students enrolled (22 male, 11 female)
◦ Mostly junior and senior level students (1 freshman, 1 sophomore)
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

4.  Create a positive and engaging learning environment
 Challenge students to employ critical thinking and
reasoning skills
 Make the material fun
 Make the material accessible
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

5. Announcement Postings,
Online Article Discussion Blogs and
Online Study Groups using the
Sakai Platform
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

6.  How can I encourage student participation as well as
ownership/investment in the course?
◦ An encouraging an engaging environment should also
encourage reflection and cooperation and allow students the
opportunity to “have the floor”
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

7.  How can I encourage student participation as well as
ownership/investment in the course?
◦ An encouraging an engaging environment should also
encourage reflection and cooperation and allow students the
opportunity to “have the floor”
 Incorporating Sakai:
◦ The Announcements feature was used to always keep
students in the loop
◦ The Forums feature was used both for Online Article
Discussion Blogs as well as Online Study Groups in preparation
for exams
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15. Permission for use by student received 6/4/12 via email.
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16. Application Papers
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17.  Students were to select a theory and apply its concepts
to a criminal justice topic of interest
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

18.  Students were to select a theory and apply its concepts
to a criminal justice topic of interest
 Incorporating Sakai:
◦ Students submitted their papers through the Assignments
feature
◦ Papers could be downloaded, annotated, and uploaded back
to students with comments
◦ Provided individual, personalized feedback to students
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22. Student’s
Original
Submission
My Responses
On Original
Submission Plus
Grading Rubric
Permission for use by student received 6/4/12 via email.
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23. Student’s Paper with Feedback Sample Completed Rubric
Permission for use by student received 6/4/12 via email.
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24. Supplemental Multimedia
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25.  Challenges of a “dry” or “bland” subject matter
◦ How can I make criminological theory, with concepts ranging
from the 1700s to the 1970s, interesting to Generation Y?
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

26.  Challenges of a “dry” or “bland” subject matter
◦ How can I make criminological theory, with concepts ranging
from the 1700s to the 1970s, interesting to Generation Y?
 Incorporating Sakai:
◦ In addition to showing videos in class, links can be posted
right online so students can go back and re-watch the videos
on their own time
◦ For longer videos or multi-segment videos, this feature is also
beneficial due to class time constraints
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29. TRACS (Sakai) Organization Feature
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30.  Teaching 2.0
 Any time, any place
 Maintaining class organization
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31.  Teaching 2.0
 Any time, any place
 Maintaining class organization
 Incorporating Sakai:
◦ Ease of toolbar for various site features
◦ Course material could be organized by week and/or topic
through the Resources feature
◦ Using it on the go
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

32. All course links are prominently
displayed for ease of access
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36. The effectiveness of TRACS in
meeting the goals of the course
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference

37.  Increased class participation, both through the web
components and also in the face-to-face meetings
 Improved scores on application papers for second
submissions
 Higher test scores for those who more actively
participated in the Online Study Group activity
 Increased interest in the course materials and better
retention of information
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference