ETIC Computer Science Taskforce
OGPC* Subcommittee

* Oregon Game Project Challenge

Subcommittee Roster

Computer Science Task Force webpage

Next Meeting:

  • To be announced
  • CAPITAL Center, 18640 NW Walker Rd., Suite 1065, Beaverton
  • By Phone:
    • Dial-in: 877-807-5706
    • ID: 730862

Agenda for Next Meeting

  • Debrief from May 16, 2009
    • Suggestions and concerns heard during and after event
    • Addition ideas for improvement
    • Initial sort/prioritization for next season

Agenda for March 31, 2009

Judging Actions:
- Setup TechStart web page with judging information (latest scoresheets, etc.)
- Survey for category and division preferences
- Build out judging panel assignments and integrate into master schedule
- Current thinking - 6 panels per division x 2 division = 12 panels.
3 people per panel = 36 judges required. Want some buffer for
cancellations...
- Last year we had 16 judges, so we are easily on track to handle
the growth with 37 currently signed up. I would feel safer with 4-10
more, allowing us to easily grow to 8 panels at each level if
necessary.

Guest Speakers:
- Confirmed: Scott Hanselman for keynote.
- Industry speakers: need to lock these down. We've had a few
different conversations about this, but Dianna and I haven't hooked up
yet to detail who is confirmed and who isn't. This should be resolved
pretty soon..

Agenda for March 3, 2009

Team Photos: Goals/Ideas

  • What we want:
    • Photo of each team for marketing purposes
    • Photo of each team to use during deliberation process
    • Game screenshot from each team to use during deliberation process.
    • A downloadable photo that teams can print or post
    • Possibly a participation certificate that includes a team photo
  • Chris B's workflow thoughts:
    • Have a placard made in advance for each team with their number and
      team name.  They can carry this around for the rest of the day and
      would make for a souvenir.
    • Set up a station as part of check-in where each team gathers, holds
      their placard, and we snap a photograph of the team holding their
      placard.  Will look something like the attached.
    • The team is required to submit a CD or USB drive with their game,
      game concept document.  We should also require a screenshot jpg file.
    • In Excel or similar tool, for each division (HS and MS), some
      generous volunteer spends the morning creating labeled sheets with the
      team photo and a screenshot stacked so that they can be viewed
      together quickly on the projector.
    • The deliberation advisor uses this spreadsheet and is able to
      quickly navigate to a specific team to show their team photo and
      screenshot.
    • After the Event - Publish a Flickr set or similar with photos, including a framed version with event details.

Agenda for February 17, 2009

Buttons, ribbons, or both?

Reference: Material recently posted

Finalizing additional info for Saturday posting

Tentative Room Assignments

Milestones coming up-- see workplan

Agenda for February 3, 2009:

What additional material should we post and when?

In which cases should we post last year's version while we're finalizing this year's?

Draft of detailed description of 2009 challenge and submission instructions

Maximum number of teams in each division.

Additional distribution of the "postcard"; possibilities include

  • FTC robotics tournament on Feb. 21/22
  • PSU Design Competition on Feb. 27
  • FRC robotics tournament on Mar. 5/6/7

Update of workplan

Tentative Room Assignments

Agenda for January 13, 2009:

Team recruiting

  • Getting the word out
    • Email to interest list and other available lists
    • "Postcard"
    • Asking coaches to recruit other coaches

Coach training

  • Upcoming Workshops
    • At Clackamas CC on January 24th

Draft Budget

Workplan / Timeline

Use of facility at Chemeka Community College

Agenda for December 22, 2008:

Team recruiting

  • Getting the word out
    • Email to interest list and other available lists
    • "Postcard"
    • Distribution to stores, etc.
    • Mailing to schools?

Coach training

  • Upcoming Workshops
    • Where else?
      • Salem?
      • Klamath Falls
      • Bend?
      • La Grande?
    • In January or ?
    • On the web?
      • FAQ
      • Video clips

Draft Budget

Workplan / Timeline

Use of facility at Chemeka Community College

Agenda for December 8, 2008:

Current Web Page

Review of Award Categories and Divisions

"We plan to award trophies in both the Middle School and High School Divisions and in several categories. The categories will probably be:

  • Best Research
  • Best Game Design
  • Best Programming
  • Best Presentation
  • Best Teamwork
  • Best Game Experience
  • Best Overall

No team will receive more than one trophy. Based on the number of teams in each division we will add 2nd or 3rd place to some of the categories so about 50% of the teams will receive a trophy.

Team recruiting

  • Getting the word out
    • Email to interest list and other available list
    • "Postcard"
    • Distribution to stores, etc.
    • Mailing to schools?

