Fall 06 Peer Preconference instance message conversation:

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Mentor: Gail Marlin (me)
Mentee: Linda Simmons

Gail Marlin[1:49:46 PM]: Great! Okay state your goal again, please.
Linda Simmons: I would like to enhance my ability at creating clear, informative web pages that will facilitate teachers at the most basic level of technology.

Gail Marlin[1:51:33 PM]: I see. How will you measure your success?
Linda Simmons: The 'how to' instructions must be easy for them to follow.

Gail Marlin[1:52:43 PM]: How will you define 'easy'?
Linda Simmons: I'm thinking that you can read them and point out anything that resembles my assumption of previous skills related to the software I am teaching.

Linda Simmons: Example: Using Power Point - I might assume that you know how to add another slide

Gail Marlin[1:54:45 PM]: uh-hu, I see. So will you measure your success by measuring how many clarifying questions your viewers ask?
Linda Simmons: That seems to be a good guage - 0 is best. Each clarifying question will require a revision.

Linda Simmons: you will also have to rate the visual impression and ease of use because it is a web page.

Gail Marlin[1:57:38 PM]: [TIME OUT: Hey! We did it! We're done, right? (Do you 'feel' like you've been 'mentored'?)]
Gail Marlin[1:58:38 PM]: [...or sure we continue...do more?]
Linda Simmons: As with any written communication, the author must entice the reader to participate.

Linda Simmons: I think I have :)

Linda Simmons: How about your goal - do you want to go through it again with me?

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Mentor: Linda Simmons
Mentee: Gail Marlin (me)

Gail Marlin[2:01:25 PM]: My goal is to work on my written communication skills. I will be working with my mentee through email quite a bit so I want to be as clear as possible.
Linda Simmons: Very good. Where do you think you have the greatest difficulty with written communication?

Gail Marlin[2:03:37 PM]: Good question! My vocabulary skills aren't the best. My grammar isn't the best in the world, and my spelling isn't wonderful either. If I had to pick between those three things...hmmmm.... I think the hardest for me is my vocabulary.

Linda Simmons: To be a successful communicator, you should always keep your thoughts clear and concise. It is not necessary to use an SAT vocabulary, but rather, ensure that your reader will comprehend the statement. As I mentioned earlier, newsp
Linda Simmons: I don't know what happened to the rest of my statement - will try again.

Linda Simmons: ...newspapers publish at a grade eight reading level for this reason. Would you like to rethink your views on your writing ability? What would you like me to see in your writings?

Gail Marlin[2:13:11 PM]: Good point. Thank you. I feel better now. I would like you to observe how clearly I write. See it you can understand the points I'm trying to make. Maybe you could count the number of times I don't make a complete thought (sentence).
Gail Marlin[2:13:34 PM]: whoops - see - I meant to say "See IF you can understand..."
Gail Marlin[2:13:36 PM]: :-)
Linda Simmons: I'm not sure what happened, but now I just lost all of the transcript except for a couple of our opening statements. Are you there?

Gail Marlin[2:15:30 PM]: yes - I'm here & I just copy/pasted our work into a wordpad just in case...
Linda Simmons: ok - now it has returned - this is odd.

Gail Marlin[2:16:07 PM]: good!
Gail Marlin[2:16:15 PM]: glad it's back for you

Linda Simmons: I think, like most people, you need to practice proofreading statements before you send them off. I was a publisher, and I am as guilty of the same crime. We become relaxed in our written communications on the internet -- blame it
Linda Simmons: gee - lost more stuff. ...blame it on chatting :D

Gail Marlin[2:18:15 PM]: :-) Thank you for being such a wonderful mentor and easy to talk with! ...even when you're sick!
Gail Marlin[2:18:45 PM]: Okay! We're done with this, Linda! Is there anything else I can do for you?

Gail Marlin[2:23:48 PM]: True - Take it easy, Linda! "See" ya later...bye