Sakai CLE Admin Training

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Last updated: Aug 23, 2012
3 min read

Training in Sakai CLE administration is broken down into the following modules:

  • Concepts and Structure
  • Installation and Configuration
  • Operation
  • Course Management
  • Pedagogical Support

Each of these is an hour long presentation.  The last section here lists several advanced topics, each of which would be a separate training module an hour or so in length.

1. Concepts and Structure

Like most enterprise applications, Sakai has it's own terminology, concepts, and structure.  This training module provides an introduction to Sakai by first describing it's history and the influence that had on how Sakai was designed and built.   After an overview of Sakai concepts and terms, the structure is explored in greater detail.  Source of additional information are given.

  1. History and Early Influences
  2. Concepts and Terms
    1. Users - Definition
    2. Sites - Definition
      1. My Workspace
      2. Course
      3. Project
      4. Portfolio
    3. Tools - Definition
      1. Distributed Tools
      2. Contrib Tools
      3. Commercial Tools
    4. Resources
    5. Notification
    6. Security
    7. Internationalization
    8. Accessibility
  3. Structure
    1. Portal
      1. Charon
      2. Neo
    2. Users
      1. Types
      2. User Management Tools - introduction
      3. Data and Profiles
    3. Sites
      1. Types
      2. Site Management Tools -introduction
    4. Tools
      1. Tool Status
        1. Contrib
        2. Provisional
        3. Full Support
        4. Deprecated/Retired
      2. Configuration and Options
      3. IMS-LTI
  4. Informational Resources
    1. The Sakai Project Wiki
    2. EMail Lists
    3. Help
    4. The IU Knowlege Base

2. Installation and Configuration

Installing the Sakai CLE ranges from a very simple process to a rather complex (but highly controlled) build from sources.  An overview of hardware considerations and server configurations is made.  The Sakai release and distribution process is explained and the two current release examined for features.  Descriptions are provided to install Sakai from a binary or source release.  Configuration and customization is explored by describing the Sakai properties file, JVM tuning, content storage, security considerations, etc.

  1. Hardware and Servers
    1. Single server architecture
    2. Dual server architecture - LMS and Database
    3. Clustering and Load Balancing
    4. Cloud Computing
  2. Sakai Distributions and Releases
    1. Release Policies
    2. Current distros
      1. 2.8.x
      2. 2.9.x
    3. Current Road Map
  3. Installing a Binary Distribution
    1. Downloading the distro
    2. Installing the distro
  4. Installing Sakai from Source
    1. Prepare the Environment
    2. Install the Database
      1. Supported databases
    3. Install Tomcat
    4. Downloading Sakai
    5. Build Sakai
  5. Configuration and Customization
    1. The Sakai Properties File
    2. JVM Tuning
    3. Content Storage
      1. Database
      2. File System
      3. Storage Devices
    4. Security Considerations
    5. Internationalization Considerations
    6. Accessibility Support

3. Operation

This module describes basic operation of a Sakai instance that includes starting and stopping Sakai, database management, server operation and maintenance, monitoring SAkai for up time, usage, load, and errors, tracking statistics, and restoring lost content.

  1. Starting and Stopping Sakai
    1. Command Line
    2. Service
    3. Implications
  2. Database Management
    1. Back-ups
    2. Optimization
  3. System Operations
    1. Defragmentation
    2. Off-site Storage of Archived Materials
  4. Monitoring
    1. Disk Quotas (if used)
    2. Up Time and Usage
    3. Load
    4. Log Files and Errors
  5. Statistics
    1. The Statistics Tool
    2. Reports
  6. Content Restoration

4. Course Management

Although the Sakai CLE can be used for other purposes, it is primarily used to manage courses during an academic year.  This module explains how to set up a course template, defining and managing academic terms, and creating courses manually and adding users to them.  Concepts of external course management are described without going into technical detail of how this is accomplished.

  1. Course Templates
    1. Defining and editing
    2. Adding tools to a course
  2. Term Management
    1. Defining an Academic Term
    2. Start and End of the Term
    3. Archiving Courses at the End of the Term
  3. Manual Techniques
    1. Creating a course
      1. New Course Creation
      2. Re-using Material from a Previous Term
    2. Adding Users
      1. Adding an instructor to a course
      2. Adding a student to a course
      3. Adding other users to a course (TA's , etc)
  4. External Course Management
    1. Student Information System Integration
    2. External Database Integration
    3. Scripted Course Creation

5. Pedagogical Support

Teaching and learning support is at the very heart of the Sakai CLE.  A short description of pedagogical styles is given to provide a context for how Sakai might be used.  An exploration of the basic pedagogy tools is given that includes the syllabus, assignments, tests, self-paced learning, other course content, grading, forums, wikis, chat rooms, calendars, and announcements.

  1. Pedagogical Styles
  2. Syllabus
    1. Overview
    2. Creating
  3. Assignments and Tests
    1. Creating
    2. Linking
    3. Submissions - Drop Box, etc.
  4. Self-paced Learning Modules
    1. Tools
      1. Lessons
      2. Melete
      3. SoftChalk
      4. SCORM
    2. Assigning a Learning Module
  5. Other Support Materials
    1. PowerPoint
    2. Web Content
    3. Other Resources
  6. Grading
    1. Overview
    2. Automatic Grading
    3. Manual Grading
    4. Access to Grades
    5. Grade Reports
  7. Forums
    1. Choices and Overview
    2. Adding a Forum Tool
    3. Forum Strategies
  8. Wiki
    1. Overview
    2. Adding the Wiki Tool
    3. Wiki Strategies
  9. Chat
    1. Overivew
    2. Adding the Chat Tool
    3. Chat Strategies
      1. On-line Office Hours
  10. Calendar
  11. Announcements
  12. Other Topics
    1. TWSIA Awards

 

6. Advanced Topics

The following are topics for additional Sakai CLE administrative training modules.  Generally, these are more technical in nature.  The Sites and Realms tools give very detailed access to site setup and permissions, for example.  A basic exposure to the Sakai software architecture can be useful in finding additional technical information.  Integration with external applications to provide user definition, authentication, authorization, repositories, and course management all all deep topics.  Portfolios is also a complex topic with many details.  Web services and use of the Entity Broker REST handler provides a way to externally script Sakai operations.

  1. The Sites Tool
  2. The Realms Tool
  3. Architecture
  4. Integration
    1. External User Definition - LDAP, etc.
    2. External Authentication - CAS, etc.
    3. External Authorization - Access Control Lists, etc.
    4. External Repositories - mounting them in the Resource Tool
  5. Portfolios
  6. Web Services and the Entity Broker

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