Coach training

  • Upcoming Workshops
    • Where else?
      • Salem?
      • Klamath Falls
      • Bend?
      • La Grande?
    • In January or ?
    • On the web?
      • FAQ
      • Video clips

Draft Budget

Workplan / Timeline

Use of facility at Chemeka Community College

Agenda for November 25, 2008:

Current Web Page

  • Promotional Video
  • Recruiting Flyer
  • Coaching workshop slides

Team recruiting

  • Announcing 2009 Season
    • Registration open date. (In 2008 was Feb. 14)
    • Details of challenge announced. (In 2008 was March 15)
    • Registration close date: (In 2008 was about April 15)
    • Concept document due: (Last year was May 3)
    • Statewide competition: May 16, 2008, Chemeketa Community College
  • Other key information
    • Platform (GameMaker)
    • Registration Fee ($50 per team?)
    • Elegibility including minimum and maximum team size. (In 2008 was 3 to 7)
    • Maximum number of teams in each category
    • Trophy categories
      • Best Research
      • Best Game Design
      • Best Programming
      • Best Presentation
      • Best Teamwork
      • Best Game Experience
      • Best Overal
    • How judging works
    • How tournament works
  • Getting the word out
    • Posting the above on web site
    • Downloadable flyer
    • Email to interest list and other available list
    • Mailing to schools?

Coach training

  • Recent Workshops
    • At OSU, Nov. 8, 2008
  • Upcoming Workshops
    • Where else?
      • Salem?
      • Klamath Falls
      • Bend?
      • La Grande?
    • In January or ?
    • On the web?
      • FAQ
      • Video clips

Timeline

Use of facility at Chemeka Community College

  • Two divisions including registration area(s0
  • Judging rooms
  • Demo rooms
  • Presentation rooms
  • Awards ceremony
  • Maximum capacity
    • Middle School Division
    • High School Division

Draft Budget

Agenda for October 29, 2008:

Coach training

  • Recent Workshops
    • In Ashland, Oct. 10, 2008
    • At Hillsboro HS, Oct. 10, 2008
  • Upcoming Workshops
    • At OSU, Nov. 8, 2008
    • Where else?
      • Salem?
      • Bend?
      • La Grande?
    • On the web?

Facilitating team formation

  • Mailing
  • Flyers

Timeline

Use of facility at Chemeka Community College

 

Agenda for October 9, 2008:

Coach training

  • Recent workshops
    • Saturday, September 27 at CAPITAL Center
    • Slides
  • Upcoming workshops
    • Friday, October 10, 2008
      • in Ashland – co-located with CCSC/NW Regional Conference – See http://www.ccsc.org/northwest/
      • at Hillsboro High School
  • Possible additional workshops: at OSU hosted by Mike Bailey and Rozeanne Steckler
  • Identify path for taking workshops on the road and/or making them available online
  • Developing timeline for 2009 Season
  • Planning use of space at Chemeketa Community College

Agenda for September 2, 2008:

Coach training

Review of draft theme for 2009

Alternatives to SuperQuest

Agenda for August 13, 2008:

Coach training

Review of draft theme for 2009

Alternatives to SuperQuest

Agenda for July 23, 2008:

Review options for using classrooms, etc. at CCC for combined middle school / high school tournament

Brainstorm planning for training coaches to support growth and quality of program

Brainstorm: Possible themes for 2009 with eye on recruiting girls and minorities.

Agenda for July 8, 2008:

Decision: Confirm May 16, 2009 as date of tournament.

Decision: Confirm that plan A is to have one large one-day tournament to serve both middle school and high school divisions and plan B to add a second back-to-back day, probably hosting one division each day.

Issue: Should we have a rookie team category in 2009?

Plan: Who will create a prototype plan for use of classrooms and other space to support two divisions on one day with various numbers of teams. Might want to start with a high estimate of 20 middle school teams and 40 high school team. Should also analyze what would be maximum number of teams on a single day.

Plan: Top level time-line running now from now until May 16th. Review John O's draft: Acrobat Version Excel Version

Plan: Workshops and other coach training: who, what, when, where, how?

Brainstorm: Possible themes for 2009 with eye on recruiting girls and minorities.

Brainstorm: Possible new judging categories like creative story line, best graphics with eye on diversifying appeal.

Agenda for June 18, 2008:

Issue: Should the statewide tournament be on May 16 or May 23?

Issue: One level of competition or two in 2009?

Issue: What do we need to do to offer middle school division?

Issue: Should we recruit sponsors? If so, how should we organize to do so?

Issue: What methods should we use to recruit more girls? Should there be a girls only division?

