University of South Alabama
Innovation in Learning Center
USAILC.ORG
SAKAI LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
Determining which LMS your course(s) is in:
The University of South Alabama currently has two learning management systems (LMSs), Sakai and
eCollege. Virtually all courses taught at the University now utilize one of the learning management
systems for all or a portion of the course content. Beginning in the Fall of 2011, the University began
the process of migrating all of its online courses (fully online, blended and web enhanced) to Sakai. This
process will continue into 2013 until all courses have moved from eCollege to Sakai. During this process,
some courses will still be taught in eCollege while others will have migrated to Sakai.
To determine which learning management system your class(es) are using, please follow the steps
below:
1. Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
2. Go to the following link to access PAWS (Personal Access Web System)
http://paws.usouthal.edu
3. Click on "Enter Secure Area"
Click on
Enter
Secure
Area
4. Enter your "User ID" (which is your Jag number) and "PIN" (if this is the first time you have
logged into PAWS, your six-digit birthday composed of MMDDYY is your PIN)
Enter
User ID
and PIN
5. Click on "Student Services & Financial Aid"
Click on
Student
Services &
Financial
Aid
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
6. Click on "Registration"
Click on
Registration
7. Click on "Student Detail Schedule"
Click on
Student
Detail
Schedule
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
8. Select the appropriate term by clicking on the down arrow next to "Select a Term" and click on
the desired term by semester and year
Select the
appropriate
term from
the pull
down menu
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
9. Once your "Student Detail Schedule" appears, you may print the schedule and reference it as
needed. It includes the instructional method for your course (i.e., fully online, blended or web
enhanced) as well as in which learning management system (LMS), Sakai or eCollege, your
courses are taught
This part of
the schedule
displays
the
instructional
method and
the LMS
NOTE: The three instructional methods are denoted on the Student Detail Schedule as follows:
WO = web only or fully online is denoted as "Web-based"; fully online
courses are taught 100% online with no traditional classroom time
WB = web blended is denoted as "Blended"; blended courses are
comprised of from 15-85% online teaching with the remaining
instruction in a traditional classroom
WE = web enhanced is denoted as "Web Enhanced"; web enhanced
courses are comprised of up to 15% online teaching with the
remaining instruction in a traditional classroom
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
Navigating to the LMS Menu Page
We have implemented an LMS "menu" page which gives a current status for each of USA's nine
colleges’ migration status in moving courses from eCollege to Sakai. Until the Spring of 2013,
most colleges will have courses in both learning management systems and eventually will fully
migrate all courses to Sakai.
You can access the LMS "menu" page as follows:
1. Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
2. Go to the main USA home page via the following link
http://www.usouthal.edu
or
http://www.southalabama.edu
3. Click either the Sakai or eCollege icon to be directed to the respective landing page to log into
the selected LMS based on your "Student Detail Schedule" in PAWS
Signing into Sakai (via going directly to the Sakai landing page)
1. Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox
2. Go to the following link:
https://ecampus.southalabama.edu/xsl-portal
3. Enter your login credentials as indicated:
Username
Password
J-number
Jagmail Email Account Password
Web Browsers
Sakai is designed to work with most any mainstream web browser such as Internet Explorer,
Firefox, Safari, etc. Should you experience issues with displaying an assignment, test, PDF, Word
document, image, etc., we recommend first trying a different web browser to confirm whether
your choice of browser could be an issue.
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
General Navigation
1. Accessing a Course
Once you have logged into Sakai, you should be at your personal Sakai home page entitled "My
Workspace". Across the top of the page, any courses in which you are currently enrolled should
appear. You may access a specific course by clicking on the title of the course. If you do not see
your course listed, you should click on the down arrow to the right of "My Sites" located in the
upper right of the "My Workspace" page. If you still are unable to see your course and have
verified it is being taught in Sakai by reviewing your "Student Detail Schedule" in PAWS, please
contact your instructor.
2. Moving Forward and Backward
Generally, to move forward in Sakai, simply click on the option, feature, etc. to access it. When
desiring to return to the previous screen, DO NOT click on the web browser Back button but
instead click on the double arrow icon (one curved arrow pointing right on top of another
curved arrow pointed left next to the option/area you are currently in). For example, if you click
on Announcements, read them and desire to return to the previous screen, you would click the
icon
to the left of the Announcements heading near the top of the window (see below):
Resetting Your Jagmail Email Account Password
Should you not know and/nor remember your Jagmail email account password which is used to
log into Sakai, you may go to the link below to reset it:
https://jagmail.southalabama.edu/activate.aspx
Support
Course Content
Specific questions concerning course content such as syllabus, assignments, tests,
grading, etc. should be directed to your course instructor.
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE
Technical Issues
Sakai 24/7 Tech Support
http://supportcenter.embanet.com/usa
(855) 577-2032
USA Tech Support
Online Sakai online help can be accessed by clicking on the icon
from any
Sakai screen; the online help provides a searchable topical index for most Sakai
features.
Email
ecampus@usouthal.edu
Phone
(251) 461-1888
Monday - Friday (except school holidays)
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Useful Links
Jagmail Email Account Password Reset
https://jagmail.southalabama.edu/activate.aspx
PAWS
http://paws.usouthal.edu
Sakai 24/7 Tech Support
http://supportcenter.embanet.com/usa
Sakai Login Page
https://ecampus.southalabama.edu/xsl-portal
Student Services
http://www.southalabama.edu/currentstudents.html
USA Home Page
http://www.southalabama.edu
USA LMS Menu Page
http://www.southalabama.edu/ecampus
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STUDENT REFERENCE GUIDE