Lesson Builder
1. Introduction
Lesson Builder is a tool that allows an instructor to organize resources, quizzes, tests, and media on a single page. You can have as many Lesson Builder pages in your site as you see fit. Each Lesson Builder page can be customized to suit the needs of the lesson by taking some of the tools available in Sakai and putting them onto a single page. You can add assignments, tests, resources, text, links, images, discussion forums and other pieces of media to a Lesson Builder page.
Use the action buttons at the top of the page to add content.
2. Add Text
Click Add Text at the top of the page to add text to the page. Enter your text in the rich text editor provided and click Save at the bottom of the page.
You can use text to introduce other pieces of content on the page, this can help orient the student.
2.1 Edit Text
If you want to edit a piece of text that you have already added to the page, click Edit to the left of the text item. When you are satisfied with your changes, click Save at the bottom of the page. You can also click Cancel to return to your page without applying any changes.
2.2 Remove Text
If you want to remove a piece of text, click Edit to the left of the text item. Click the Delete button below the text editor.
Warning: There is no confirmation step; clicking the delete button will permanently remove the text item from your Lesson Builder page. There is no way to retrieve it once it has been deleted.
3. Add Resources
Click Add Resource at the top of the page.
You can add a file to your page by:
- Clicking Browse... and locating the file on your computer. Click Save to complete the process. The file will be added to your page and stored in the Resources tool in a folder with the same title as your Lesson Builder tool.
- Supplying the web address of a file in the URL text box. Click Save to complete the process.
- Clicking Choose Existing File to select a file that has already been uploaded to Resources. Select the file that you want to add to your page by clicking Select. Complete the process by clicking Continue.
3.1 Edit a Resource
Click the Edit button to the left of the resource you would like to modify.
This will open up an Edit Item box on your screen. The options available for modification are as follows:
- Item Name - Change the name of the text on the link to your resource on the main Lesson Builder page.
- Item Description - Change/add a description to your resource, which will appear beneath the link to the resource.
- Change File or URL - Change the file being linked to, or the URL if you're using a Web Link.
- Don't Release Item Until All Prerequisites are Completed - Select this option if you would like it to appear/be accessible only after previously 'Required' items have been completed/accessed.
- Require This Item - Select this option to make this item a 'Required' item for later on in the Lesson Builder plan.
To save your changes, click Update Item.
3.2 Delete a Resource
Click Edit to the left of the resource you would like to remove, then click Delete.
If you would like to completely delete an uploaded file from your worksite, the file will also need to be removed from the Resources tool. To do this, click Resources on the left menu and click on the folder that has the same title as the Lesson Builder from which the file was removed. Click Actions --> Remove to the right of the file. Click Remove to complete the process.
4. Add Assignments
Click the Add Assignment button at the top of the page. This will give you a list of all assignments already created in the Assignments tool. Select the one you wish to add and use selected item.
Note that you cannot create assignments in the Lesson Builder tool; you must go to the Assignments tool and create them there.
4.1 Edit an Assignment
Click Edit to the left of the assignment you would like to modify.
This will open up an Edit Item box on your screen. The options available for modification are as follows:
- Item Name - Change the name of the text on the link to your assignment on the main Lesson Builder page.
- Item Description - Change/add a description to your assignment, which will appear beneath the link to the assignment.
- Change Assignment - Change the Assignment to a different one.
- Don't Release Item Until All Prerequisites are Completed - Select this option if you would like it to be accessible only after previously required items have been completed.
- Require that the student submit this assignment - Select this option to make this item a required item; students must complete required items before progressing in a Lesson Builder plan.
- Require that the student receive ____ points on this assignment - Select this option to make it necessary to score a certain number of points on the assessment to continue. This option can only be selected if the item is Required.
To save your changes, click Edit Item. To remove the Assignment from your Lesson Builder page, click Delete.
5. Add Tests & Quizzes
Click the Add Quiz button at the top of the page. This will give you a list of assessments already created in the Tests & Quizzes tool. Click the one you wish to add and then click Add This Assessment.
