grannynannycook

Again, the target was missed, geez.  As mentioned in an email to the leader of this cohort about the slide presentation, “I am stewing over every little word, thought, and deed.  It is more stressful making a slide show which represents the whole team’s ideas and goals than making one from just my perspective!”  Ensuring accurate content is of concern.  A couple sentences may be inaccurate.  (The title as “Minister of Misinformation” is available if anyone would like to arm-wrestle for it).  That said, the information, which has evolved out of the presentation hijacked from Thomas, is useful somehow.  Maybe for a future project, maybe to post on the website, who knows?

Lee and I created two very different agendas for the handshake meeting!  Lee’s HANDSHAKE AGENDA, needs to be on the website (it is in the teacher’s givercraftgroup docs).  Monday’s recording of the Webex meeting was viewed and then attended Tuesday’s meeting, both which went well.  Tallying up attendance, there were 18 on Monday and 8 on Tuesday, for 26 participants in the two meetings.  Most of the givercraft team members attended at least one session.  It would be helpful if the links from the Webex recordings were posted on the website in case others want to take time to view the sessions.

As an offshoot of sifting through the blogs, emails, and google docs, two other documents evolved.  On Tuesday, it became apparent the docs were not shared in google groups.  By now, they should be in there somewhere.  Due to the miraculous surprise from the family, hopes were thwarted of publishing the information in advance.  Here are the details:

• FAQ’s page – not for handshake meeting, but it may be useful to teachers. I feel the FAQ page should be on website. TEAM please add to this as needed!
• PRE-HANDSHAKE MEETING CHECKLIST – corrections, suggestions? I feel this should be on web page and in teacher’s givercraftgroup docs even now.

Besides participating in chats, tweets, and contributing to the Givercraft Memories spreadsheet, I have committed to going over to Brita’s class to help the students get their Givercraft bearings On Friday, Nov. 14.  Pray for them! In addition, the literature review is now on the front burner.

Handy shaking: a just in time agreement with much needed talent and resources.  Handy shaking is this week’s good news for the project:  a statistician has joined us and a server has been dedicated to Givercraft by Collin Clifton of Allgamer.  The “to do list” now consists of working on the literature review, assisting team and participants in any way possible, and helping with the data collection and spreadsheets.

Personal success comes in small bits, like being able to help Tiffany, the wizard, find the answer to her question about Thanksgiving week.  With much encouragement and enthusiasm, the team continues to be generous with their support of this grama’s attempt to stay current in the profession.  You all need extra credit for teaching this old woman, for patience, and for tolerance!  Please let me know how I can be of help.

Due to a blessed circumstance beyond my control, the following blog was interrupted, and may not ever be what it was originally intended to be: a coherent progress report.  Briefly, I fine-tuned a presentation for the Handshake meeting, met with others in chats and hangouts, and, as most team members, I too played minecraft for six hours.  Am feeling a bit better about progress, but still feel like the Clydesdale in the group: slow but sure.  A clear vision of the outcome is still slow in revealing itself, but as pieces slowly fall into place, the big picture takes on shape.  I still have a lot of work to do on the literature review.  Thanks to all for your patience in this project.  I have learned so much about gamification and all the tools to make it happen in the classroom, and for that I am grateful to you all.

Funniest part of my week was walking from

the parking lot into TMHS and having my mind

start to analyze the blocks needed in Minecraft

to recreate the building…

guess I’ve been bitten by the MC bug, eh?

On September 27, 2014, in this blog, I said I could hit any given target!  Well, I was wrong, because this week’s post completely missed the target given.  Not sure how it happened, but will try to make amends now.  Although this is supposed to be my reflection on the Givercraft project, I will briefly respond to the questions targeted:

1. What have I done this week? Mostly worked on the lit review, met with the group, met with Lee, responded to lots of emails, worked on the group lit review, worked on the handshake meeting, and started a list of things to do differently next time.
2. How do I feel about my progress? Honestly, as long as I stay away from the game, I feel successful!  During the finalizing of my literature review, my husband said, “Come on, honey, let’s go do something for a change.”  I replied, “Please go away, I am finally feeling successful!”
3. What do I still need to do? The handshake is my priority for now, then the group literature review, then join the game on Wednesday, and help with the slide show.
4. How can others help? As far as my helping others, the best thing I can probably do for them is to leave them alone and stay out of there way: do no harm!  Teammates have been promptly responding to my inquiries, and that is the best thing I can ask for.  We decided to not have a teacher packet and a handshake document, so as soon as I finish fine tuning it, Lindsey can work her magic on its appearance.

Now, on to this week’s reflection.  I am still ultra-grateful for the talents and strengths the team has and for the investment of time and resources they have given to the success of the project.  The team continues to amaze me with their skill level and dedication.  I imagine students around the world will use the Givercraft modification for MinecraftEdu in the future.  For the sake of the builders of the Givercraft world, I sure wish there was a “cut and paste” code to facilitate creation of the zones.  The google calendar the registrar created is incredible, what a lot of work.  The website is very polished and professional and makes a big difference in communicating pertinent information to all involved.  The majority of the team is aware of the need for budgeting time spent working on the plan.  I too need to remember to trust the process.