Updates
From e-Learning Documentation
Please note that Sundays from Midnight to 9AM is designated as the routine maintenance window for e-Learning in Sakai. While we typically try to use this maintenance window infrequently, if we need to do maintenance we try to work during this time. Thus, instructors should not schedule work to be completed during or soon after this window nor should students expect to be able to submit assignments or complete quizzes.
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1.4.3 Build
December 18, 2012
Tools Updated
Gradebook - In Gradebook, there is the ability to export section numbers and UFID now.
Gradebook 2 – Gradebook 2 has been updated from version 1.7 to 1.8. The look and feel of Gradebook 2 is generally the same, however the import and export process has changed. A New Item Template has been added to the tools menu, which allows instructors to add one new Gradebook 2 item at a time, with or without scores entered in. When importing, instructors will have to choose one of the following import formats: Full Gradebook, New Item Template, and No-Structure Gradebook. Each of these options includes a full description. Instructors also have the option to only import the structure of their gradebook. When importing, if an instructor chooses a file format or type that doesn’t match the specified import format, Gradebook 2 generates a meaningful error message to alert instructors what alterations need to be made to their file before uploading. Gradebook 2 also generates error messages for both duplicate and incorrect user IDs. Finally, the history and statistics tools in Gradebook 2 are more descriptive and accurate with the new update.
Mobile Skin – Addition of a mobile skin for Sakai.
My Workspace – The new message categorization in My Workspace synoptic center is now chronologically presented.
Assignments – In Assignments, when grading an assignment given to groups, an instructor can choose the group they want to grade and assign that grade using the assign grade option.
Bugs Fixed
Assessments – In Assessments, the LockDown Browser used to prevent students from taking an assessment if the force completion option was enabled. This issue has been resolved.
Assignments – In Assignments, the Resubmission Date used to override the Accept Until date, preventing students from submitting after the Resubmission Date had passed, even if the Accept Until date occurred in the future. This issue has now been resolved.
Discussions – In Discussions, students and instructors were unable to attach documents to Forums and Topics. This issue has now been resolved.
Bugs/Issues
Gradebook 2 – We have seen one issue when an instructor imports a weighted category Gradebook into a new course site. The instructor will see a red alert message saying, “this gradebook is not correctly weighted,” and the student list disappears. This can be resolved by correctly weighting Gradebook 2.
Discussions – The "go to newest message" link within Discussions is currently not functional.
1.4.1 Build
July 1st, 2012
Bug fixed
1) Site title truncation is fixed - Complete course titles have been restored and mouse-over display of those titles has also been added.
2) Test & Quizzes Introduction and Submission messages are now visible to the students.
--Narasi 10:13, 2 July 2012 (EDT)
1.4.0 Build
May 8, 2012
Tools Updated
Content Editor - a new content editor (WYSIWIG HTML Editor) has replaced the old one in many tools. It retains the same functionality while adding the ability to extend by dragging the bottom edge. This new editor supports direct copy pase from word without having to use the "paste from word" icon. While basic formatting is retained formatting including colors does not transfer during the paste process.
Gradebook 2 - There are a few minor changes in Gradebook 2. Now, when looking at the Course Grades option, the instructor will see a graph of the grade distribution - what percentage of the class has an A, A-, B+, B, etc.
Assessments - The biggest change in the Assessments tool is the integration with the Respondus Lockdown browser. Instructors may now require that students use the Lockdown browser to take a test. The students are required to download the browser and the assessment will only display within this browser. Students will not be able to use the computer for anything other than taking the test. The lockdown browser prohibits the student from accessing other websites, copying or printing the test. The only way the student can get out of the lockdown browser is to submit the completed test. The other minor change in Assessments is that there is now a red icon beside a published quiz that is closed to students, either because it is prior to or after the due date.
To protect the anonymity of the users surveys results when delivered via Assessments cannot be viewed till the survey is completed by all or the due date has passed. The survey will only show the overall statistics and NOT individual responses. Please note that the survey tool in Assessment has very limited capabilities.
Assignments - When creating a new Assignment, you have the option to "Add Assignment to Gradebook." In the past, you then had to go to the Gradebook and move the column into its category (if you were using categories). Now, when you choose the "Add Assignment to Gradebook" option, a drop-down menu appears allowing you to choose which category in which you want the item to be included.
Blogs - Blogs have only one change, the updated Content Editor listed above.
