Five-minute Fixes to Improve Sakai Course Design

Thomas Boudrot – Manager, Instructional TechnologyJohn Ansorge – Educational Technology Specialist

Oregon Health & Science UniversityJune 17, 2010

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In this session, we will …

• Review support calls/tickets that led to five-minute fixes

• Talk about the do’s and don’ts of course design that can be mistaken as technical problems

• Look at more lengthy time investments that pay big dividends

• Talk, ask and challenge each other

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Technology vs. Design

• Analyze support requests to find patterns• Really look at the issues before fixing them• Be open to what is being said• “Listen” to what isn’t being said• Ask questions• Challenge your users

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To-do

Five-minute Fixes

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Orienting the Disoriented

Hi Sakai Help Desk:I got the emailed welcome message and can find my course, BMI 510. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do next. Will I get another email telling me what to do? This is an online course, right?Simon

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Include Must-do’s on Homepage

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Include Must-do’s on Homepage

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The Anonymous Professor

To whom it may concern:I’ve never taken an online course before so I’m a bit confused. Who is my professor? I can’t seem to figure it out.Thomas

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Give the Site “Voice”

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Give the Site “Voice”

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Less is More

What’s with this Sakai thing? I’m clicking on all the buttons on the menu bar and there’s nothing available. Is there some setting that isn’t configured? I’m sure I’m missing out on the assignments I’m supposed to be doing and I don’t want to look like a jerk by asking my professor what the deal is.Jan

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Remove Unused Tools

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Remove Unused Tools

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The S#^@! Scavenger Hunt

Why did you switch from Blackboard to Sakai? My classmates call it #!*&%. You can’t find anything. It’s like going on a scavenger hunt every week. This is getting old. I’m not learning. I’m searching and searching and searching …

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Use Templates to Standardize Look-and-Feel

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Use Templates to Standardize Look-and-Feel

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Use Templates to Standardize Look-and-Feel

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Media Motivation

Hi Sakai Guys –I have 30 videos that I’m converting to Quicktime and need to upload them to my course site and link them to the Course Materials area. Is there a file size limit in Sakai? And, will Windows users have any issues viewing my files? Dr. Mullins

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Standardize Media Types

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To Avoid

Five-minute Fixes

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Going on a Bad Date

I’m sure this is a mistake. My week 2 quiz really can’t be due in July because it’s just the second week of class and if anybody cared to check, it’s October. Would you fix this. It’s very irritating that nobody cared to check for accuracy.Cherbon

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Good Dates/Bad Dates

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Good Dates/Bad Dates

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The Missing Link

Hi Sakai Helpers –eCollege let me create links in my course content that sent students directly to various forum topics. How do I do it? Every time I create a link and test it, I end up at the Forum tool but not in the proper forum, topic or thread.Thanks

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Tell Students Where to Go

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Mad at What’s Missing

You guys are responsible for my missing a quiz. It didn’t show up on my Schedule so I missed it. What gives? I need you to contact my instructor to let her know that it wasn’t my fault that I didn’t take the quiz.Phoebe A.

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Know Schedule Shortcomings

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Bait and Switch

More than five minutes but worth every second!

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Melete and Resources

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Melete and Resources

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Templates in FCK Editor

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CSS for Ergonomics

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Questions/Discussion

Five-minute Fixes