FOR-PD Chat Transcript
Date: December 6, 2007
Time: 7:00-8:00PM EST
Topic: End-of-course Wrap-up Chat for the FOR-PD Course
Lourdes >> As we have a small group tonight, please remember to use the ! sign if you have a question/comment and wait to be called on...
Lourdes >> Use # when you're done
Lourdes >> And use "..." if you have more to say...
Lourdes >> As we approach the end of the course, I want to remind our participants who may come in the chat and/or read this transcript...
Lourdes >> that we want to congratulate them for making it to the end...
Lourdes >> We know there was much hard work going on and we hope our course made a difference in your classroom instruction...
Lourdes >> First, I'd like to review some basic reminders about the end of the course for participants...
Lourdes >> A question that often arises is if participants will lose access to the resources in the course...
Lourdes >> All resources are available via our course database located on our main website under resources...
Lourdes >> The course access to the actual course text will be lost as participants are denied access...
Lourdes >> Another question from participants is on when they will get their certificate of completion...
Lourdes >> These are usually sent out via email about a month to 1 1/2 months after the course has ended...
Lourdes >> Districts are also notified by our office on who has completed the course, but it would be wise for participants to follow-up with their district to make sure the correct information was given...
Lourdes >> Please also remember to check your grades and print them if you need to provide a copy to your district...
Lourdes >> it's also a good idea to save them for yourself, along with a print-out of each literacy log entry....
Lourdes >> It is the participant’s responsibility to determine if the district needs a copy of the completed literacy logs and/or grades...
Lourdes >> upon the date of denial to the course, many participants may need to still reach their facilitator...
Lourdes >> Before the course ends, it is wise to make sure you have his/her correct email address...
Lourdes >> you can find this in the lesson 1 discussion posted by your facilitator...
Lourdes >> At this time, I'd like to open the floor to anyone with a question. Please use the ! sign to note you want to say something#
Frances >> !
Lourdes >> yes, Frances
Frances >> Thanks that's great information. Is there any extension allowed to complete the course?
Lourdes >> If you are missing a small amount of assignments, you should contact your facilitator to see what can be done...
Lourdes >> The course denial date will be the same, but your facilitator may be able to let you back in on a case-by-case basis...
Lourdes >> does that help, Frances?
Frances >> ! Yes. Thank you.
Lourdes >> If anyone else has a question, please use ! sign and wait to be called on...
Lourdes >> at this time we are answering any questions anyone is having about the course and the end-of-the-course#
Nanci >> !
Lourdes >> Yes, Nanci
Nanci >> Lourdes, what do you suggest I tell participants who are lagging very ....
Nanci >> far behind and now have 1 ½ weeks to catch up?#
Lourdes >> You may consider sending a reminder to individual students that the denial date is coming soon...
Lourdes >> As long as they are not 7 lessons behind, they have time to complete their work#
Lourdes >> does that help, Nanci?
Nanci >> well, somewhat. I'm frustrated by those who don't seem to care
Nanci >> #
Lourdes >> It is indeed a very busy time of year...I am sure you are doing as much as you can#
Lourdes >> does anyone else have a question or comment?
Nancy >> !
Lourdes >> I wanted to also remind our participants that they will need to complete the post course survey and evaluation before being allowed to take the final quiz....
Lourdes >> this is very important to consider when approaching the last few weeks of the course#
Lourdes >> Nancy, your turn
Nancy >> I was just going to say that you just have to accept that no matter how much you remind and prod class members it's up to them.....
Nancy >> and since there is no penalty for non completion, some don't care. #
Lourdes >> For the participants that are here, are there any questions specific to the course assignments or course completion?
Stephanie >> I am progressing well but I need some help with one of the assignments - I am checking my notes now but I think it was chapt 6
Lourdes >> Hi Stephanie
Lourdes >> I'd be glad to help you with lesson 6...
Lourdes >> what is your question?
Lourdes >> It looks like Stephanie may be having some problems with the chat....
Lourdes >> As we wait for her return, do any of our participants that are present have any thoughts or feelings about the course?
