What web browser should I use to access Sakai?

Sakai requires one of the following web browsers:

• Firefox (Windows, Macintosh, or Linux) - free download
• Netscape 8 (this is the same as Firefox) or other Mozilla browsers
• Internet Explorer for Windows, version 6 or higher - available through Windows update

You may also require additional plugins (Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Real Player, etc.), depending on the resources that your instructor uses.

Other web browsers such as Safari, Opera, and Konqueror are known to have minor incompatibilities. Older web browsers such as Netscape 4.8 or Internet Explorer 5.5 or earlier (for Windows or Macintosh) will not work.

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How much can I upload to Sakai? (Is there a file size limit?)

No. There are limits on the size of individual files that you can upload when using the Resources Tool -- currently 20 Mb per file. For larger files, you must use the ‘Upload/Download Multiple Resources’ method (also known as WebDAV).

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How do I go back to a tool’s main screen?

Most tools have a start or main screen. The main screen is the screen that you see when you open the tool for the first time. For example, the Site Editor tool’s main screen shows basic information for the worksite, and roster information if you are working on a course worksite as the site maintainer.

When you click an action within a tool, (e.g., ‘Edit Tools’ in the above screenshot) you will be taken to a new screen within that tool (below).

You can go back to the main screen of a tool by circular arrow next to a tool's title (circled below).

This will put you back on the main screen of the tool. You can do this anytime when using a tool.

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How can I see what my students see?

The best way to see exactly what your students see is to add yourself as a student. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In your course worksite, click ‘Site Editor' in the left menu.

2. Click the ‘Add Participants’ button beneath the title bar.

3. Add an e-mail address that you can access into the ‘Guest Email Address’ text box.

4. Scroll down and click the ‘Continue’ button.

5. On the ‘Choose a role for participants’ screen, select ‘Student’ and click ‘Continue’.

6. Select ‘Send Now’ to send an e-mail to your non-OHSU e-mail account, and click ‘Continue’.

This will send an e-mail to the e-mail address that you supplied. It contains information about the worksite and how to access it.

If this is the first time you added this e-mail address to Sakai, you will also receive an e-mail with a temporary password so that you can log in to Sakai as a student so you can view the course.

NOTE: You may change your new account’s password once you log in to Sakai by clicking ‘Account’ in the left menu.

7. Click ‘Finish’ to add the account to your worksite.

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Why can’t a student see my class?

There are usually two reasons why students may not be able to see your course site.

1. He/she has been dropped or withdrawn from the course registration in Banner. A drop in Banner results in student being removed from your Sakai course site. Students may be dropped if:
   • They have failed to pay their tuition for the current semester or have other outstanding financial dues.
   • They have been suspended due to disciplinary action.
   • They have outstanding parking dues.
   • They have outstanding library dues.
   • They have failed a pre-requisite for your course in the previous semester.
2. He/she recently registered for your class.
   • If the student just registered for your class, it may take up to 24 hours for the registration status to be reflected in Sakai.

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Why is my roster missing some of my students?

The database that feeds course rosters is updated every morning at 2:00 AM.

If a student joined a class on a Monday afternoon for example, he/she will not be instantly added to your roster on Sakai. Her name would show up on your roster on Tuesday morning just after 2 AM.

If a student absolutely must be on your worksite, contact the Sakai Help Desk

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Why can’t my students log in to Sakai?

There are several reasons why a student may not be able to log in:

1. No Sakai ID (student U-number) exists in the system.
2. He/she has recently registered for your class but registration information has not been updated in Sakai.
3. The password used is incorrect.

Direct students to the Sakai Help Desk or have them call 503-494-4627.

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Why am I having trouble using Sakai on my Mac?

Sakai is incompatible with Internet Explorer for the Mac. Sakai has known compatibility issues with the Safari web browser. If you are using a Mac, we recommend using Mozilla Firefox. It can be downloaded from: http://www.mozilla.org

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How do I close a discussion forum (stop postings)?

The Forum has a feature called "lock forum." Once you activate the lock, students can read postings but can no longer post. Here are the steps to do that.

1. Go to the forum you wish to lock and click on FORUM SETTINGS.
2. Scroll down the page to the LOCK FORUM option. By default the NO button is indicatd. Click on the YES button and the forum will now be locked.
3. Return to the message center and you should see a visual LOCK displayed.

Please note that the instructor,will still be able to post. However, students will not be able to post.

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