Discussion+&+FAQs

ElemELA Team Discussion Page
==This page is dedicated to questions, comments, ideas, FAQs about the ElemELA Project or Wiki site. If you have questions, comments, ideas, etc. please post them on this page. I will do my best to answer or comment within 24 hrs. I also encourage other team members to contribute to the discussion and add their ideas, comments, suggestions. Thanks for your participation!==

Here are a few questions that I have, so far: Colleen

 * ==How do I invite people to my Wiki? My Account->Dashboard tab-> See Actions button on ElemELA row -> Click Actions & drop down box opens. You must be the moderator or creator of the Wiki to invite new members SS ==

[[image:wiki_invite.jpg width="111" height="99"]]
== Sharon can give you more information on creating a wiki. She created this wiki for me. If you are still interested in creating a Wiki call me during the day and I will walk you through the process. They have really increased their product to benefit teachers.- Sharon ==
 * ==Can I make a Wiki for the science fair that I am planning for my school the end of April?==
 * ==Where should I start on our ElemELA project? Review the worksheet for your sub-team. You decided which grade you would like to do first. ==

The READING domains need to be completed by 4/10/11, so you will want to look for links that match the reading domain descriptions.
=﻿Need help navigating the Wiki? =

See this video from Wickispaces: []. More information about wikis available in this newsletter: []
=ElemELA UPDATE PLEASE SEE BELOW =

Hey Team,
===Sharon informs me that after reviewing the extensive list of ELA elements and holding discussions with GaDOE staff, the requirement for the number of resources we need to obtain is going to be changed.===

Obtaining 5-10 resources for each **__domain__**
===This means that for each //domain//, e.g., **Grade 1 Reading 6** (ELA1R6), we need to find only 5-10 solid resources instead of resources for each of the elements (ELA1R6a - ELA1R6m). The guideline for selecting resources will shift to locating resources that incorporate one or more of the elements. In other words, the elements will be viewed as a **checklist** for determining if a resource is rigorous/appropriate.===

This is great news! The new requirement will reduce the work load, allow us more time to find robust resources, and reduce confusion.
===The resources we have already identified will stay on the worksheets and be applied to the domains. Sharon offered to conduct an Elluminate session next week to further discuss this change and answer any questions we may have. I would like to schedule the session for one of the following dates:===

===In addition, Sharon would like us to submit the work we have already accomplished so that she can review it before the call. Given this shift in the volume of resources to identify, we will need to reassign some of the domains. Please send your worksheets to me by 5:00 pm this Thursday (3/31) .=== ===More good news! Sharon provided me with a nicely detailed document that explains how to assign NETS-S standards to our indentified resources. I am attaching the document for you in this email. The document contains a nifty chart that makes it very easy to pick out the appropriate NETS-S standard by grade. We can discuss this chart at the Elluminate session as well.===

To sum up:

 * ===The requirement for assigning resources is now **domain**-based instead of element-based===
 * ===GaDOE is requesting 5-10 resources per **domain**; the elements are considered a checklist to confirm the rigor of the resource===
 * ===Let me know by **Thursday** which day you can attend an Elluminate session to discuss this change===
 * ===Send to me by **Thursday, 5:00 pm** your current worksheet with the resources you have found so far===
 * ===Take a look at the NETS-S document before the Elluminate session===

Thanks for all your hard work with this important project,


=What is entered in the Resource Title and Resource Location columns? =

ms
 Hi, ElemELA Team ~  If you are still having some challenges with various aspects of our project, set up a time to have Melody walk you through a worksheet entry. I met with her on speaker phone and computer this morning from 10-12 for a training session, and feel a lot more confident about what to do from here on! There is an infinate availability of resources in CyberSpace!! We could fill up reams of spreadsheets!! But we only have to do 5-10 per domain. It will definately get easier with practice.  Melody, posting your worksheet example was very helpful, and helping me to post one today answered a lot of questions!  Thanks! Colleen ;)
 * Comment - 04-04-11 **

