The process coordinator helps you to conduct and keep track of your modeling and scientific inquiry work. The following links provide information on the operation of this tool. To open the process coordinator use the icon located in the left tool menu.
The phases of inquiry are listed in the diagram to the left when you open this tool. Each of these phases has their own list of goals.
The goals guide you step by step in the activities for the selected inquiry phase. Descriptions provide an explanation of the goal, and suggestions for efficient note taking. Note: You must select a goal to see it's description.
The hints give tips for how you can complete the goals for the inquiry phases. You must select a goal to see it's hints. Use the scroll bars to view all the hints for a goal.
Notes are organized around the goals. This means you have to select a goal to view it's note template. This is useful for report writing later.
The Note Template
The note template has several text fields for you to enter your notes: 1) The General Notes Field; This text field gives you a place to keep you own general notes. The goal descriptions give you suggestions for use of this field in note taking. 2) The Question Fields; The 2nd and 3rd fields give you an area to answer questions. The questions are there to help your think through your work and structure your note taking.
Saving Notes
You have three options for saving your note. The first is to discard it without saving. The second is to save it and close the window, and the third is to save the note but keep the window open.
Click on the "history" tab to see a list of your notes by goal. You can see all of your notes through the viewer.
Viewing and Editing your Notes
To view your notes select it from the list and it will appear in the viewer window. To edit your note, click the "edit notes" button. This will open the selected note in the note editor. Please note that only your last saved note version can be edited.
TIP:If you wish to use content from a previous note version which is no longer in the last saved version; 1)Open the note in note editor, 2) Select an older version to view in the viewer. 3)Cut (CTRL C) and paste (CTRL V) the older content from the viewer to the note open in the note editor.
You can check off goals an in this way keep track of what you have been doing, by double clicking it.
When you are ready you can work on the report with the report editor tool (see Report Editor help file). You should also look at the Report template for the content you should include. You can cut and paste your note content into the report tool as shown: