CLE 2.7: Upcoming Release
With the new year in full swing, the CLE team is hard at work on rSmart’s upcoming release of CLE version 2.7. It’s based on Sakai 2.7, which the Sakai community has tentatively scheduled for release in April 2010. If this target date remains unchanged, we expect to release version 2.7 of the CLE in late May or early June 2010.
Following our usual practice, we’ve allowed for additional time between the Sakai release and the CLE release. We’re using this time to integrate new tools, perform extensive testing, and develop additional documentation, so the CLE once again offers the best combination of functionality and reliability.
New tools and features in this release include the following:
-
Gradebook 2. An alternative to Gradebook, this tool offers a long list of handy features—starting with a user-friendly, spreadsheet-style interface that makes it easy to grade multiple items for many students. The University of California-Davis, one of the tool's contributors, has been running it in full production. rSmart included it in the CLE 2.6.2 service pack as an unsupported “stealthed” tool for users to preview, and the CLE team has now determined that it’s ready for general use. You can find more information about this tool here.
-
Google Docs integration. Fans of Google Docs will be happy to learn that we’ve integrated this service with the CLE. From within the Resources tool, users will be able to add and edit Google Docs files.
-
Message bundle editor. This new feature for the Customizer tool will make it easy for system administrators to modify text in the CLE. Using this feature, admins will be able to create and manage the message “bundles” that the CLE displays on particular pages....more
Client Services Spotlight
CLE Certification Training: Call for Feedback
When an institution implements the rSmart Sakai CLE, the rSmart team usually trains a small group of core users, who then go on to train other staff. But schools often discover the need for additional training—either for new staff members who are unfamiliar with Sakai, or for existing staff who want to become more effective in using the CLE. Many institutions eventually provide their own in-house training.
To help schools meet this demand, rSmart has been putting together an online training course, called CLE Certification Training, that will be available to all of our clients. Designed primarily for instructors, it will take users through a series of interactive lesson modules in which they'll learn everything necessary for developing and conducting a course in Sakai--such as creating and managing course and project sites, adding different kinds of content to sites, and choosing the right tools for specific objectives.
At this point, we’re almost done with the training course, and we would greatly appreciate your input. We’re now seeking clients who would like to test the course so we can get some feedback—on the training’s content, functionality, and pedagogical approach. In short, we’d like to find out what you think works and what needs improvement. This is a great way to become directly involved with the resources we provide for using Sakai. If you’re interested or would like more information, please contact Christian Bond.
Core Product Review
If you've ever submitted a Product Suggestion ticket to RSN, you may have wondered about the message you received, stating "CPRT" as the reason the ticket was closed. What exactly does this mean?
CPRT stands for “Core Product Review Team,” a group made up of key people at rSmart who supervise development, functionality, support, and marketing for the CLE. The team considers all the suggestions for improving the CLE that we receive from our clients.
Twice a month, the team meets to review these suggestions. They determine the benefit to clients for each suggested feature or function, and if it should be included in the CLE; they also find out if the Sakai community is actively engaged in any work on it, or if it’s something rSmart should develop independently. When the team makes a decision--or if they need more information--they send a follow-up email to the person who submitted the suggestion.
So if you or other users at your institution have an idea for improving Sakai, we encourage you to log into RSN and send it our way. You could very well see it in a future version of the CLE!
Sakai Community News
2010 Sakai Conference: Call for Proposals / Speaker Preference Survey
Planning is well under way for the 2010 Sakai Conference, and presentation proposals are now being accepted--the deadline is Sunday, February 28. This year’s conference is being held June 15-17 in Denver, Colorado. The Sakai web site has a list of conference tracks. For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.
The conference’s program committee has put together a list of potential keynote speakers, and they’d like to get your input. Click here to complete their online survey.
March 15 Deadline for 2010 Teaching with Sakai Innovation Award
If you read last month’s issue of Smart Talk, then you know applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Teaching with Sakai Innovation Award. What you may not realize is that time is fast running out: the deadline for submissions is Monday, March 15.
