Recently in Reflections Category

So I started looking into a customized form that would still send the data back to the Google spreadsheet associated with the Google form. Turns out this is not so hard. You display the final form, copy the source from it, switch to an HTML editor, and have at it.

The one problem I had was error detection. If you have any required fields and they are not completed, when you submit the form Google checks it, then pops you back into the default form, not your customized form. Bad.

Fortunately, there is an easy fix for this. SneakySheep.com (see http://sneakysheep.com/google-docs-form-tool.php) has a tool that will create the HTML needed to allow you create your own "Thank you" form, so after submission you don't see the default Google thank you form. An added benefit is it also stops Google from displaying the default entry form if a required field is not completed. Instead, your form is displayed, all entered data intact, with the focus on one of the required fields that needs data. Yeah!

I also took the HTML and formatted it for better readability. Then I added a background image, and we're good to go! I'm sure more could be done here, but the bottom line is I got it to work. Here's a pict of the custom form:

So in this task I ended up diving into code - something I don't do much of anymore.It was fun, but it also makes me realize how complex this has become.

Wow - what an event! We had three days of great fun, inactivity, and learning. The pre-conference activity was excellent, and the two days of the main event went by so fast, my head spun.

I have several observations from this event:

1. It's important for Learning Designers to hear from the faculty innovators. Their perspectives drive change at PSU.

Hearing innovators is always a treat. They have passion, drive, and want to share. We need to hold these folks up to the light so all can see. Faculty drive other faculty to adoption of best practices, but even they are only somewhat effective in doing so. What about the other 98% of faculty? We need to hear from them, at least the early majority and late majority folks. What are their thoughts on pedagogical approaches in this age? How do we engage them at their comfort level?

2. Learning Designers at PSU, as a group, have a ways to go.

As a group, Learning Designers at PSU are still not functioning as efficiently and effectively as possible. We have this event, and the All ID monthly meetings. Yet in between these F2F activities, little to no sharing of ideas, processes, and outcomes is happening. Why? We have a Learning Design Community Hub for asynchronous activities, but it is barely used. I'd truly like feedback on this - perhaps a survey is in order?

3. We promote this as a camp, and I believe we've succeeded.

People did dress casually. We had Dean Blackstock for music the first day. The atmosphere was relaxed - especially at the evening dinner I attended. One thing I noticed was lack of audience questions. Even when prompted by moderators, people were silent. Hmmm. Maybe we need to mix up the panel sessions with smaller ones in breakout rooms to encourage participation?

The optional 5K Run and tour of the Educational Gaming Commons Lab were also well received. I missed the run because I had a group of folks at the lab. We grabbed some beanbag chairs, set in a circle in the lab, and talked for over an hour about educational gaming and the lab. It was the first time I've had a group in the lab for that purpose, and it was truly enjoyable.

Behind the Scenes

I wanted to share with you what it took to get the event up and running. In addition to the normal wiki setup, and monitoring of all the itsey-bitseys that always accompany an event, we have five volunteer meetings done F2F and via Adobe Connect. I used Doodle, a free online scheduler, to set these up. Next year I think I'll cut the total number of meetings down. Once folks have their tasks they usually roll with them and don;t necessarily need to meet together so often.

The location was the true nightmare this year. We were set to use Foster Aud. in Pattee Library, but due to a construction schedule change less than two weeks before the event, we had to locate another place. Finding a room at UP that can hold 120 people, and provide electricity and wireless access proved impossible on such short notice. We tried for the IST Cybertorium, but it was booked. In the end, only 112 Kern had the space we needed. There were precious few outlets in the room, and the wireless tapped out at 30 simultaneous users. So I spent a great deal of time in the week leading up to the event scrambling to cover these two issues. Fortunately Telecommunication and Network Services came through with a temporary wireless solution. It's not a service they can offer normally, so I am in their debt.

The power was another issue. The only thing to do was to obtain a number of extension cords and power strips and install them. So Kasey Weatherholtz, Chris Demchak, and I spent several hours Monday afternoon running the cords, taping them down, placing the power strips, etc. Not fun, but absolutely necessary for a technological event where the bar was set last year in Foster.

So the week before the event was, shall we say, a bit stressful. Many emails, late hours. Yet it all came together beautifully, and I'm looking forward to next year already!

The day of the Symposium, the EGC had a room set up with two consoles and TVs, several computers, and a projector. Bart Pursel of the EGC put together a game montage that ran on the the projector. It served to spur many conversations, as people would come into the room, see something wild on the screen, and inquire about it. People also loved to try out the Wii Trauma Center and Endless Ocean. I like to show those games as they demonstrate that not all games are violent.

Overall, we had over 200 people stop in, some for only a few minutes, but some stayed for hours! One Nursing faculty played though an entire medical simulation, and is eager to try other things. The neat thing was people were asking how, not why. Maybe we're over the hump on justifying educational games as an instructional method?