Tag Archives: procedures

Policies and procedures for how the Training team operates are scattered through old blog posts and throughout the website. These tags will identify content that should be in the team handbook.

Tracy Levesque 7:21 pm on December 9, 2014
Tags: , procedures,   

Recap of December 9, 2014 Meeting

Slack log (Requires SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ login to view. Set one up if you don’t have a Slack account)

Status of Lesson Plans in Progress

  • Choosing and Installing Plugins (@suzettefranck)
    In progress. Suzette expects to have more time to work on it after WCLV this weekend
  • Managing Media (@mikemueller)
    Mike ran into a stumble on the media part. He created the video and sound files, but can’t upload them due to file size limitation issues. Mike is going to edit the video down to make the filesize under the 8mb maximum.
  • High Level Overview (@GregF)
    It is complete and ready to be copy edited

New lesson plans!

Other Items

  • Copy editing/Style Guide (@meaganhanes and @bethsoderberg)
    Beth: I went through all of the in progress lesson plans and did some basic formatting standardization to sync everyone up with all of the style guide changes that have happened in the last month or so. This was mostly removing a lot of extraneous horizontal rules, taking away the h4 tags, and fixing lots of quiz formatting. Obviously everything still needs to be copy edited once done, but hopefully this will fix some of the totally random formatting inconsistencies we’ve seen. I also replaced all of the starter text that Julie had added to lots of the Theme lesson plans to make the h4/quiz format changes there, but I’m not sure where she stored the original template and so I haven’t replaced that one.
  • Slides
    @bethsoderberg: I chatted with Jan a bit about the slides and so she is getting started on that project. I’ll check in with her sometime this week. Basically, the requirements I conveyed are as follows:
    • sample slides to work from are yours for the child themes lesson plan
    • goal is to compliment the lesson plan and go between live demos
    • basic templates needed for slides with a headline and text, just text, a headline and an image, slides to handle the quizzes that we have at the end of each lesson, and anything else Jan sees as a common pattern
    • format in HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites./CSSCSS CSS is an acronym for cascading style sheets. This is what controls the design or look and feel of a site. – I offered to code them if that’s useful
    • need a print stylesheet
    • font stack that has presentable options for all computers
    • compatibility with existing style guide/need to document design patterns, etc. for the slides in that documentation

    Also, could we use something like Jenn Schiffer’s SimpleSildes to house them on our .org site and present them at workshops.

  • Copy editing/Style Guide (@meaganhanes and @bethsoderberg)
    Beth: I went through all of the in progress lesson plans and did some basic formatting standardization to sync everyone up with all of the style guide changes that have happened in the last month or so. This was mostly removing a lot of extraneous horizontal rules, taking away the h4 tags, and fixing lots of quiz formatting. Obviously everything still needs to be copy edited once done, but hopefully this will fix some of the totally random formatting inconsistencies we’ve seen. I also replaced all of the starter text that Julie had added to lots of the Theme lesson plans to make the h4/quiz format changes there, but I’m not sure where she stored the original template and so I haven’t replaced that one.
  • Proposed Lesson Plans (@liljimmi)
    Tracy entered all Proposed User Track lessons into the handbook that have not yet been added. She also descriptions to Proposed lesson plan lists and links to the plans themselves
  • Outstanding Issues
    • Supportflow? – Supportflow is showing up in the admin, but it is not hooked up to anything. We need a way to answer contact forms. Help, please!
    • Profile icons – Can we get the training icon on team training member profiles? @jenmylo

#copyedit, #procedures, #slides

Courtney O'Callaghan 3:58 pm on November 4, 2014
Tags: procedures   

Agenda for November 4, 2014 meeting

Hi Everyone!! We have some new people joining us today – very exciting 🙂 A lot to cover on the agenda today – some of it involves you reading the recaps already in the training blog below. Please remember that if you are located in the United States, the meeting is one hour EARLIER than usual as UTC has not changed for daylight savings time.

If you cannot make the meeting, please post your additions to the comments and we will add them to the agenda

AGENDA

Introduction to Training for new people

New participants announce themselves

WCSF/Community Summit/In Person Training MeetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through https://www.meetup.com/. A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. recap (short!)

Changes in Training
(see post for details)
official policies for creating, editing, testing, and finalizing lessons
slides role defined and format will be HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites.
future additions for lesson plans

Changes in Training
(post post)
revise list of topics in need of lesson plans
+added new list of 101 lesson plans – now called user centered lessons
+blue box on top of p2/blog
+onboarding documentation
+handbook pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.
+new menu structure
+in progress worksheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AWYtGfQ0BI0_7qAi50ryLzZGg0MfgMW_9d9CCAXOzWo/edit?usp=sharing

To Do (big picture, not today)
define and add metadata to lesson plans
add descriptions to each lesson plan (should work as XX)
talk with theme team (next week)
create a new handbook page for each lesson so that we can use author and not editor permissions
audit schedule

Lesson Plan Progress Reports

New Lesson Plan Assignments

Other + Q/A

#procedures

Courtney O'Callaghan 8:59 pm on October 28, 2014
Tags: procedures,   

Recap of October 28, 2014 Meeting with Jen Mylo

Slack Log

Talk with Jen Mylo (JM)

  • MODULES RENAMED
    • We are renaming the objects we have been calling modules to lesson plans.
    • This change is in response to a large quantity of questions and concerns that have been directed at the general community team.  possible contributors have been concerned that they cannot build modules (using it as a coding term).  Because of our general audience of contributors, we have decided to use a more descriptive name – Lesson Plans.
  •  MAY WE MAKE SLIDES?
    • We CAN have slides for each intro section.
    • These slides should act as an introductory/step-by-step overview that does not replace the hands on portion of each section.
      • The parts of the lesson plans that have screen-grabs should be actually done live and mirrored by the students. Thus, they do not need slides.
    • The slides can/should be used as a packet for the students.
    • The slides will be done as individual basic HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites. pages that anyone can print OR show in class. The decision to use HTML is related to making sure that the slides can be both viewed and printed on any system and does not require paid software, high bandwidth, new/specific operating systems, etc.
  • MEETUPS FOR TESTING LESSON PLANS
    • There are a few meetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through https://www.meetup.com/. A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. organizers here at the contributor team meetup days and we will talk with them about testing the lesson plans that are ready.
    • One of the Automatticians is currently approving the new meetup groups and can also help us get in contact with meetup groups.
  • FUTURE ADDITIONS TO LESSON PLANS
    • create a video of teaching a lesson so that people understand how to do it.
    • create template for charts and diagrams so that it is easier – JM will work to get us a designer for this.
  • PROCESS through FINAL REVIEW
    • create full script / prerequisite / assets / etc. (all the items we are doing now)
    • copyedit lesson plan
    • expert content review (could be before/after testing depending)
    • design review (could be before/after testing depending)
    • 3 successful tests
    • followup survey for students and teachers (standardized)
      • will be on the central account – we can see the information
      • debrief of survey results
    • Any final revisionsRevisions The WordPress revisions system stores a record of each saved draft or published update. The revision system allows you to see what changes were made in each revision by dragging a slider (or using the Next/Previous buttons). The display indicates what has changed in each revision.
    • Publish
  • LAST ITEMS
    • Finalized lesson plans will live on learn.wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/
    • What is the minimum contribution for an actual badge?
    • Contribution Recognition is happening! Tracy is making a list of contributors and giving them to Jen. One of the .com designers is making our badge.  
    • We will be changing the way we contribute content sometime soon so that it is better as our team and list of contributors grows.  JM has put in a call to one of the developers to help get us a into the content repository.  More on that in the future.

#procedures, #slides

Tracy Levesque 2:32 pm on October 3, 2014
Tags: procedures   

Recap of September 30 2014 Meeting IRC Log…

Recap of September 30, 2014 Meeting

IRC Log

Status of Modules in progress

  • WidgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. Areas / Webfonts (@bethsoderberg)
    Beth says: made progress on the widget areas module since last week, am on track for a draft by WCSF
  • What is a Theme (@juliekuehl and @trynet)
    Julie wants to take this one now that Anatomy of a Theme is done. Bud wants to help.