Lourdes >> Melanie Edwards, our tech specialist, is also here tonight...
Lourdes >> if anyone has any tech questions or issues, please feel free to share...
Nancy >> !
Lourdes >> Nancy, go ahead
Susan >> I have had problems myself, so I'm sure others may be having them too!
Nancy >> Can course mail be structured so that the most recent mail is at the top of the list?
Lourdes >> Susan, let's have Nancy go and then I'd like to hear more about your issues. I'm sure Mel can help.
Melanie >> hmmm, Nancy, let me take a quick look
Lourdes >> As Melanie checks that out...
Melanie >> Nancy, it looks like that option is not available...
Nancy >> drat
Melanie >> but you can set it to view only unread messages
Lourdes >> I know many of you are working on lesson 13 and heading into 14....
Lourdes >> Setting up a rubric can be problematic...
Lourdes >> one way to set up a rubric is using a simple table created in word...
Lourdes >> Susan, go ahead with the issues you are having...
Susan >> I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Just making a comment to something said earlier.
Lourdes >> no problem, Susan....I just wanted to make sure we gave you our full attention...
Lourdes >> Hi Stephanie, welcome back...Susan is sharing some issues she had and then I'd like to talk with you about lesson 6.
Susan >> Thanks! I didn't have a question. Just a comment.
Lourdes >> Oh, ok. No problem....
Lourdes >> Stephanie, what did you have a question about for lesson 6?
Lourdes >> Stephanie, did you have a question about lesson 6?
Stephanie >> :( I will have to ask you later. I left the assignment on my desk.
Lourdes >> Stephanie, if you're having tech issues with the chat, please feel free to email me at losmith@mail.ucf.edu
Lourdes >> oh, no problem, Stephanie
Lourdes >> email me and I'll help you with it...
Stephanie >> No - I am fine. I was trying to do several things at once
Stephanie >> I will e-mail you tomorrow.
Lourdes >> that'll be fine...
Lourdes >> As I noted a few messages ago, lesson 13 does ask you to create a rubric...
Lourdes >> if you have any questions about how to create a rubric in an rtf file, you may want to contact your facilitator who should be able to assist you...
Lourdes >> Our culminating lesson, lesson 14, will be due next week...
Lourdes >> It may be useful for participants now to consider a plan they may like to consider a change they may want to do in their classroom or school...
Lourdes >> remember, you don't have to bite off a huge endeavor...
Lourdes >> often, it's better to pick something manageable that could be accomplished within a suitable amount of time....
Lourdes >> Hi Barbara, we've opened the floor for tech or content questions/comments...
Lourdes >> feel free to ask anything you need....
Kimberly >> !
Lourdes >> Kim?
Kimberly >> I just wanted to make a comment or two...
Kimberly >> This was my first time as a facilitator and I wasn't quite sure what to expect...
Barbara >> What are some of the discussion topics tonight?
Kimberly >> I have to say that I have enjoyed this so much and learned as much from my participants as they learned from the course...
Kimberly >> we have all worked together and I also was really surprised at how much I was really able to offer them that they were able to use in their classrooms...
Kimberly >> this was truly a wonderful experience for me as well.#
Lourdes >> I'm glad, Kim. The course can be very rewarding on many levels.
Barbara >> I'm still learning. It has been an experience
Lourdes >> As we have some current facilitators here, would any of you have any advice as participants work through the final weeks of the course?
Kimberly >> !
Susan >>
Barbara >> Thanks for all the advice, Nancy. You have been a true help.
Lourdes >> Kim?
Susan >> Kimberly was also a wonderful participant!!
Kimberly >> Despite my weekly emails and personal emails to the participants....
Kimberly >> I still had to remind some of them to check back over their grades and make sure that they were all at 80% or above...
Kimberly >> many of them were grateful and did do whatever extra work was necessary but had somehow overlooked that it was a requirement for the course completion.#
Barbara >> I'm hoping to finish tomorrow so I suppose I should go and work on the last lesson.
