E-Learning users will click a lot less after UF Information Technology launches a new version of Sakai this summer.
The e-Learning system will be upgraded from Sakai 2.8 to Sakai 2.9 in early May, the morning after Spring course grades are submitted.
Douglas Johnson, assistant director for learning services, said his team is excited about the 2.9 upgrade because the improvements are more extensive than those in the past.
“The 2.9 version is much easier for faculty and students to customize and make it their own,” he said.
Sakai 2.9 will have a new look and feel: The most-used tools will be instantly accessible, faculty will be able to randomly assign students to groups and the old features will be easier to use, according to the UF e-Learning website.
In 2012, 11,322 course sections were taught in e-Learning. Also,1,909 instructors and 42,465 students used the program, according to usage numbers provided by UFIT.
Tracy Gale, Communications Manager for UFIT, said UFIT looked at the analytics for which parts of Sakai were used the most, and those numbers helped determine the changes.
“The user-friendly aspects are being done based on student usage, so if we can make it easier to find something with less clicks, then that is what we are going to do,” Gale said. “Sakai is only going to expand.”
She said the trend in higher education is online, and the demand from students and legislatures is to enhance and develop the online environment.
“In fact, last week the Florida Legislature appointed UF to develop as the university that will be the vanguard for developing online learning programs,” Gale said.
Michelle Pruitt, a 22-year-old UF international business first-year graduate student, said she is excited the new e-Learning will be streamlined.
“It’s so frustrating having to click five different links in Sakai just to get to the syllabus or submit an assignment,” Pruitt said.
Johnson said there are several people testing Sakai 2.9 to ensure everything is running smoothly.
“We think it’s a huge step in the right direction,” he said.
