Impetus for creating Sakai 3: Read-write web and Campus demand for project-based sites.

Envisioned benefit: Flexibility of presentation/content flow as managed by Content Authors.

Sakai 3 Themes

• “unSakai” : it’s recognized that not all will implement Sakai the same way. Some may use it as a shell for interactions that happen elsewhere (cloud apps, etc).
• Content Authoring through simple page creation; template-based authoring, interactive widgets.
• “Everything is content” to include and go beyond user documents uploaded, such as discussion posts, user profiles, test questions… therefore, all should be taggable, linkable, portable, searchable. Therefore, a unified content repository.
• Academic Networking, perhaps content-based as who is reading the same articles or taken the same classes.
• Groups of users taken OUT of sites and managed independently. So group can be created across course sections or project sites. (Huge change in the way CMS/LMS/CLE manage users).

Demonstration

• Page building demonstration in Sakai,  full screencast on the Sakai website.

Technology Goals

• Incorporate reliance on other open source efforts wherever possible (sling, shindig)
• Improve cluster support
• Make it easier to install/build

Release Timelines

• Sakai 2.7 Summer 2010
• Sakai 2.7 / Sakai 3.0 Fall 2010
• Migration to Sakai 3 from Sakai 2.7 attained through a front-end that allows concurrent hybrid environment (sounds like Vista -> Learn 9 co-production model).

Before I listen in on news or vision from the Sakai Foundation the next time, I’ll need to take a brief orientation to their structure and history, because I find references to things I don’t follow regularly (Product Council, previous initiatives being built upon) to be confusing. Sakai members tend to communicate as though they are always talking to members of their “in-group.” (I suppose we all do that.) Anyone know of good orientation materials?