This is a great opportunity to show others in the Sakai community what you’ve accomplished as an educator. The award is open to any instructor in higher ed or K12 who’s using a Sakai tool, and winners receive a free trip to the 2010 Sakai Conference, where they’ll give a presentation on their work. Visit OpenEdPractices to learn more about the award and to submit an application.
rSmart Welcomes Learner’s Edge
We’d like to welcome Learner’s Edge to the Sakai community as one of our recent rSmart Sakai CLE support customers. A leader in providing teachers with flexible solutions for professional development, Learner’s Edge offers a variety of continuing education graduate courses, and they’ve partnered with several regionally accredited institutions.
Following a short implementation, Learner's Edge went live with the rSmart Sakai CLE in October 2009; the company then opted to let rSmart host their instance of the CLE, and the rSmart team integrated their Student Information System (SIS) in December. We look forward to learning more about what this dynamic company will do with Sakai in the future!
Smart Tip of the Month
How can I find out which students have opened a particular file?
In CLE 2.6, you can use the Site Statistics tool to track a broad range of activities on your site—including specific actions users take with a particular file.
Let’s say you’ve uploaded some new content on your course site with the Resources tool. To find out which students have opened it—and when—first select Site Statistics. Then follow these steps:
-
In the menu bar, click Reports. The CLE displays the Reports screen.
-
Click the Add button. The CLE displays the New Report screen.
-
In the “What?” section, select Resources from the Activity dropdown menu. The CLE displays additional options.
-
Check the Limit to action radio button. From the dropdown menu, select Read.
-
Check the Limit to resources button. In the box below, the CLE displays files for the Resources and Dropbox tools, as well as any attached files.
-
Click on the Resources folder and select the appropriate file....more
This and hundreds of other tips can be found in the RSN knowledge base.
Upcoming Events
Instructional Technology Council--eLearning 2010 Conference
February 20-23, 2010, Ft. Worth, Texas
rSmart is exhibiting at the eLearning 2010 Conference, so if you’re attending, please stop by for a visit (booth 17). The conference is a great opportunity to share ideas about distance learning, and we’re excited to be part of it.
We also invite you to attend an rSmart presentation at the conference, “Sakai Basics - Inside the Evolving Sakai Collaboration and Learning Environment.” In this presentation, rSmart Sakai Solutions Consultant Paul Houser will talk about the Sakai community, tools and features in the CLE, and what service and support models are available. This one-hour presentation is being held Sunday, February 21, at 3:30 PM.
Webinar: Managing your Migration to Sakai
February 25, 2010, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM PST
For any institution implementing Sakai, a crucial step is migrating from an existing system. Please join Kara Stiles, rSmart Senior Functional Consultant, as she explains how to make a successful transition to the Sakai CLE. You’ll learn about course migration workflow, ensuring user acceptance of the CLE, and much more. Click here to register.
Webinar: mySakai 101
March 2, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
March 16, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
March 30, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
You've registered for mySakai, so now what? During the mySakai 101 webinar, you will learn how to log into mySakai, navigate, create a course site, add students, use tools within your course, and learn how other schools are using Sakai. You'll also have an opportunity at the end of the hour to ask questions. To register, click on your preferred date above.
NERCOMP 2010 Annual Conference
March 8-10, Providence, Rhode Island
Please join us at this year’s NERCOMP (Northeast Regional Computing Program) conference, being held March 8-10 in Providence, Rhode Island.
rSmart will be exhibiting at this year’s conference, which is entitled "The Next-Generation University: Rethinking IT in Disruptive Times." The event will focus on how institutions can meet today’s economic challenges, adopt new solutions—such as Sakai—and move successfully into the future. Click here for more information.
Webinar: Enabling the Open Campus with Sakai and rSmart
March 9, 2010 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM PST
Is your institution considering open-source solutions? If so, we invite you to attend this webinar. You’ll learn about the benefits of open source software, what kind of resources you’ll need for implementing and supporting an open source system, and how rSmart can help your institution meet its needs when adopting Sakai. To register, click here.
The Chair Academy—19th Annual International Conference for Post-Secondary Leaders
March 15-18, 2010, Minneapolis, Minnesota
rSmart Client Evangelist Nate Angell will be speaking at this event, which will explore how administrators and other leaders in post-secondary institutions can best face today's changing demands. Click here for more information and to register.
|
 |
