The Web Content Tool in Courses (Powered by Sakai)

 

The Web Content Tool in Courses (Powered by Sakai)

By John Buckingham

A critical component of setting up a course site in Courses (Powered by Sakai) is directing students to the proper resources and tools they will need throughout the class. One such resource is an external website(s) like Adobe Connect where synchronous class sessions will be held. Enter the Web Content tool in Courses.

To add it, simply click on the Site Info tool in the desired course site.

There, select Edit Tools.

Scroll down and check the box next to the “Web Content” tool and then select Continue.

  At this point, you will be prompted to title this web content resource. In this example, I’ll title it “Adobe Connect.”

In the source field, I can supply the URL link to my Adobe Connect classroom. 

NOTE

To access this resource through a new browser tab, It is highly recommended to supply the link with the prefix “HTTP” (and NOT “HTTPS”). So if you copy and paste your Adobe Connect link, be sure to remove that S, as this will force Courses (Powered by Sakai) to open the Adobe Connect classroom in a new web browser tab. Don’t worry, connecting to Adobe Connect in this way is still secure.

 After you have supplied the correct URL, click Continue.

Then followed by Finish.

Now, you’ll have the new tool in the side toolbar titled appropriately.

And for the grand finale, when I click the Adobe Connect Web Content Tool, it opens up in a new browser tab, just as I wanted it to. Highlighted in red below is the Courses Tab, where I can click to return at any time.

See? That wasn’t so bad. Now you can add whatever external URL resources you wish to your course site and make sure that students can stay on Courses (Powered by Sakai) in their web browser.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Technology & Learning for a consultation!

Best,

John C. Buckingham III