Managing the forum

[Rowan]

I think Kathy's categories are good and also suggest that around 90% of the current postings are archived.  I think the complexity of the forum and evident depth of history is likely to be offputting to new members.

There are a number of ways of navigating the forum - I realise that it's not the case that one is 'best' it depends on one's aims.  However I suspect that after all this time I am still not great at it as sometimes I come across a really interesting post that I would swear I have never seen before.

I'm still not very good at searching.  A long time ago I realised that you have to make sure your starting point is broad before putting something into 'Search' box but I don't think that was self-evident.

To give a specific example of my difficulties - Peter mentioned 'P21" framework in an email - I thought I'd better search for that but can't find it either through search box or through navigating from the broad menus trying to guess where it would be. 

You might well think 'you dumbo'  (nearest thing approaching to long ears) and probably be able to tell me where it is - and maybe next time I take a look I'll find it right away - but my point is that it is still quite difficult to search the forum. This isn't perhaps a very constructive comment - I'm sorry about that - but perhaps archiving the great bulk of it would make it less intimidating to newcomers?

Also we haven't yet done anything about the fact that in the top left hand corner of the wiki is clickable text that says 'log on to the wiki' and yet this doesn't work.  (I reported some time ago that one member of staff said this was why they had never edited the wiki - and as far as I can see they still haven't.)
Yes I know there are other ways of logging on the wiki...

I am sorry this posting is a bit grumpy in tone I am disappointed I cannot get onto Second Life today and am sitting at home sneezing and snuffling  a look at the islands would be really cheering 

[PeterT]

...
Also we haven't yet done anything about the fact that in the top left hand corner of the wiki is clickable text that says 'log on to the wiki' and yet this doesn't work.  (I reported some time ago that one member of staff said this was why they had never edited the wiki - and as far as I can see they still haven't.)
Yes I know there are other ways of logging on the wiki...
...

This is a problem to do specifically with IE7 - it doesn't happen if you are using FireFox - and to be honest we haven't found a way to resolve it other than to provide a link to the login screen.

If anyone knows of a fix for IE7 that sorts out this problem please let us know ...

[An¡mus]

Yes, that's why, although I spend a lot of my time moderating the forums, you never find me archiving. I do believe they self archive.

I think Kathy's suggestions for categories are good, and I agree that some of the little used categories - like SchomeBase and Nature Trails - could go.

When I joined I was perplexed by the nature trails

[An¡mus]

...
Also we haven't yet done anything about the fact that in the top left hand corner of the wiki is clickable text that says 'log on to the wiki' and yet this doesn't work.  (I reported some time ago that one member of staff said this was why they had never edited the wiki - and as far as I can see they still haven't.)
Yes I know there are other ways of logging on the wiki...
...

This is a problem to do specifically with IE7 - it doesn't happen if you are using FireFox - and to be honest we haven't found a way to resolve it other than to provide a link to the login screen.

If anyone knows of a fix for IE7 that sorts out this problem please let us know ...

on the mainpage, click edit and it will bring up the log-in page, once you have logged in you may return to the mainpage

[PeterT]

I've implemented a variation on Kathy's suggested structure.

I tend to agree about archiving - though there is a bit of me that would like to move everything (well almost) into the archive so that we start Phase 3 with nice empty boards (somehow that feels less intimidating for new folk than coming into boards that already look frantically busy) - but I'm resisting.

Let me know if you think the new structure is clearer - and whether there are things that I have inadvertently put in the wrong place - any constructive criticism welcome ...

[An¡mus]

I have no opinion on archiving, it doesn't really bother me

[Topper Schomer]

I achive bords i have moderation powers in every so often most of the archived threads i only archive if there in a litle hole on page 3 (or whatever the lat page of threrads is) Most that i archived in my last round hadent been posted in simce the SNP poilt, I posted a message to see if there where any objections to archiving and if there wernt after a few days i archived them.

Topper

[Fox Phlox]

I agree with Rowan, the search facility is not at all helpful.

However, I'm not sure that archiving would help a lot - because the search would still produce results from the archived files.

[Rowan, if you're still looking for the P 21 framework, try this thread.
http://schome.open.ac.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1828.msg37939#msg37939
and here
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=120
I found it by going via
Members
PeterT
Last messages
Search 'framework']

[Kathy Schomer]

Yay, my suggestions were largely implemented.

Looks fine to me, but then I'm biased.

[Marsbar9 Schomer]

Now I'm just confused 

[Decimus Schomer]

It's definitely a lot simpler now than it was...

And Mars - what're you confused about?

[KitKatKid Schomer]

Its organised into 3 simple parts and it is much easier.

[Marsbar9 Schomer]

Simple things confuse me sometimes - you clearly all see it as simpler - (granted I only had a brief 10 second look) but after that 10 sec look I thought it was rather confusing.

I'll have another look and post back soon...   

[Kathy Schomer]

As far as I'm concerned it's in two - I collapsed the "Archives" category and am denying its existence. Plus, it's only about 15 pixels high when you collapse it.

[Kathy Schomer]

...
Also we haven't yet done anything about the fact that in the top left hand corner of the wiki is clickable text that says 'log on to the wiki' and yet this doesn't work.  (I reported some time ago that one member of staff said this was why they had never edited the wiki - and as far as I can see they still haven't.)
Yes I know there are other ways of logging on the wiki...
...

This is a problem to do specifically with IE7 - it doesn't happen if you are using FireFox - and to be honest we haven't found a way to resolve it other than to provide a link to the login screen.

If anyone knows of a fix for IE7 that sorts out this problem please let us know ...

Haven't had a chance to test this yet, but there is an obvious error in the CSS that'd cause odd positioning errors on IE versions greater than six - specifically, this:

Code: [Select]

<!--[if gte IE 6]>
Should read this:

Code: [Select]

<!--[if IE 6]>
in the header.

No idea if it's causing this problem though, and it might just be badly labelled. I doubt it though.