Other Items

  • Style Guide – Bud (@trynet) added some copy to the AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) section.
  • Team Training Signup form – We now have a contact form (https://make.wordpress.org/training/getting-started/contact/).
    We came up with a list of fields we would like to add to the form:
    • Areas of expertise?
    • How they’re interesting in helping?
    • Meaning creating modules, editing, testing, etc.
    • How much time they have to commit
    • Can you make our weekly meeting?
  • Oct 2 Community Chat – Some of us joined the Community chat to talk about making Modules known to MeetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through https://www.meetup.com/. A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. groups for using and testing.
    @jenmylo said we need to put some infrastructure in place first so we can handle Meetups using/testing modules.
    Read the details in the comments of Team Chat Agenda: October 2, 2014.

#procedures

jane 11:35 pm on November 13, 2012
Tags: procedures   

Hello World!

This post marks the kickoff of a new WordPress contributor group, aimed at the creation of standardized WordPress training courses. The idea is that we should have curriculums on wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ that meetups or individuals can download and use to run local trainings (like new user workshops), and/or that can be used with online courseware to help people self-teach.

This group’s work will overlap somewhat with the Support group (especially where documentation is concerned) and the Events group (especially around training events), but the creation of curriculums is specific enough that it deserves to be a standalone project — especially since we’ve been talking about it for years!

Here’s the mission:

  • Reach out to the community and find out what kind of training is going on already (workshops, college courses, etc), and who among these teachers is willing to share their curriculum/teaching materials.
  • Collect and collate donated curriculums.
  • Identify the first round of courses that should be created. This should be a list with short descriptions including experience level/prerequisite knowledge. Eventually, we’ll ideally have beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses (plus additional special topics) around each of the areas of WordPress knowledge: using the application, administering a site, managing a multisiteMultisite Multisite is a WordPress feature which allows users to create a network of sites on a single WordPress installation. Available since WordPress version 3.0, Multisite is a continuation of WPMU or WordPress Multiuser project. WordPress MultiUser project was discontinued and its features were included into WordPress core. Advanced Administration Handbook -> Create A Network. installation, theme development, pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. development, coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. contribution, translation, etc. Basically every topic that gets a handbook should probably have a round of courses for hands-on learning in that area. For the first phase, let’s start with one.
  • Use the best material from the donated curriculums as a starting point for officially approved courses, and create the first course (a new user workshop will probably have the most to work with and allow all contributors to participate).
  • Do some testing of the curriculum with live audiences, revise as needed.
  • Publish the curriculum on wordpress.org!
  • Post-mortem to identify ways of improving the process.
  • Branch out and tackle additional courses.

This is a starting point, so once there’s an active group of contributors working on the project, if this plan needs to be revised, that’s fine, of course. It is important, however, to start with a small scope for the sake of getting something completed that can be used as a case study before taking on bigger projects in this area.

Christine Rondeau and Lisa Sabin-Wilson have both had experience providing WordPress training and have both offered to help get this project started, so I’m making them both admins on this blog. They can give people posting privileges as it becomes clear who is going to be involved with this group as an active contributor.

To get started, if you have conducted WordPress training or classes and would be willing to contribute your existing curriculum, or if you have experience in Instructional Design and want to help with the design of courses, or if you just want to be part of this and are willing to do grunt work like following up on emails and taking care of spreadsheets and the like, introduce yourself in a comment on this post! Helpful info to include in your comment: Your level of experience with WordPress in general, training specifically, local WP events (meetups/WordCamps/workshops), and what you are interested in helping with.

In December, all the contributor groups will be voting for team reps, and this group will be included in that. In the meantime, Christine and Lisa will take care of posting updates to the rest of the contributor groups to keep people up to date with your efforts here.

I’m so excited to see what you all create! I can’t wait to be able to point people to wordpress.org for courses they can teach in their communities. This is going to be huge. Thank you in advance to everyone who’s about to pitch in. 🙂

#procedures