Lourdes >> that's a very good point, Kim. It is important that participants take the time to review their grades and make sure they are meeting the 80% on quizzes and discussion postings. Excellent...
Stephanie >> I would just like to add that I have learned a great deal about reading since I started
Stephanie >> My goal is to finish this weekend also.
Lourdes >> I understand, Barbara. I'm sure you're excited about crossing that finish line.
Lourdes >> I'm so glad to hear that, Stephanie!
Barbara >> That is very true. Hope everyone else is doing well and ready to finish.
Frances >> !
Lourdes >> Would anyone like to share anything specific on what they learned in the course or are using in their own classroom? Questions and comments are still welcome too.
Lourdes >> Frances...go ahead...
Carlos >> !
Frances >> A tech q- one of my discussions was partially cut off when I posted it. since then I have done my work in
Lourdes >> Carols, you'll be next, right after Frances
Frances >> Word, but why is that happening and can I go back and raise my grade?
Melanie >> hmm, Frances...
Melanie >> when it got cut off, had you copied and pasted it from Word or were you typing directly into the discussion?
Frances >> typing directly into the discussion...no copy...frustrating
Melanie >> you should be able to speak with your facilitator and revise your post for re-grading...
Frances >> thanks#
Lourdes >> Carlos?
Nanci >> !
Stephanie >> I have learned and implemented so many things. However, after reading the lesson on striving readers, I met with the media specialist and we pulled a variety of books and put them in a separate area so my students could find them with ease
Melanie >> no problem, I'm sorry for the frustration
Carlos >> Hi
Lourdes >> Hi Carlos
Lourdes >> did you have a question?
Carlos )>> why the reflection journal look repeat the first 6 questions?
Carlos >> in lesson 13
Lourdes >> Lesson 13 strategy is the I chart...
Carlos >> yes
Carlos >> the questions are exactly the Same
Lourdes >> there are many boxes for you to enter your thoughts
on the different
sources you found on the topic of what you know about those assessments...
Carlos >> like if they are double
Carlos >> I am in that part of the journal and I am confused now
Carlos >> I made my chart already
Carlos >> however look like if I need to repeat the same information twice
Lourdes >> right, but because it has to go into a format via the quiz tool, the only way we could do it, there are two boxes for each question
Lourdes >> in the first box you write what you know about that specific question, then you'll write what you learned in a box later on...
Carlos >> but the answer will be the same?
Lourdes >> some may be the same, some may not
Carlos >> I will copy and paste from 1 to 6
Carlos >> for me is the same thing
Stephanie >> I completed that assignment already. some of my answers were the same
Lourdes >> yes, some will be the same
Carlos >> ok
Carlos >> tx
Carlos >> #
Lourdes >> but, I think there may be some different ones for questions like What assessment process and tools are used in my district to determine reading proficiency?
Kimberly >> !
Lourdes >> and What is the difference between formal and informal assessment? Examples?
Lourdes >> those should have different answers...
Carlos >> uhhhh?
Lourdes >> Nanci, you were next
Lourdes >> and then Kim will be our last question/comment...
Lourdes >> Nanci is gone
Lourdes >> Kim?
Kimberly >> I have a quick question - I know this is off topic and forgive me - I have a participant who is trying to access quiz 14 and is unable - he has submitted all of his assignments - what are some things I need to check so he can access the quiz? I'm drawing a blank at the moment and he's waiting by his computer#
Lourdes >> did he complete and have the eval submitted and the post-course survey?
Kimberly >> Yes
Lourdes >> those are the two things that must be not only attempted, but completed
Lourdes >> do it show grades for those
Lourdes >> (although neither are scored for grades, it will show a process)
Kimberly >> I'll check - is that all that would be keeping him from being able to access the quiz/
Lourdes >> yes, I believe so
Kimberly >> THANKS!! You're a lifesaver!! Have a great evening!!
Lourdes >> take a look and if you can't figure it out, email the helpdesk
Lourdes >> Ok
Lourdes >> thank you all for coming
Kimberly >> You got it!
Stephanie >> thanks
Lourdes >> Have a wonderful night!
