The document discusses an "iSyllabus", which is an interactive online syllabus portal in Sakai that provides a single access point for course information and materials. It aims to improve the student experience through clarity and efficiency. An iSyllabus site can be created using templates and tools in Sakai 2.x. Challenges include not all Sakai tools being available and sites not yet being fully portable. Next steps involve disseminating the iSyllabus to faculty through training and developing school/department templates.

1. iSyllabus: A “One-Stop-
Shopping” Portal for Students
Yitna Firdyiwek, Faculty Consultant in IT at UVa
Trisha Gordon, User Support Manager, UVaCollab
Gail Hunger, Director of Instructional Design, UVa SCPS

2. Introduction
…the “i(nteractive) syllabus”*
*Richards, Sylvie L. (2003) The Interactive Syllabus: A
Resource-based, Constructivist Approach to Learning
The Technology Source, July/August
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3. Introduction
• Q1: Is the syllabus the best place to focus
technology integration in teaching and
learning?
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4. Introduction
• Q1: Is the syllabus the best place to focus
technology integration in teaching and
learning?
• Q2: How can we implement such an idea
in the current Sakai 2.x environment?
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5. The iSyllabus…
• …an online document with links
to resources and activities
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6. The iSyllabus…
• …is a single portal for students to access
course information and materials.
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7. Typical Online Syllabus
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8. Typical Online Syllabus
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9. Typical Online Syllabus
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10. Typical Online Syllabus
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11. iSyllabus Site
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12. iSyllabus: Workflow
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13. iSyllabus: Tools
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14. iSyllabus: Templates
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15. iSyllabus: Template
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16. iSyllabus: Template
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17. iSyllabus: Links
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18. iSyllabus: Links
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19. iSyllabus: Links
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20. iSyllabus: Links
uploaded files
Activities
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21. iSyllabus: Tools

22. iSyllabus: Tools
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23. ARCHITECTURE
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24. EntityBroker/EntityProvider
Resource Browser
Resources
Other Applications External to Sakai
Assignments
FCK Connector
(XML/JSON)
(XML/JSONP)
Tests & Quizzes
Forums
(Javascript code added to Resource
Browser plugin for FCKEditor)
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25. Supplies direct connection to
EntityBroker/EntityProvider
activity items
Resource Browser
Resources
Other Applications External to Sakai
Assignments
FCK Connector
(XML/JSON)
(XML/JSONP)
Tests & Quizzes
Forums
(Javascript code added to Resource
Browser plugin for FCKEditor)
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26. EntityBroker/EntityProvider
Resource Browser
Resources
Other Applications External to Sakai
Assignments
FCK Connector
(XML/JSON)
(XML/JSONP)
Tests & Quizzes
Forums
(Javascript code added to Resource
Browser plugin for FCKEditor)
Extends the Resource
12th Sakai Conference – Los Angeles, to show activities
Browser California – June 14-16 26

27. EntityBroker/EntityProvider
Resource Browser
Resources
Other Applications External to Sakai
Assignments
FCK Connector
(XML/JSON)
(XML/JSONP)
Tests & Quizzes
Forums
(Javascript code added to Resource
Browser plugin for FCKEditor)
Extends the item links to
external applications – Los Angeles, California – June 14-16
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28. Why Use the iSyllabus?
• Value for students:
• clarity; efficiency; positive student experience
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29. Why Use the iSyllabus?
• Value for students:
• clarity; efficiency; positive student experience
• Value for instructors:
• site can reflect teacher purpose
• workload reduction (when porting is completed)
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30. Why Use the iSyllabus?
• Value for students:
• clarity; efficiency; positive student experience
• Value for instructors:
• site can reflect teacher purpose
• workload reduction (when porting is completed)
• Value for institution:
• minimal cost (leveraging existing Sakai tools)
• works with legacy/external applications
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31. Pending Issues
• EntityProvider not available for all Sakai
tools
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32. Pending Issues
• EntityProvider not available for all Sakai
tools
• Sites not completely portable (yet)
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33. Pending Issues
• EntityProvider not available for all Sakai
tools
• Sites not completely portable (yet)
• Steep learning cure for effective use
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34. SITE TEMPLATES AND
DISSEMINATION
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35. Site Templates
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36. 2.6 Site Templates
• Using Sites tool, create a published site
with a site id that starts with “template ”
• In sakai.properties, add a comma-
separated list of template site IDs to
site.template property
• For more details see:
https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/display/WSSI/Home
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37. 2.7 Site Templates
In the Sites
tool, set a
template=true
property to any
site that will
function as a
site template.
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38. 2.7 Site Templates
A new option will
appear during
Worksite Setup to
Create site from
template.
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39. 2.7 Site Templates
Select the iSyllabus site template from
the drop-down menu.
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40. Site Templates
Links to documentation.
A syllabus item (included
in the template) displays a
set of brief instructions for
faculty in Draft mode.
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41. Dissemination to Faculty
iSyllabus User Guide
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42. Dissemination to Faculty
iSyllabus Video

43. Dissemination to Faculty
Announcement to
all instructors
who use
UVaCollab.
Workshops scheduled just
before each semester
One-on-one sessions to
help faculty get started
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44. SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENTAL
IMPLEMENTATION
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45. Individual Examples
• Activities grid example
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46. Individual Examples
Free form
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47. Next Steps
• Departmental/school site templates
• Branding
• Pre-selected tools
• Pre-loaded content
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48. Additional Sessions
• What is the Role of the Syllabus in a Course
Management System? 1:45 Wednesday,
Beaudry A
• Tech Demo – Wednesday evening at 5 PM
• Word-based iSyllabus via WebDAV
• Confluence and WordPress integration via
“The Bridge” tool
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49. Contact Information
• Yitna Firdyiwek, yitna@virginia.edu
• Trisha Gordon, trisha@virginia.edu
• Gail Hunger, gmh6w@virginia.edu
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50. THANK YOU!
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