Issue: Should we offer training to coaches? If so, in person, online or both?

Agenda for June 5, 2008:

  • Survey results
  • Informal Feedback: See below
  • Conclusions for next year
    • Must List
    • Wish List
    • Priorities

Agenda for May 22, 2008:

  • Press Release
  • Initial tally of survey Results
  • Informal feedback from tournament
    • What we saw
      • Chris Brooks:
        • Include judge schedules in their packets
        • Clarify if coaches can be in the room / ground rules
        • Need to think through IT issues more around running games. More laptops, etc. - Align judging questions more with deliverables
        • Provide food/snacks for volunteers throughout the day in a specific room
        • Guidelines for how to deal with incomplete scoresheets, plus a reminder to judges to fill in the sheets completely.
        • Revise model for how to deal with overflow judges.
        • Bottled water for judges (or refillable cold water)
        • More guidance to coaches on judging and presentation process
        • Have time buffer and more time at start of day to allow for stragglers and be thorough with expectations for the day
        • Link team number --> name --> game name -->visual.
        • Consider screenshot as part of deliverable.
        • Separate coaches room
    • What we heard
      • From Wim:
        • it would be good to have a picture of the team/snapshot of the game to recall some extra detail that might not have made it onto any of the notes
        • for the grand price and maybe form some other - more of the technical categories - being able to see the game - maybe played by one of the game judges - might lead to a more informed vote for these folks that did not see the game
        • would it make sense to - in the case where there is no clear quality candidate for a second place trophy - not to hand out the second place trophy ?
      • From Robert:
        • I think that most everything worked well and what will be needed are minor tweaks as opposed to major changes.
        • One suggestion is that the teams need to understand the concept of the presentation judging a little better.
        • Those with FLL experience seemed to understand the concept but otherwise it seemed a little uneven.
        • Perhaps you could impose upon the Championship team to video their presentation for use in judges training. (Assuming that you did not get a video of it on Saturday).
        • I heard it was very well done.
        • I do agree with Cathy that if you can manage to have the rooms closer together it will assist in the flow of the day.
      • From Julie:
        • Scorekeeper should make sure all categories are scored when they collect sheets
        • Use the same room for scorekeeping, judge training, and deliberation. Keep it close to the action.
        • Do a "peer choice" award
        • Provide a summary for deliberation with team #, name, game name
  • Wish list for next year

Agenda for May 15, 2008:

  • Opening Ceremony Slides
    • Welcome
    • Introduce Sponsors,
    • Recognize volunteers,
    • Remind students of rules,
    • Good luck!
  • Closing:
    • Keynote Intro,
    • Rock Band Intro.
    • Awards Ceremony Intro.
    • Slide for each trophy
  • Status of volunteer and volunteer training
  • Schedules
  • Public Relations
    • Media alert in advance
      • KPTV
      • KGW
      • KOIN
      • KATU
      • The Oregonian
      • The Eugene Register Guard
      • Salem Statesman Journal
      • Hillsboro Argus
      • Portland Tribune
    • Press release of the results
  • Set up and take down: Schedule and responsibilities
  • Surveys
    • Coaches
    • Team Members
    • Student critique of peer presentation
    • Student critique of professional presentations
  • Other Materials: What, who, etc.

Agenda for May 9, 2008:

Volunteer Status

  1. Judges seem to be in order and are being managed by Chris.
  2. Mitch is working to get CCC students to help him with the technical aspects of the day.
  3. We have one guest speaker, Chris Skaggs. I believe we need two more.
  4. Keynote speaker is vacant - this may have been rectified by Chris
  5. We have one or two leads on an emcee.

We have 3 day-of volunteers (including Cathy). Here is a preliminary list of the jobs we need filled

  • 2 score keeping assistants
  • 5 registration desk helpers
  • 6 timekeepers (minimum - depends on shifts)
  • 3 arcade monitors
  • 1-2 floating monitors

Other issues that need attention

Draft Coaches Survey

Agenda for May 1, 2008:

  • Final count on registrations
  • Draft Media Advisory -- Amelia J-Lewis
  • Day of Activities
  • Schedules
  • Recruiting technical speakers
  • Judging
    • Info for coaches (1st draft)
    • Score Sheets (not for coaches)
    • Judges' Manual (not for coaches)
  • Trophies
  • Communicating with coaches
  • Other milestones
  • Idea: Gather email addresses of team members for marketing follow-up
    • Next season
    • General: computer science as academic and career opportunity
  • Possible coach & team member surveys
    • TQM
    • Opportunities & barriers to growth
    • Understanding how teams work and their future neads
    • Data for potential sponsors