Tests and Quizzes - T&Q also has an integration with the Respondus Lockdown browser as described above under Assessments. On the "Settings" page, there has been some text added that can help the Instructor better understand the function of the various settings. The Instructor can now choose to show the student a final score without allowing the student to review the questions. The functionality to submit tests "stuck in progress" has been fixed so that tests will be submitted at 4am following the due date.
Discussions - Instructors can now add availability dates when setting up a Discussion and/or Topics.
Resources - There is a "Check Quota" option at the top of the Resources screen that allows you to see how much space you have used and how much space is remaining (default Resources size is 3 GB). Under "Actions" and "Reorder" you can now organize folders and files using "drag and drop."
Mail - Messages can be saved as a "draft" for further editing before sending.
Add Roster - Now asks for a "Authorizer's username: " one may add their own GL username or leave it with the default - $authorizers. This will be removed in future builds.
Add Participants - When adding participant(s), it is possible to add them as "inactive."
Bug fixed
Internet Explorer version 7 did not display the course toolbar. This has now been fixed.
Tools removed
Journals - The Blogs tool serves the same function as did the Journals tool.
Entity Picker - This tool was very limited in its abilities and is not supported in the new Content Editor.
Bugs/Issues
The new design truncates the names of courses in the course tabs at the top of the screen. This is helpful in some regards, but people who have many course enrollments may have difficulty finding the correct course. The workaround is to click "Worksite Setup" in the "My Workspace" tool bar. The courses are listed there with their full titles. Click the title to enter the course. Sometime in the near future, we will implement an aid that will allow the full title to be displayed when one places the cursor over the tab. We have also changed our naming convention for future courses so that vital identifying information is shown within the first 21 characters.
If you are trying to insert an image on the Home Page using the Content Editor, you may find that that the "Image Properties" box does not show the "OK" and "Cancel" buttons at the bottom. Once you have inserted the image URL, place your cursor in the "VSpace" box and hit "Tab" twice, then hit "Enter." Your image will be inserted. A fix for this problem is under investigation.
In Tests and Quizzes, the assessment "Description/Intro" and the "Submission Message" are not displaying to students. A workaround is to add the Description to the Part, rather than to the assessment itself. There is no known workaround at this time for the Submission Message.
On occasion, Gradebook 2 does not display students if using weighted categories and it is not set up correctly. As soon as the weighted categories and columns are in place so that the red "this gradebook is not correctly weighted" message goes away, students appear.
On occasion, instructors accessing Gradebook 2 for the first time since the update may see a "you do not have permission to view this tool" error. Clear the cache and cookies in the browser to resolve this problem. Instructions for clearing the cache and cookies for the various browsers can be found here: https://wiki.helpdesk.ufl.edu/FAQs/SupportedBrowsersForUFWebsites
Some emails generated within the system no longer have the site URL. This problem is under investigation.
In the Firefox browser, some users may see the page flash and not load. You can fix this problem by clicking "Options" at the top of the Home Page and then click "Update Options" at the bottom of the page. If you are using the "Site Info URL" option to point to an HTML file in Resources, go to the file in Resources, click "Actions," "Edit Content" and "Continue" at the bottom of the page. In either case, you do not need to make any changes to the content, just open the Content Editor and save your page anew. The old content saved in the new editor will now work in Firefox.
If you create a Project Site, you will see the option to leave the site in draft more or to create it as "published." You will receive an email saying that a Helpdesk ticket has been generated. You may simply ignore and delete this email.
Auto email generated when adding someone to a site is no longer sending site information to the site the user has been added to. Also when new project sites are created users gets an email indicating that a new site has been created.
1.3.0 Build
--Narasi 09:32, 11 August 2011 (EDT) August 11th, 2011
Key Highlights
New tools and features incorporated -
• Dropbox - Allows for sharing files privately between instructor-type roles and students.
• Resources - now has Selective Release feature that can be tied to gradebook criteria
• Sign-up - Students can sign up for a time period - such as Instructor Office Hours, or a time to present a project.Please note that the Sign-up tool will not be available to courses created prior to August 10th 2011. Please call LSS staff at 392-4357 option 3 to get this tool enabled or send us a message with the course and section details so we can can enable this for you.
• Assessment - Can now edit published tests, even questions that are randomly drawn from a question pool. Changes will regrade any submitted assessment with the corrected information.You may also add questions directly into an exam without creating a question pool.
• Link to Parent Site - Site Info now have Link to Parent Site option, this allows one to establish a parent/child relationship between 2 sites This is a display only feature currently This does not implement hierarchical inheritance of Authorizations - simply the hierarchical display of sites and subsites.
