For Students - Getting Started with Sakai

From EdTech Help

Welcome to Sakai!

Sakai (sometimes called 'Isaak-Sakai' or 'Isaak') is Brock University's online system for managing your course work. Sakai can be used to track your courses, download course materials, submit your course work, communicate with your instructors, or sometimes to connect to other places across the web.

FAQs about getting started as a student

How can I find Sakai?

Sakai is available directly at https://lms.brocku.ca/portal.

It can also be located from most Brock University webpages:

  1. visit any brocku.ca webpage
  2. open Menu
  3. click Isaak/Sakai
Brocku.ca to Sakai.png

How can I log into Sakai?

After visiting https://lms.brocku.ca/portal/, click Brock Login.

Brock Login.jpg

If you haven't logged into Sakai in a little while, you'll be directed to a Microsoft-hosted login page. Enter your Brock email and click Next.

Brocku Microsoft authenticate.jpg

You'll be directed to Brock's login page. Enter your full Brock email and password and click Sign in.

Brocku authenticate.jpg

Lastly, you'll be prompted to approve your login using your chosen authenticator method. Visit Brock University's Multi-Factor Authentication page for more information about setting up authentication.

Brocku MFA.jpg

How can I find my courses?

Many of your courses will appear within your navigation near the top of any page in Sakai. Clicking upon a course title will allow you visit that course's space in Sakai.

Sakai top navigation.jpg

A full list of your courses in Sakai from the current and previous terms is available to you from the Sites Icon.jpg area. After opening Sites Icon.jpg, click upon a course to enter its Sakai site.

Sites to SitesList.jpg

One of my courses is not available in Sakai. Is something wrong?

Probably not!
  • If the class has just begun, give it a few days. Many course instructors choose to open their Sakai sites to students on or near the first day of classes.
  • If you've just registered for a course, it can sometimes take up to one day for the course's Sakai site to appear for you.
  • Steps in How can I find my courses? above might help you locate a missing course.

How can I change my favourited courses?

Favourited or pinned courses will always be shown to you in your top navigation from any Sakai page and will possess a yellow Star icon.jpg next to their title. Updating your favourited courses once in a while or at the start of new terms can be handy, as it keeps your Sakai experience fresh.

Favourited and not favourited.jpg

To update your favourited courses, try these steps:

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  1. Open the Sites Icon.jpg menu
  2. Find a course that is not yet favourited
  3. Click upon the star icon
  4. The course will now appear in your top navigation on any page in Sakai


Where can I get technical help?

Support for Sakai is available online or on campus with the Help Desk.

Questions about enrollment or registration in your courses can be best supported by Brock Central.

How can I download the course syllabus?

Many instructors will choose to share their course's syllabus or course outline within the Resources tool in their Sakai sites. It's also possible that readings, assignment descriptions, and other useful course info is available in Resources, so checking once in a while is a great idea.

Try these quick steps to download a course syllabus, if it's available, from the Resources tool:

Download the syllabus.jpg
  1. Open the Resources tool
  2. Click upon the syllabus to download it

How can I submit an assignment?

Select Assignments.png

Most online assignments collected within Sakai will occur within the Assignments tool. While some courses may have special instructions for submitting your assignments (check the syllabus!), some useful general instructions are available at Submit an Assignment.

Is the course calling for you to create a video for your assignment? Try the steps in Submit a Video Assignment.

How can I begin a quiz?

Select the Tests & Quizzes tool from the Tool Menu of your course..png

Tests, midterms, quizzes, and even final examinations are often collected via Sakai's Tests & Quizzes tool. Schedules might vary, and your instructor might have special instructions (check the syllabus!), some good general instructors for beginning a test in Tests & Quizzes are available at Submit a test or quiz.

Be certain to take a peak at Test-Taking Tips!


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This page is adapted from an equivalent Sakai Community help article.

The original Sakai Community help article, unedited, is available at https://sakai.screenstepslive.com/s/sakai_help