Agenda for April 21, 2008

  • Final count on registrations
  • Schedules for the day
  • Roles, responsibilities, leadership, recruiting, training
  • Recruiting technical speakers
  • Judging: Recruiting, training, rubrics, scorekeeping, award determination
  • Trophies
  • Idea: Gather email addresses of team members for marketing follow-up
    • Next season
    • General: computer science as academic and career opportunity
  • Possible coach & team member surveys
    • TQM
    • Opportunities & barriers to growth
    • Data for OPAS
      • Contact hours
      • Impact
    • Data for potential sponsors

    * Roles:

    • Judges
      • Head
      • Research x X
      • Design x X
      • Programming x X
      • Presentation x X
      • Teamwork x X
      • Game Quality x X
      • X = Number of teams / (5-hour judging period / 0.5 hours per team) = Teams / 10
        • If 1 to 10 teams, X = 10 / 10 = 1
        • If 11 to 20 teams, X = 20 / 10 = 2
      • Judge Queuers x X/2
    • Registration Manager and X Registration Clerks
    • Catering Manager and Assistant
    • Arcade Manager x 2
    • Computer Technicians
    • Demo Room Manager and passport clerk
    • Pit Room Managers x X
    • Safety and Security Manager
    • Scorekeeper
    • Emcee
    • Keynoter
    • Technical Presenters
    • Photographer(s)

Agenda for April 10, 2008

  • Update on registrations to-date
  • Software Security at tournament
  • Publicity Goals and Plan
    • How much media coverage do we want?
    • How much do we want to encourage the public to attend?
    • What steps should we take?
  • More on roles and responsibilities*
  • Recruiting technical speakers and judges
  • Training judges
  • Possible coach & team member surveys
    • TQM
    • Opportunities & barriers to growth
    • Data for OPAS
      • Contact hours
      • Impact
    • Data for potential sponsors

    * Roles:

    • Judges
      • Head
      • Research x X
      • Design x X
      • Programming x X
      • Presentation x X
      • Teamwork x X
      • Game Quality x X
      • X = Number of teams / (5-hour judging period / 0.5 hours per team) = Teams / 10
        • If 1 to 10 teams, X = 10 / 10 = 1
        • If 11 to 20 teams, X = 20 / 10 = 2
      • Judge Queuers x X/2
    • Registration Manager and X Registration Clerks
    • Catering Manager and Assistant
    • Arcade Manager x 2
    • Computer Technicians
    • Demo Room Manager and passport clerk
    • Pit Room Managers x X
    • Safety and Security Manager
    • Scorekeeper
    • Emcee
    • Keynoter
    • Technical Presenters
    • Photographer(s)

Agenda for April 2, 2008

  • Update on registrations to-date
  • Should we allow add-ins to Game Maker such as Ultimate 3D ?
  • Current version of Code of Ethics
  • Software Security at tournament
  • Publicity Goals and Plan
    • How much media coverage do we want?
    • How much do we want to encourage the public to attend?
    • What steps should we take?
  • More on roles and responsibilities
  • Recruiting technical speakers and judges
  • Possible coach & team member surveys
    • TQM
    • Opportunities & barriers to growth
    • Data for OPAS
      • Contact hours
      • Impact
    • Data for potential sponsors