• Special Access option in Lessons - Special Access to Modules can be now given to individuals. While several individuals may be selected, you cannot access the Groups that were created in Sakai.
• Profile - Profile now provides social networking options and allows status updates to be sent to Twitter.
If you wish to deploy any of these tools you may do so after the new version is deployed, this deployment is tentatively scheduled to be available from August 10th 2011.
List of Bugs and Features Addressed
• Site Stats tool can no longer be removed from course toolbar.
Details - The Site Stat tool does not record events if it is not present on the toolbar. So it is not possible to add the Site Stat tool half-way through the semester to see stats from earlier in the semester. To prevent this from happening we have made it impossible to remove the tool. This tool is only available for instructor-type roles and does not appear to students.
• Honor pledge in Assignments matches UF Honor Pledge.
• Add Roster(s) message updated.
Details - In Sakai, only the Instructor has the ability to add the roster to the course, though many other people consistently try to do it, creating errors and duplicate course requests. We adjusted the message on the "Add Rosters" link to clearly explain what someone needs to do if they do not see the roster they are trying to add.
• Spaces in file name no longer a problem in the Discussion and Mail tool attachments.
Details - There has been a Known Issue involving attachments to the Discussion or Mail tools. If there were spaces in the file name, the recipient could not open the attachment.
• "Link to parent site" works well when used with UFL skin, but does not display properly in the UFL2 skin.
Details - A new feature called "Link to Parent Site" allows one to establish a Parent/ Child relation between 2 sites. This new features does not work well with the UFL2 skin and we are working on a fix for this. If you plan to use this feature you may want to use the UFL skin.
• UF Grade scale incorporated in Gradebook and Gradebook 2.
Details - Until now, instructors had to change the grading scale to override the A+ grade. There was no way to change the "F" to an "I" or an "E." We have changed the default grading scale to a "UF Grade Scale" that eliminates the A+ grade and changes the "F" to an "E." Please note that this new scale will NOT be available to all courses in Fall 2011. Courses sites created after August 10th 2011 will be able to access this scale.
• Gatorlink username change pilot testing.
Details - A patch to accommodate pilot testing of Gatorlink username changes has been incorporated in this version. If the testing turns out to be successful we will be able to offer Gatorlink username changes.
• Compatibility with IE9.
Details - A patch has been implemented to force "Compatibility View" in the IE browser. People will no longer have the ability to turn Compatibility View on or off in Sakai. It will be on at all times making IE9 and e-learning compatible.
• Dynamic skin to categorize courses by their term.
Details - A new skin has been contributed by the College of Business that will replace the "More" drop-down menu with a "My Active Sites" menu in the course tabs. This new skin will automatically sort one's courses by the term.
• Students can create Blogs.
Details - Previously, instructors had to change the permission for the Blogs tool to allow students to create a Blog. Now the default permissions allow students to create Blogs.
• Spell checker works in HTML editor when using IE If plug-in for IE is installed.
Details - ieSpell is free for personal use, if one clicks the spell check icon in the html editor they will be prompted to download and install the ieSpell personal use version for free. http://www.iespell.com/download.php Once this plug-in is installed successfully users can use the spell check feature in IE within the html editor.
• Assessment will allow edits for published quizzes and some additional enhancements.
Details - You will be able to edit published quizzes/exams in Assessments. The questions can be standalone questions or randomly drawn from a question pool. You can also edit the point value for individual questions drawn from a question pool when creating an exam. Also, the use of question pools is not required. Questions can be directly entered into a test.
Tools removed
• Goal Management tool removed.
Details - This tool has never functioned.
1.2.8.411 Build
Update: Changes have been rolled back. Attachments with spaces in file names are still an issue. (June 23, 2011)
(June 21, 2011)
This update fixed the Known Issue where file attachments to the Mail tool and the Discussions tool could not be opened if the file had spaces in the file name. Attachments should now open with no problems.
Mid Fall 1.2.3 Build
(October 24, 2010)
Key Highlights
- Unpublished icon is now displayed
- Published/attempted quizzes can be edited and auto re-grade possible for some quizzes (if a quiz uses a question pool the edit has to be made to the question pool question and it did not flow into the quiz however stand-alone questions can be edited and regarded)here's the updates page now
- The confusion caused by adding users with their email ID has been removed, the “Add Participants” only allows one to add users based on their UFID’s or gatorlink usernames
- Journal tool has been put back
- Turnitin name restored in Assignment tool