**Elluminate call: 04.06.11** The Wednesday Elluminate session was a great opportunity to learn the latest information on the project, ask questions, and get clarification on the assignments. Thanks to everyone who attended and hung there despite the technical challenges. Below are notes from the session: Thanks to everyone for all the hard work, flexibility, and enthusiasm. ms
 * **Domains** - In the ELA standards hierarchy the domains are defined as - Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
 * Next are the strands - ELAKR6, ELA4W1, ELA 3C1, ELA5LSV1, etc.
 * Next are the elements - Uses oral language, Uses the dictionary, Writes legibly in cursive, etc.
 * **Resources** - We need to find 5-10 online resources for each domain we are assigned
 * Domain assignments will contain multiple strands, however we need to only identify 5-10 resources for the group of strands
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">We need to use the strands and elements as a check list to make sure the online resources are appropriate for the standards
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**Peer Review** - GaDOE created an online application we will use to carry out the Peer Review.
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">Sharon will post the application's rubric on the wiki so that we can ensure our resources are valid
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">Everyone needs to have access to the GaDoe portal to use the Peer Review application
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">All the first assignments need to be uploaded to the wiki by 4/10; Melody will assign the reviewers and post that to the wiki
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">If there is a question or difference of opinion about the review, send all comments & questions to Sharon
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**Common Core Standards** - Sharon will post the Common Core/GPS alignment worksheet to the wiki.
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">She would like us to add a column and cut/paste the CC standards into the new column.
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">Add the new column next to the GPS & Elements column (left side)
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">It would be helpful to have the CC information posted to the worksheet by the next deadline, 5/14/11
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**NETS-S** - use the NET-S indicators in the worksheet, e.g., KT2a, KT3b, KT2d as appropriate for each resource
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**New domain assignments** - Sharon & Melody will discuss the new assignment list; Melody will post the new assignments to the team
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**Resource Types** - We should not use resources that require payment or subscriptions
 * <span style="direction: ltr; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0pt; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: middle;">**Comments** - This is an important field that will be used to describe the resources; any equipment needed; other description that will help the teacher choose the appropriate resource

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Update from Sharon - 04.14.11
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Lots of progress, believe it or not, has been made here towards getting the automated system ready for peer review and for CC alignment.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"> The document I received to align ELA GPS and CC will not work for our purposes. Next week ELA DOE employees will be working on a file that will have GPS and CC aligned with the final CC coding. Knowing this, I think it is in our best interest to let them complete their work and then just copy and paste it into our spreadsheets.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"> I am really hoping the developers will move the peer review out of development and into production by Friday.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"> In the mean time lets keep moving forward with your next domain assignments. Thanks for all your great work.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Peer Review FAQs - 04.18.11** =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">A few questions have been asked about the peer review process:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Q - Do I need to fill out the Peer Review rubric document? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> A - No, the rubric document is a guide only. The peer review application is still in development. We will use the DOE application to enter review comments and accept the work submitted. Sharon or I will let you know when the application is ready for use.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Q - If my review worksheet is missing information, e.g., the person has not enter information in the Resource Title column, should I enter the information? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> A - It is not the responsibility of the peer reviewer to complete any missed work or correct work that is incorrect. The reviewer will only make notes and comments in the application; and then accept or reject the work. The team member will receive an email about her worksheet and any comments that require additional action.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Q - When are we suppose to complete the peer review for the 1st domain assignments? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> A - As soon as we are given access to the DOE Peer Review application, team members should make every effort to complete the review as soon as possible.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Q - Should we wait to complete the peer review for the 1st domain assignments before we work on the 2nd domain assignment? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> A - No. Please work on the 2nd domain assignments while we wait for the peer review application to be ready.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Thanks for your continued efforts for this project. Please feel free to contact either Sharon or myself if you have questions.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 160%;">Latest Update from Sharon - 04.23.11 ** Sharon worked diligently on Thursday entering accounts for the Peer Review application, but they ran into another problem with the automated peer review system. Bummer! **

** We will have to use the system in UAT (User Acceptance Testing). Unfortunately when a person has rights in UAT they can make changes in the database, which is a security concern. The IT guys promised to resolve the issue and Sharon hopes to send us the UAT link by Tuesday evening. ** ** In the mean time, we need to go through the rubric, check our work and continue finding resources for our 2nd domain assignments. This will make the upload process faster when it is working. **

**Using the UAT……** ** Sharon will create a video tutorial on the system this weekend and make it available to us by Tuesday. She will also send us the production URL. The tutorial will show us: ** ** 1) How to log in ** ** 2) How to submit work ** ** 3) How to peer review **

** The peer reviewer will receive notification in an email when the submission is uploaded and waiting for them to begin. If team members have completed 2 domain assignments, they can upload both. It is important to make two separate uploads, one for each worksheet. **

** Attached is a spreadsheet which contains the peer review assignments and the content experts assigned for the various grade levels. Make sure you identify who you should select as your peer reviewer. Also the peer reviewers need to know who they should select as the content expert. All of this information is on the spreadsheet. **



** I n the meantime…… ** ** Obviously we have had to adjust for various reasons. Our milestones will be as follows: ** ** · We have submitted our 1st domain assignments ** ** · We need to review our peer review assignments against the peer review rubric ** ** · We need to have the work reviewed and corrected by April 29th. ** **  · This should put us back on track and ready to submit the 2nd assignment by the due dates on the wiki page ** ** The sooner we finish the sooner we can submit invoices and get paid. Thank you for your patience and great work on this project. As always, please contact me if you have questions. ** ** Ta, ** ** ms **