Agenda for March 20, 2008

  • Volunteer Roles at May tournament
    • Judges
      • Head
      • Research x X
      • Design x X
      • Programming x X
      • Presentation x X
      • Teamwork x X
      • Game Quality x X
      • X = Number of teams / (5-hour judging period / 0.5 hours per team) = Teams / 10
        • If 1 to 10 teams, X = 10 / 10 = 1
        • If 11 to 20 teams, X = 20 / 10 = 2
      • Judge Queuers x X/2
    • Registration Manager and X Registration Clerks
    • Catering Manager and Assistant
    • Arcade Manager x 2
    • Computer Technicians
    • Demo Room Manager and passport clerk
    • Pit Room Managers x X
    • Safety and Security Manager
    • Scorekeeper
    • Emcee
    • Keynoter
    • Technical Presenters
  • Update of tournament schedule
    • Add technical presentions?
  • People Choice Award?
    • Additional way of being honored
    • Gives teams a goal and reason to visit arcade and demo rooms
    • Could give them points for doing peer evaluation, might include "passport stamps"
  • Update of score sheets
    • Research
    • Design
    • Programming
    • Presentation
    • Teamwork
    • Game Quality
  • Guidance to coaches and teachers
    1. OGPC Coaches: During team meetings, we recommend you focus on helping the team get organized rather than helping them with the project itself. In particular, do not help your team(s) do the research, design, and programming of their game for the OGPC challenge. Instead, let them do that work, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes. If they ask you a direct question like, "How do you do _____ in GameMaker?" ask them a question in return that might help them discover the answer or refer them to the book they are using as a resource. If they ask you a technical question like "What would be a good way to incorporate energy in our game?" or "How can we make our game more challenging?" politely point out it's not your role to deal with such questions; the team members should work together to come up with answers.
    2. Teachers: If you are teaching Gamemaker as part of one of your classes, please teach the course as if there was no OGPC season. For instance, if you are use a particular book as a tutorial and having your students go through the excercises in that book, please do so without reference to the OGPC challenge.
    3. Teachers who teach Game Maker and are also serving as the coach of an OGPC teams:
      • Outside of class time, please you take your teacher hat off, and put your coach hat on and following the advice above for coaches.
      • If you are allowing your team(s) to work on the OGPC during class time, we recommend during those times you treat the situation if it were an after-school team meeting as described above.
    4. If you are coaching a team that has not benefited from classroom instruction in Game Maker, you have two choices:
      • Ask the team members to teach themselves Game Maker using one of the books that are available on the subject.
      • Split your role between "coach" and "teacher". Divide your team meetings between instruction and the challenge project. During the instruction time, put on your teacher hat and follow the advice in (2) above. During the project time, put your coach hat on and follow the guidance under (1) above.

Agenda for March 6, 2008

  • What more can we post on OGPC page?
    • Location
    • Professional game designers will
      • judge
      • keynote
    • Free lunch for registered team members and coaches
    • Trophies in multiple categories including ...
  • Possible email lists
    • gpc-coaches-l
      • for team coaches and interested volunteers to discuss the challenge
      • open to anyone interested
      • unmoderated unless it becomes a problem
    • ogpc-planning-l
      • for volunteers and judges that put on the event
      • invitation only
      • moderated but just to prevent the reply/all syndrome. Could turn moderation off to see how it goes.
    • ogpc-interest-l
      • low-traffic, PR-style communication
      • moderated - only emails from a few key staff/volunteers are allowed
  • Roles, responsibilities, volunteers
  • Draft rubrics/scoresheets:
    • Research Quality
    • Design Quality
    • Programming Quality
    • Presentation Quality
    • Teamwork
    • Game Experience Quality

Agenda for February 21, 2008

Current web description

Draft event schedule

Draft budget

Mailing to teachers

Location of Tournament

Refining submission description

Agenda for February 5, 2008

Planning pilot tournament season

  • Draft season schedule
    • Announcement including general dimensions and logo
    • Web site available
    • Email to Superquest and ORTOP lists
    • Hardcopy mailing to high school principals?
    • Registration opens
    • Detailed rules, rubrics
    • Sample team budget
    • Scholarship or fundraising advice
    • Training
    • Event
  • Draft event schedule
  • Draft budget
  • Draft theme and challenge
  • Facility
    • Backspace, Portland
    • Chemeka Community College, Salem
    • CAPITAL Center, Beaverton
  • Draft scoring rubric
  • People
    • Planning
    • Training coaches
    • Coaches
    • Mentors
    • Event roles

Agenda for January 7, 2008

Planning pilot tournament season

  • Draft season schedule
    • Announce including general dimensions
      • Age, team size
      • Season schedule
      • Registration fee
      • Platforms
      • Award categories
    • Web site available
    • Registration opens
    • Detailed rules, rubrics
    • Sample team budget
    • Scholarship or fundraising advice
    • Training
    • Event
  • Draft event schedule
  • Draft theme and challenge
  • Draft scoring rubric
  • Resources needed
    • People
      • Planning
      • Training coaches
      • Coaches
      • Mentors
      • Event roles
    • Facility
    • Money

Agenda for December 27, 2007

Annual competition

Classroom Teaching

  • Creating a complete solution for early adopters
    • Lesson Plans
    • Textbook
    • Exercises
    • Tutorials
  • Packaging, disseminating
  • Coordination with TechStart Foundation, Oregon CSTA
  • Gaining support of schools' adminstration  

Subcommittee Members:

  • Jay Bockelman, Oregon Institute of Technology
  • Chris Brooks, TechStart Education Foundation
  • Mitch Fry, Chemeketa Community College
  • John Ossowski, TechStart Education Foundation
  • Chris Scaggs, Code Monkeys
  • Bruce Schafer, OUS
  • Terrell Smith, Sherwood High School
  • Ron Tenison, retired professor
  • Stevie Viaene, Tigard High School
  • Sherry Yang, Oregon Institute of Technology
  • Michal Young, University of Oregon