10 Day Faculty Challenge

Thank you for playing the 10 Day Faculty Challenge!

We have read your submissions, your comments and your reflection on the game and we appreciate that you stuck with this even though the game hit during a particularly busy time.

Congratulations to Charla Brown our overall winner and the other 4 Hotshots, Robin Gilcrist, Val Barber, Lee Henrikson and Margie Mete. You will be contacted by Mary to receive your game prize!

Here are a few back-end replies or thoughts we have about the game:

• It was interesting working with the plug-in BadgeOS. In theory it should have made life easier– automatic points for posts and comments and administrator points for content (bonus points.) Unfortunately, something went haywire and we had to do all of the points by hand. Thanks for bearing with that. We think instant feedback on the leaderboard is important in a game, so that was a bit disappointing. However, it did force us to create a pretty nice Google spreadsheet for collecting our points that I think we’ll be able to use and share with anyone interested.
• There was a question/comment about scoring for the content of the posts, not just the act of posting. Indeed, the bonus points tried to capture the content and the badges also tried to add the nuance that some comments are more cheering (which is important and helpful) while others are show more wisdom or help. Seeing that some of you commented with such helpful ideas and tips, next time (if there is a next time) we’d add a “Buddy” Badge or something to show that some comments were made to help each other grapple with an idea or solve a ‘how to integrate this idea’ in the classroom situation.
• In real estate, location, location, location is what they say. In academia, it’s timing, timing, timing. Not sure if there is ever a good time for something like this, but we heard you loud and clear, this was definitely a bad time! Our bad, but thanks for sticking with it and us anyway.
• We want to re-evaluate our Power Up Challenges. Perhaps our idea to kick it up a notch went a little higher than a “notch.”
• We’re going to link the game site to the Faculty Learning Corner because we think some of the resources that you found and posted are fantastic and others may stumble across them when they have more time to click around the game site.

Whether you lurked, played for a day, a week or stuck it out to the end, we thank you again.

We’ve finally made it to day 10 of our 10 Day Faculty Challenge!

We may have to make a badge for survivors! We *so* appreciate all of the ideas that have been generated during this game play. Thank you for your continued attention!

Are you ready to put all of our ideas and concepts and all of your energy into one last post?

Today’s final Challenge speaks to a Simple Game Idea. Click on Challenges to learn more.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!  Today’s power up challenge EVERYONE can do. We need your reflections and feedback on the game. Head to the  “Power Up” Challenges to learn more!

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/quisp65

Today is a day we really need our Cheerleaders to help us get some of our tired gamers to rally and make one last hurrah to finish off the game! Only two more days until we pick some winners. Great job Robin, finding all of the Scavenger items from yesterday! Now, on to today’s Challenge…

Role playing games are popular. I suppose even the game of Clue, where you become Miss Scarlett, or Professor Mustard is a role playing game of sorts! Players in role playing games must assume the role of a character and progress through the game using the character’s knowledge, capabilities, strengths and weaknesses.

Today we’ll be examining role playing in our daily challenge. Click on Challenges to learn more.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Feel like kicking it up a notch? Today your Power Up challenge involves a partner and role playing. Head to the  “Power Up” Challenges for more information.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/fonikum

Good morning! We’ve updated the Leaderboard  and we’ve awarded some new badges, so be sure to check the Challenge Badges Earned page to see if you have earned a new badge!

I know this is a tough time of year to stay focused on the game, but there are only 3 days left. Thanks for staying with us!

There are many ways that we use scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, and find the hidden word or image to make learning feel like a game. Finding clues, hunting for objects, avoiding obstacles as you hunt, these are all gaming elements that create a fun experience for students.

Today’s challenge will explore the Scavenger Hunt. Click on Challenges to learn more.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!  This week you can buddy up for our Power Up Challenge. Head to the  “Power Up” Challenges for more information.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/TonySoh

“Mr. Champ versus the Puzzle,” our next Fried Friday– thank you Val! How did that one escape us? Okay, on to Tuesday!

Even gamers have their favorite tools. Some people use joysticks, some use the keyboard arrows, some use numbers to hop around on the screen. Whether it’s a card game, board game, or video game, we all use different strategies to accomplish our desired results.

Today’s challenge is to review the Tech Tuesday posts on the Faculty Learning Corner blog. Learn more by clicking on Challenges.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! You can also kick it up a notch! This week’s optional Power Up Challenge involves a spinner app!  Head to the “Power Up” Challenges for more.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/A-R-T-U-R

Welcome back to the second week of the 10 Day Faculty Challenge! We’re starting out with an easy challenge today: spreading the word. And boy, does it every spread fast sometimes. Social media has really increased our ability to reach out to others. Using sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, blogging tools like Twitter and WordPress, and many other web texting and photo-sharing sites, it has become easier and easier for games and ideas, and videos to “go viral” (who even knew that term 5 years ago?).

Today we are enlisting you to help us increase our Faculty Learning Corner (the blog, not the game) subscribers.

Head to Challenges to learn more about today’s challenge.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!! It’s also time to kick it up a notch! Each day of this second week of Challenges you’ll have the chance to play it safe, choose the regular challenge or you can kick it up a notch with our Daily Double, well our new 50 point, brand new, “Power Up” Challenges.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/ChrisGorgio

If you’ve been following our Faculty Learning Corner blog (and we highly recommend that you subscribe), you’ll remember that on Fridays we try to post lighter, humorous videos or articles related to teaching and learning.

In today’s challenge deals with the lighter side of the Faculty Learning Corner and with our belief that sometimes humor can impact us as much as a serious article or lecture. Head to the Challenges to learn more about today’s challenge.

And congratulations, you’ve made it to the half-way point of the 10-day Faculty Challenge! What a great week – be sure to check out all the great Challenge posts and who has earned badges (badges are updated by noon each day). Thanks for playing!

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/niarchos

When you play a game, the first thing you always want to know is, “how do I win the game?” or “what do I need to do to win?” While there may be many ways to win a game, and many strategies to attempt, winning is definitely the ultimate goal.

Today’s challenge is to consider your course like a game. What do students need to win or be successful in your class? Head to the Challenges for more details!

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/Jorgenmac

Even if you are joining the game late, we welcome you and want you to know there’s lots of points to be earned. This game isn’t over that quickly! Remember, even if you don’t have ideas for your own submission, just reading another player’s submission and commenting, gets you points. So never fear. There are badges and points a plenty out there! On to today’s challenge….

Those dreaded words “Game Over” or watching your time expire, or seeing your last “lifeline” used up. We’ve all been there. We lost the game. Chances are that most of you didn’t quit or even feel bad at that point but rather, jumped right back into the game to try again! Games seem to have a way of compelling us, perhaps even addicting us to return to the play again and again until we win.

Today’s challenge will explore failure in gaming and education.
Head to the Challenges to learn more.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/eriksvoboda

In games we often partner with another player, sharing our knowledge to team up for the win. We may encounter a character inside the game, a wizard or helper, or pick a card that shares vital information, crucial for “the win.” Some video games have websites where players can find “cheats” or “tips” to help navigate the win.

Today’s challenge involves sharing information with others. Head to Challenges to read more.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/zonadearte