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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    FACTS Student Information System

    Score7.6 out of 10
    N/AFACTS Student Information System (formerly RenWeb) is a Student Information System that handles admissions, student information, billing, report cards, grading, attendance, and parent access, among others. FACTS is a property of Nelnet Business Solutions.N/A

    Sakai

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/ASakai is an open source learning management system provided by the Apero Foundation. The LMS provides what it calls Core and Expanded Features. The Core Features encompass an integrated tool set that is tested by the Sakai community members and is then included with each new release. The tool set can be configured by: instructors, students, research investigators and project leaders. The other set of tools, known as “Contrib Tools” are specific to Sakai tools and innovations that are developed…N/A
    Pricing
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details—Must contact vendor for pricing information.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Considered Both Products
    FACTS
    No answer on this topic
    Apereo
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    100%
    Would buy again
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    6 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    6 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Student and Faculty Administration
    Comparison of Student and Faculty Administration features of FACTS Student Information System and Sakai
    Feature
    FACTS Student Information System
    9.5
    5 Ratings
    13% above category average
    Sakai
    -
    Ratings
    Integrations with 3rd-Party Education Technology8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Online Registration Management9.94 Ratings00 Ratings
    District Communications, such as messaging and alerting10.05 Ratings00 Ratings
    Roster Management10.05 Ratings00 Ratings
    Platform Customization6.84 Ratings00 Ratings
    Teacher Self-Service9.95 Ratings00 Ratings
    Student Data Security10.05 Ratings00 Ratings
    Community Support10.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Class Scheduling10.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    State and National-level Reporting9.93 Ratings00 Ratings
    Compliance Support9.93 Ratings00 Ratings
    Teacher and Parent Mobile Application9.94 Ratings00 Ratings
    Learning Management
    Comparison of Learning Management features of FACTS Student Information System and Sakai
    Feature
    FACTS Student Information System
    -
    Ratings
    Sakai
    7.9
    5 Ratings
    2% below category average
    Course authoring00 Ratings8.05 Ratings
    Course catalog or library00 Ratings7.04 Ratings
    Player/Portal00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
    Learning content00 Ratings8.05 Ratings
    Mobile friendly00 Ratings7.05 Ratings
    Progress tracking & certifications00 Ratings8.05 Ratings
    Assignments00 Ratings10.05 Ratings
    Compliance management00 Ratings7.04 Ratings
    Learning administration00 Ratings9.05 Ratings
    Learning reporting & analytics00 Ratings6.05 Ratings
    Social learning00 Ratings9.04 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    Google Classroom
    Score8 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Schoolmint Hero
    Score9.7 out of 10
    Schoology Learning
    Score8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Schoolmint Hero
    Score9.7 out of 10
    D2L Brightspace
    Score7.8 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Likelihood to Recommend
    10.0
    (9 ratings)
    9.0
    (14 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.4
    (3 ratings)
    Support Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.1
    (3 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    FACTS Student Information SystemSakai
    Likelihood to Recommend
    FACTS
    We base our entire student data on the Student ID that is produced in FACTS. We create user accounts for technology and online textbooks as well as their lunch account, all based on the Student ID. We also can run many different reports using the SID as the data constant and all the other information variables are available as needed to report.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    I've used Sakai to supplement my Public Speaking class. Public Speaking is very much a F2F type course, so I didn't use Sakai much for course content delivery. However, I did use it to post my syllabus, post my lecture slides, communicate any class announcements, and to conduct a final exam for the class. Building the final exam was very simple and I was easily able to swap out questions to vary it from term to term. Before I was a staff member and lecturer, I used Sakai as a student. My instructor used Sakai to varying degrees. I really appreciated it being the one-stop-receptacle for all-things class related. If I somehow lost an assignment instruction sheet, I could rely on it being posted there. For multimedia work it was lacking, at that time, but I know Sakai has been updated over time and I hope that part of it has improved. If I was ever frustrated by Sakai, it was because faculty used it in a piecemeal way. It's fine not to want to use the gradebook, but don't enter some grades and not others. It's wonderful to upload class documents to it; but don't do some and not others. Whatever way you're going to use Sakai, commit to it and use it well. Your students will thank you.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    FACTS
    • Easy to use grade book
    • Simple way to store and access health information, behavior reports, and family contact information.
    • We use FACTS in the residential aspect of our organization.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    • Sakai is flexible, providing a way for our customers (instructors) to customize their courses while staying in line with consistency and continuity of course design. This has allowed our courses to be far less cookie-cutter and stale. This is mostly accomplished through Sakai's LTI functionality and it's Lessons tool. This is particularly notable because not every course is the same, nor should it be. Our faculty and course developers can draw from OER resources, course text publisher assessment quiz banks and pull in content from sources from our library databases and services like YouTube.
    • Sakai is customizable, allowing us to pair it with our student information system to automatically create and track with student registration data - including adding new students and removing students who have elected to drop a course. The customization features also include being able to create course templates for individual schools or courses using specific tools or sequences of tools as well as a way to personalize content for students when they engage with each lesson.
    • Sakai is stable in the market. We have been using Sakai for almost 10 years and continue to see it improve; responding to changing trends in browser technologies, mobile platforms and accessibility requirements. Multiple programs offered over the years have been recognized by outside organizations like BestColleges.com for our programs and given high marks by students taking the courses offered in Sakai.
    • Sakai allows our faculty to inform it's continued evolution. We work closely with the developers, having a front seat to how things can work and function for our faculty. There have been multiple occasions where faculty ask, "Can Sakai do this?" and the answer is never "No."
    Read full review
    Cons
    FACTS
    • It could use more space for uploading classroom media.
    • It could lessen the number of new open windows or frames for various functions that can be done on the same screen.
    • It could incorporate more social-media like tools to make it more native for students and parents.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    • The coming upgrade will address many issues, the visual presentation of sites and courses
    • The Forums (discussion) tool is not natively integrated into the Gradebook, but needs another step to connect the two.
    • The Wiki tool is awkward and not WYSIWYG. But I understand that is common with wikis in most platforms
    • The Help documentation could use some focus on student needs rather that course developer needs
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    FACTS
    It's user-friendly, the customer service is great, and we have a significant amount of time invested in training our faculty and staff to use many aspects of FACTS within their areas of responsibility. I really like the variety of reports I can generate which gives important data to our administration and Board.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    Sakai is a good general learning management system - it is not leading edge but rather a stable system with standard learning management system features. It can be fairly easily customized and is fairly easy to learn from both student learning and faculty administrative vantage points. New paradigms for online learning though are emergent so the current field should also be investigated with competitors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    FACTS
    No answers on this topic
    Apereo
    When faculty are preparing courses from term to term, a portion of the content is static within a specific discipline. The time it takes to import past lessons into new versions of Sakai can be an inefficient use of my time. When I want to add new content and edit from the old content, it's reliant upon me to cut and paste the content from term to term rather than simply import and edit from a backup.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    FACTS
    No answers on this topic
    Apereo
    Since Sakai is open-source their documentation is often lacking and support is absolutely needed onsite. Internal documentation is more important with Sakai than other services. The Sakai community is fun, passionate, engaged, and absolutely doing their best, but it's an uphill battle against the current market and trends.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    FACTS
    No answers on this topic
    Apereo
    No, I don't
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    FACTS
    Switched from Blackbaud to RenWeb now FACTS. We made the change for affordability and because more software components were included. Blackbaud required the purchase of multiple additional modules.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    As an adjunct professor, I didn't pick Sakai for the university. I have experience with Moodle, Blackboard, eCollege, iBoard and now Sakai. I would have to say that Sakai is one of my all time favorite LMSs to use as it is very easy to navigate.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    FACTS
    • Has paid for itself many time over with the abilities it provides.
    • Can be managed by as few or as many as needed so per employee cost is great.
    • Reporting is great for almost any topic needed all the way to How many took the ACT in spring.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Apereo
    • Sakai makes it easy for students to monitor grades which puts their minds at ease.
    • Sakai makes it easy for teachers to assign and receive assignments from students.
    • Communication is one of the most important and one of the most taxing parts of an educational system. Sakai makes this process just a little bit easier.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
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