Note that you cannot create quizzes in the Lesson Builder tool; you must go to the Tests & Quizzes tool on the left menu and create them there.
5.1 Edit a Quiz
Click Edit to the left of the quiz you would like to modify.
This will open up an Edit Item box on your screen. The options available for modification are as follows:
- Item Name - Change the name of the text on the link to your quiz on the main Lesson Builder page.
- Item Description - Change/add a description to your quiz, which will appear beneath the link to the quiz.
- Change Quiz - Change the assessment to a different one in your Tests & Quizzes section.
- Don't Release Item Until All Prerequisites are Completed - Select this option if you would like it to appear/be accessible only after previously 'Required' items have been completed/accessed.
- Require that the student submit this assessment - Select this option to make this item a 'Required' item for later on in the Lesson Builder plan.
- Require that the student receive ____ points on this assessment - Select this option to make it necessary to score a certain number of points on the assessment to continue. This option can only be selected if the item is Required.
To save your changes, click Update Item. To remove the Quiz from your Lesson Builder page, click Delete.
6. Add Multimedia
The multimedia option allows you to upload media files (such as videos and songs), and present them directly on the page. The Multimedia option can also double as a Web Content tool, allowing you to link to and display websites on your Lesson Builder page.
Click the Add Multimedia button at the top of the page.
You can add a multimedia file to your page by:
- Clicking Browse... and locating the file on your computer. Click Save to complete the process. The file will be added to your page and stored in the Resources tool in a folder with the same title as your Lesson Builder tool.
- Supplying the web address of a file in the URL text box. Click Save to complete the process.
- Clicking Choose Existing File to select a file that has already been uploaded to Resources. Select the file that you want to add to your page by clicking Select. Complete the process by clicking Continue.
6.1 Edit Multimedia
To edit your multimedia content, first click Edit to the left of the item you would like to modify.
This will open up an Edit Item box on your screen. The options available for modification are as follows:
- Change File or URL - Change the source of the media or change the URL of your web link.
- Height - Change the height of the internal frame that will display your web link or contain your media. Note, you may use either percentages (%) or pixels (px) to denote either relative or absolute measurements.
- Width - Change the width of the internal frame that will display your web link or contain your media. Note, you may use either percentages (%) or pixels (px) to denote either relative or absolute measurements.
- Item Description - Change/add a description to your multimedia file, which will appear beneath the multimedia file.
To save your changes, click Update Item. To remove the multimedia item from your Lesson Builder page, click Delete.
7. Add Subpages
Each Lesson Builder tool that you add to your worksite can have multiple pages associated with it. These pages are referred to as subpages.
Click the Add Subpage button at the top of the page. Fill in the text field labeled Page title with the title of your new subpage and click Create.
This will take you to a blank Lesson Builder page, where you can add new content pieces as you see fit.
7.1 Edit a Subpage
To edit information about a subpage, click Edit to the left of the subpage you would like to modify.
The options available for modification are as follows:
- Item Name - Change the name of the text of the link to your subpage on the main Lesson Builder page.
- Item Description - Change/add a description to the subpage, which will appear beneath the link to the subpage.
- Change Page - Change the subpage being linked to.
- Next page, i.e. page replaces the current one rather than returning to the current one.
- Show as button rather than link - This is a cosmetic option to have your subpage appear as a button rather than a link in your Lesson Builder plan.
- Don't Release Item Until All Prerequisites are Completed - Select this option if you would like it to appear/be accessible only after previously 'Required' items have been completed/accessed.
- Require This Item - Select this option to make this item a 'Required' item for later on in the Lesson Builder plan.
To save your changes, click Update Item. To remove the subpage from your page, click Delete.
8. Reorganize Content
By default, new content items are added to the bottom of a Lesson Builder page. You can use the Reorder tool to arrange the content in any order. You can also copy items from other pages into the current one, and delete items.
To start, click the Reorder button at the top of the page. Drag and drop content items into your preferred order. Click Save to complete the process.