Getting Started with Sakai for Instructors

Sakai (https://sakai.plu.edu) is PLU’s learning management system, a resource for face-to-face, online, and blended courses. Instructors may use Sakai to distribute class materials, communicate with their class, create assignments, and deliver online tests.

Note: The Sakai support team (sakai@plu.edu) recommends using Firefox or Chrome as preferred browsers when working with Sakai.

Site Setup Tutorial

Please read the Site Setup Tutorial, which provides a walk-through of an instructor's main tasks for setting up a Sakai course site. This tutorial is the primary means for instructors to quickly get started with Sakai.

"Getting Started with Sakai for Instructors" Webinar

Each year during the Pre-Conference Workshops right before the start of the Fall semester, a two-hour "Getting Started" workshop or webinar is offered covering most of the Site Setup Tutorial and other essential instructor tasks. Materials from the August 2023 webinar are available below:

• Webinar recording
• Presentation slides 

PLUTO Essentials

For a more pedagogically focused tour through the essentials of Sakai (among other technologies), instructors are highly encouraged to enroll in the PLUTO Essentials self-paced course. The application form for enrolling is at the bottom of the PLUTO Essentials Program webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Basic Navigation

• How do I login to Sakai?
• What are an instructor's main tasks for setting up a Sakai course site?
• How do I change or rearrange the site tabs that appear in the Site Navigation?
• How do I edit my profile photo?
• How do I update my name pronunciation?
• How do I set my personal pronouns for my PLU account?
• How do I navigate Sakai with a mobile phone?
• How do I send an email message within Sakai?
• How do I handle videos I create for courses in Sakai?

Roster Tasks

Note: When creating a course site with a Course Reference Number (CRN) from Banner, students enrolled in the course will be added automatically to the corresponding Sakai site. Furthermore, new student enrollments from Banner will be added to Sakai automatically, though this synchronization process happens only once a day.

• How do I manually add users to my course or project site?
• How do I remove a student who has dropped this course?
• How do I manage multiple course reference numbers (CRNs) with one course site?
• How do I setup a course site for a course I am co-teaching with other instructors?
• How do I manage permissions for teaching assistants?
• How do I view roster photos and/or profiles?
• How do I initialize, secure, and use my pseudo-student guest account?
• How do I control site access (e.g., unpublish a published site)?

Core Tools

For a list of all Sakai tools and brief descriptions of them, refer to Sakai Tool Descriptions.

• Site Info
• Lessons - Video tutorials
• Gradebook - Video tutorials
• Assignments - Video tutorials
• Tests & Quizzes - Video tutorials
• Discussions - Video tutorials
• Rich-Text Editor (CKEditor) - Video tutorials
• Rubrics - Video tutorials
• Resources
• Announcements
• More Sakai tools and topics

Other Resources

Getting Started with Sakai for Students

Instructors might also want to become familiar with the materials for students to get started with Sakai.

Teaching and Learning with Sakai

Examples of how PLU instructors have used Sakai in teaching their courses and other resources for experimenting with Sakai are available in the Teaching and Learning with Sakai instructional support page.

What’s new in Sakai?

Sakai was upgraded to version 21 in August 2022. A summary of what’s new is available in the article, What are significant new features in Sakai 21?

Request Support

Email: sakai@plu.edu
Phone: 253-535-7525
Help Requests: helpdesk.plu.edu

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Need support? Contact sakai@plu.edu or call 253-535-7525.