E-Learning Portal: How to edit a page in ModX

This is the main page for which I did my work in ModX. Keeping it quite simple, you can manage many pages of content working with just the template and content pages. Because the template is the only page for which I am adding styles, I found it more convenient to keep the CSS styles embedded in the page. Poor practice I know, but convenient.
How to edit content pages:
1. To edit a page, click on a name on the left hand menu.
2. The page properties show up in the main work area.
3. Click the EDIT button, also get in the habit of selecting the Continue Editing radio button.
4. You will only be able to code in HTML, no WYSIWYG yet.
How to edit template pages:
1. Click on Resources in the tab menu on top.
2. Click on Manage Resources in the second level of the top menu bar.
3. It should now look like the above graphic. Click on EDIT.
3. Click the EDIT button, also get in the habit of selecting the Continue Editing radio button.
4. You will only be able to code in HTML, no WYSIWYG yet.

GO Inquire: How to Register a New Group

In this screen, use the drop down menus to register a new group. If 'Your School' or 'Your Name' is not available, this means that you have not registered yourself as a teacher in the system. Go to the Teacher Prototype. Currently the system is designed for elementary students, however if you need a higher grade level as a choice under 'Your Grade', then please email someone on the GO Inquire development team. Finally, those familiar with the Student Prototype know that student answers from all groups in a class are displayed. Most teachers only like to display answers that are part of the class only, not another class that they teach. So if this is the second time using the system this year with a different class, under 'Your Class' select 2 instead of 1.

Conference Presentations

On Paper Presentations
Donata Renfrow and James C. Impara's tips (pdf) provide a very helpful structure for trailblazer studies.

1. In the Introduction:
   
1. Give a teaser, where it fits with prior research;
   
2. Build a case, build logic, give background;
   
3. Give purpose and importance.
   
2. In the Body:
   
1. Give enough details on methods and procedures to establish credibility;
2. Give conclusions with supportive data;
   
3. Describe relevant literature, showing how and why your approach is new;
   
4. Mention serendipitous findings.
   
3. In the Conclusion:
   
1. Review study's conclusion;
   
2. Note limitations;
   
3. Emphasize relevance;
   
4. Consider next step.

Gunapala Edirisooriya's analysis of AERA presentations (pdf) provides a few nuggets of insight that I liked. She narrows the talk to the core components:

1. Background,
   
2. Research method,
   
3. Data analyses and interpretation,
   
4. and Conclusion.
   

Other tips. Don't waste time on justifying the research method, just explain what you did. Just provide the most important analyses that show the difference or major finding. Be professional, always provide copies of the paper. If you run out, follow up by taking down emails and actually send them as soon as possible. These are people who are interested in your work, cultivate these possible relationships.

Sam Wineburg's 10 tips (pdf) are great for distinguishing between the paper and the presentation. I especially like rules #1 and #8 . Rule #1 is your talk is not your paper. The talk is an advertisement for your paper. Hit the highlights in the 15 minutes you've been given. Tantalize the audience, interest them not bore them. Rule #8 is an academic talk is a diamond. Unlike a newspaper article in which you need to give the reader the whole news in the first section, called an inverted pyramid, you can start small, work your way up to the middle, and wrap it up with a tight summary or conclusion.

The Oceanographic Society's Scientifically Speaking (pdf) is an good overview of tips for both Papers, Posters and even non-scientific audiences. What I really like is their breakdown of visual elements like title and layout of slides. They provide visual examples and non-examples.

My notes on Poster Presentations
So what goes on the poster? For novices, just follow the traditional Science Fair Poster Board three column layout. Major sections from upper left to lower right: Abstract, Research Questions, Methods, Participants, Treatment, Data, Results, and Conclusion. My recommendation is always to emphasize any visual representations of the data, tables, graphs, photographs, concept maps. Too much text is hard to read and process at a poster. You can speak to those. Think about a Movie Poster, how many words do you typically see? Also make sure the font size never drops below 36 point. Keep in mind that someone is standing 3 feet away and probably walking by. Your poster is likely in their peripheral vision.

How do you do it? I always recommend printing your poster on on plotter, 4' x 3'. Hang your poster with double-sided foam tape. Posters are heavy and nothing hampers your ability to explain something that you using one hand to keep your poster from falling down. Get to your session 15 minutes early, skip the session before in order to mentally prepare yourself for your talk. Poster sessions tend to be informal affairs, sometimes food and drinks are served to entice conferees to attend. One time, I was in what was called an interactive poster sessions where there is a 10 to 15 timed talk and then a bell to rotate. This was experimental session that largely failed. The lesson, be prepared for anything. You might have been expected a wall to hang your poster on, and all you've got is a table. Oh, no! Showing up early gives you a chance to figure something out. A poster session sometimes implies that there is a full research paper that supports the work. Sometimes the poster is all that is expected. Find out the presentation requirements from the conference.

References

• AERA
• NIH
• C.S. Weiler