
Join us at SakaiCon in July 2023!
What Will You Learn?
Sakai LMS helps instructors create truly inspiring learning experiences. At SakaiCon, you will explore examples of best practices, learn tips and tricks, and get a look at new features.
SakaiCon offers something for everyone, Sakai newcomers and experts alike. Whether you are an instructor, an instructional designer, an instructional technologist, a developer, or an academic administrator, SakaiCon is a great place to connect with the Sakai Community.
Schedule at a Glance
Tuesday, July 18
9:00 - 10:00 am
Opening discussion (In-person only)
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Welcome (Online)
10:15 am - 10:35 am
What's new in Sakai 23? (Online)
Presenter: Wilma Hodges, Sakai Community Manager
10:45 am - 11:45 am
Sakai Great Teaching Showcase (Online)
Moderator: Joshua Wilson, Longsight
Join us for an inside look at 4 courses that will inspire you to push the boundaries in your teaching. Each course is from a different Sakai institution, and you’ll hear directly from the instructor who created it. Our panel of Sakai SuperFans will comment on each one, and there will be time for audience questions!
11:55 am - 12:25 pm
The Plan Unidigital: Sakai Innovations from Spanish Universities (Online)
Presenter: Miguel Pellicer, Entornos de Formacion
The Plan Unidigital is a collaborative initiative of 12 Spanish universities to enhance Sakai LMS with innovative features and functionalities. Discover some of the achievements and challenges of the Plan Unidigital and its implications for online education.
12:25 - 1:00 pm
Lunch break
1:00 - 1:30 pm
Groupies Unite: Group Awareness and Collaboration in Sakai (Online)
Presenter: Christina Schwiebert, Northwest State Community College
Join us for a quick run-through of all of the ways that you can use groups to enhance learning, collaboration, and communication within Sakai.
1:40 - 2:10 pm
Sakai Lessons: Julianne’s 7 Favorite Things (Online)
Presenter: Julianne Morgan, University of Dayton
Here are 7 reasons why Julianne thinks Lessons is great: Templates, Sections, Colors, Layouts, Icons, Checklists, and Questions. Using these elements, instructors customize their content for effective delivery. Perhaps they'll be your 7 favorite things, too!
2:20 - 2:45 pm
SakaiCon Day 1 Trivia (Online)
2:45 - 3:00 pm
Wrap-Up (Online)
3:00 - 4:30 pm
Sakai Future Strategy discussion (In-person only)
6:00 pm
Evening activity (In-person only)
Wednesday, July 19
9:00 - 10:00 am
Sakai Lessons Accessibility Workshop (In-person only)
10:00 - 10:15 am
Welcome (Online)
10:15 - 11:15 am
Dr. Chuck’s Big Adventure: Sakai’s Past, Present, and Future (Online)
Presenter: Charles Severance, Sakai Project Founder, University of Michigan
11:25 - 11:55 am
Found in Translation: Empowering Multilingualism in Sakai (Online)
Presenter: Hannah Jackson, University of Dayton
Join us to discuss an experiential learning project at the University of Dayton in which advanced Spanish and French language students contributed more than 785 missing translations for terms in Sakai.
11:55 am - 12:30 pm
Lunch break
12:35 - 1:05 pm
Grading outside the box: Creative approaches to alternative assessment in Sakai (Online)
Presenter: Wilma Hodges, Sakai Community Manager
Looking to shake things up? Worried about ChatGPT? Need some inspiration? Learn about how you can set up a variety of alternative evaluation techniques in Sakai using new or little known features.
1:15 - 1:45 pm
SakaiCon Day 2 Trivia (Online)
1:45 - 2:00 pm
Wrap-Up (Online)
Travel Logistics for In-Person Attendees
Air Travel
Detroit Airport (DTW) is the ideal airport with great worldwide connections. It is 30 minutes to Downtown Ann Arbor. All of the ride sharing options are available - but there is also a scheduled bus from the airport to downtown Ann Arbor.
Venue
The venue is in the North Quad building - A good address is:
North Quad
105 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
https://housing.umich.edu/residence-hall/north-quadrangle/
Parking
The closest parking is 1/2 block away - there are usually spaces available.
Liberty Square
510 E Washington St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104, US
Hotels
There are two close hotels. Otherwise just use Google and figure out logistics. Hotel prices get lower the further away you are.
Bell Tower (< 1 block) ($250)
Graduate Hotel < 1 block ($250)
https://www.graduatehotels.com/ann-arbor/
When booking hotels - it is good to checkout Wednesday - as the art fair starts July 20, 2003 and hotel prices go way up the night of July 19.