Accelerating Enterprise Software Engineering with Platformless
GA4E integration slides
1. Integrating Google Apps
for Education in Sakai OAE
Rachel Hollowgrass
Use Experience Designer
University of California, Berkeley
June 13, 2012
2012 Jasig Sakai Conference
Atlanta GA, US
2. Background
} UC Berkeley is adopting Google Apps for Education (GA4E):
◦ Google Docs
◦ Gmail
◦ Google Calendar
} Needed plans for functional integration into Sakai OAE.
} Started off looking at GA4E specifics, but realized there are
generalizable needs.
} These ideas are based on user research at Berkeley.
} Input from other institutions is needed.
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3. Context
} Sakai OAE has collaboration at its core.
} GA4E integration can extend this collaboration
to include
◦ Coordination of time and resources (Calendar)
◦ New kinds of content (Docs)
◦ More integrated communication (Gmail)
} This integration suggests adjustments to
OAE's user interface framework.
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4. Disclaimer
} Sketches illustrate possible navigation hierarchy and
some interaction.
} Sketches are not proposed visual designs.
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5. New Top Level Navigation
Google Docs
Gmail Google Docs included
included
Calendar
Can include data
from Google Calendar
As Icons with Update Badges
Current location indicator
5
6. Individual Applications
Google Docs
Google Calendar
Gmail
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7. Google Docs
First class citizens in OAE
} Adding/sharing
} Viewing - aggregate and individual
} Editing
} Indexing/searching
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13. Google Calendar
Primacy of assignments
} See all assignments in one place
} Data lives in OAE
} Integration with external systems
◦ Graceful degradation
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14. Google Calendar
Authoring
} Event and task authoring stays in Google
Calendar
} Assignment authoring
◦ Receiving assignments very important to students
◦ Authoring adds to faculty workload
◦ Need compelling value proposition for faculty
◦ A great user exerience
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17. Google Calendar
Features
◦ Data shown in phase 1 is ◦ Assignment-specific data such as
supported by standards-compliant inline links to readings, Submit
calendar systems including Google links, etc.
Calendar. New data in Phase 2
◦ Items within an assignment with
includes separation of assignments individual check boxes (sub-
from tasks, and rich data for class items).
events and assignments. Phase 2
data is not supported by Google ◦ Assignments that can be marked
Calendar or other standards- as complete/incomplete but not
compliant calendar systems. deleted.
◦ Grouping calendar collections for ◦ Archiving of assignments and
classes. tasks.
◦ Separation of assignments from ◦ Display of multiple task lists at one
tasks. time.
◦ Assignment titles as links.
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18. Google Calendar
Issues to resolve
◦ What happens at the end of the semester? ◦ May need to provide a way for users to
set and sort by priorities for tasks and
◦ What is the relationship between assignments. Also need a graphical way
assignments and portfolios? to communicate urgency such as "due
◦ Coloring of calendars and lists: Too many very soon" and "overdue." investigate use
organizing principles at work here. Near- of color for this.
monochrome may be the best visual
◦ Which data is within CalCentral? This has
design. implications for searching.
◦ Authoring calendar items: Data is richer ◦ Need to design filtering, and views for
than Google Apps supplies, so authoring day, week and month.
will need to be in CalCentral. But there
can be a representation of each task, ◦ User feedback is needed on the labels
assignment and event in an external "Assignment" "Task" and "Event".
calendar system.
◦ Grey-out check boxes are intended to
signify boxes that will be automatically
checked when an assignment is
submitted. All check boxes shown need
graphic redesign.
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19. Google Calendar
Other Functions
} Finding group meeting times
} Office hours
◦ Limited access to someone else's calendar
} View options
◦ Who can see
◦ What they can see
◦ Open vs. Free/Busy vs. Private
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20. Google Calendar
Policy
} Adding and inviting people to events
} Adding tasks
◦ Example: File for graduation
◦ Proposal: Registrar adds this to all relevant students’
task list
} Adding assignments
◦ Proposal: Instructors add assignments to their
student’s assignments list
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21. Gmail
} Challenges
◦ Users want one mail system
◦ OAE messages and external email seen as competitors
} Advantages of OAE messaging
◦ Privacy is preserved until agents are proven trustworthy
by not requiring the sharing or personal information such
as an email address when:
– Making contact (cf LinkedIn)
– Inviting or adding a person to join a group
◦ Messaging to OAE groups (“email in”)
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22. Gmail
} Users request that
◦ Messages about OAE activities be sent out by email
(“email out”).
} Types of OAE messages
◦ Invitations to be a contact and to join a group
◦ Changes to shared content
◦ Comments on content, etc.
} User settings for email out
◦ Types of activities that are communicated about
◦ format (digest vs. individual messages)
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24. Other Functionality
} Announcements
} Blogging
While not part of recent investigations at Berkeley,
announcements and blogging are desirable features for
inclusion in OAE. These are available in GA4E. Whether
OAE builds them or institutions integrate the Google
versions, our community will benefit from these features.
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25. Resources
There is a group in the Sakai OAE community instance for
discussion GA4E:
https://oae-community.sakaiproject.org/~google-apps-for-
education-oae
Text
Anyone can join.
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26. Thank You
Rachel Hollowgrass
University of California, Berkeley
rhollow@berkeley.edu
Text
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