32 Programming Ideas Using Technology

Diversity online

Description: This Program would ask the participants to go to www.tolerance.org to learn about hate crimes, and take different tolerance tests. After taking the tests, the RA would hold a debriefing session for the participants. It is a powerful site with tons of information for everyone, and it is totally interest based.

Instructions/Things Needed: Everyone can do it in their room on a computer or at the computer lab!

Other Considerations: There are some very harsh and sensitive issues on this site. Please be observant of participants' reactions and a facilitator would be great for the discussion.

LAN Party

Description: This program is a group of residents getting together on the Local Area Network (LAN) to play games like Counter-Strike or Unreal Tournament. The students are able to chat with one another while they play, and it's something that they can do throughout the year. A good way to get the students who are a little more anti-social to interact with others.

Instructions/Things Needed: Each student uses their own computer (all of my residents have their own) and each should own a copy of the game that is to be played.

Other Considerations: This program can run into trouble if a lot of the residents don't have computers or copies of the software. It's best to scout around and see what people have. Being able to troubleshoot the odd computer issue is a plus as well.

Program: Roommate Morphs

Description: I created a colorful bulletin board containing pictures of roommate pairs morhped together. The effects is sort of a "what if they mated" thing, but it's really just a 50/50 blend of each person's face. Posting them in public worked out really well because when we have parties there are always people crowded around the board look at each pair. It's hilarious. This can be used for both doortags as well.

Instructions/Things Needed: The only extra-ordinary things that I needed were a digital camera (a scanner would work too), a computer, a photo printer, and morphing software. Morhping software can be found for free on the internet, and any kind will do. It's basically nothing more than a complicated dithering process that matches entered points and extrapolates shapes and colors from the originals. I loaded each roommate's picture into the computer and displayed each roommate pair at a time. Then I picked shared facial features like ears, eyes, moth, nose, chin, hair, and necks. I added points to each face, lined them up, and added line-connectors. It sounds more complicated than it really is. It just takes time to do this for every person. We have 41, so do the math. Next I printed out each morph and put it in a folded piece of cardboard with a big question mark on it. I then created name tags and put the whole board together. The way it works out is this: (Chris!
+ Jason = ?). Then you have to open the card (magnetically sealed of course) to see what the two would look like if they were morphed together. Believe me, it was a lot of work but fun the whole time, and it's been worth it.
Other Considerations: This Program could work for really anyone. Girl/guy combinations are possible. You just have to make sure that the pictures are similarly composed, and you can't really mix long hair with short hair. I would have spaced out the work over more than a weekend, because it literally took me all weekend to morph the images. It was worth it, however, because everyone stops by the board and spends 10 minutes or so figuring out not just what the roommate morphs look like, but how the whole thing works.

"The Web....and What's Really Out There"

Description: this program would help promote websites that students could use to reference both personal and scholastic interests. based on the common majors, common interests, and popular topics I would find a few websites to post up onto our hall info board (bulletin board). after I started this, I would encourage my residents to find their "favorite fun website", "a valuable search engine", "an unexpected encountered site" or a "quality educational resource site for there major", etc. and then I would ask them to turn it in to me so I could post it on the board with the others. With the posted sites, then I would attempt to get feedback from my residents. Using sticky stars, I would instruct the girls to place a star next to a site that they visited and approved of.

Instructions/Things Needed: physical space for posting information (e.g. bulletin board), personal computers

Other Considerations: adding and posting new web site addresses should happen frequently, and be organized into categories for easy reference. To promote ranking, I would have the stars hanging near the area, so they could have easy access and would be more inclined to use them. Additionally the area of posting should be in an area that is frequently encountered (e.g. near the stairwell or bathroom, since they all have to walk past it every day)

Online Tutoring

Description: I have done online tutoring which works well. Students can go into a chat room specified for their subject and talk to their tutor. They can share ideas and information with each other from their rooms. There is a chat room, discussion board and e mail for all students who belong. The tutor can post other websites or information on their site that they think is helpful as well. Students can utilize this and not have to leave their room.

Instructions/Things Needed: Computer with internet, website that allows you to have different chat rooms and tutors.

Other Considerations: Finding subjects students need help with is always a good way to start. It is a good way to get people to study who don't live in the same area but have the same classes. I would offer it to more specialized classes for specific majors as opposed to just the core classes.

Residence Hall WebQuest

Description: This Program takes the tradition concept of a WebQuest and modifies it to suit the residents' needs. Residents participate in an interactive tour of the residence hall they live in and the staff in their hall. Image maps allow the residents to click and learn about hall policies and interesting past events that have happened in the hall, as well as the history behind the hall itself. An interactive Program calendar shares when hall/campus events will take place. Each staff member has his or her own slide or two with a biography and activities on campus they enjoy participating in, as well as Programs they intend to plan during the semester. Links would take the residents to the internet where they would learn about the University's policies pertaining to Residence Halls. This Program can either be burned to cd and distributed or put on the residence hall network so students can access it. The Program would be distributed with a Scavenger Hunt worksheet; the first roommates to turn in a correctly answered Scavenger Hunt would receive a prize. The scavenger hunt would encourage students to learn about the residence hall they live in (exits, laundry room rules...), the policies of the hall (quiet hours, guest policies, RA duty times...) and the staff. The competition could be floor or building wide.

Instructions/Things Needed: A networked residence hall or cdrs.
Residents would need computers w/ cd drive or access to one.
Need Powerpoint to create the interactive WebQuest
Digital camera to take pictures of the residence hall and its staff, or a scanner to scan in pictures taken with a regular camera.
Person creating the Program should be familiar with PowerPoint and maybe Visual Basic to enhance the Program's interactivity.
Other Considerations: This Program should be completed within the first few weeks of school and works best with new students. Although the cost is minimal, it will take a great deal of time to prepare; however, it is very worth it. Residents will find this Program to be fun as it is a virtual fieldtrip/webquest through their new surroundings. It is a great way to modify traditional floor meetings that introduce policies; it encourages residents to explore policies in a fun and informal manner themselves and ask questions later. This Program can be used year after year with only slight modifications as staff and policies change.

Who's Dat?

Description: Our university has a lot of information techonology presentations given to us by our library. Luckily our school has managed to keep up with the influx of new computer technology and provides computer access in the dorms and in the computer labs 24/7. Have residents from each floor, or groups of residents from your floor, get together and create a webpage. Offer some type of incentive, like gift certificates. Have categories for most unique, most information, and etc. Then let the girls go, give them a week or a week and half to create the webpage! You have the residents working together and you'll have informative presentation of the floor!

Instructions/Things Needed: Acess to computers.
Netscape Composer/ Microsoft Front Page <--easy to use webdesign Programs.
If possible, have someone from Information Techonology give a brief introduction to webpages and how to create them.
A sense of creativity!

Other Considerations: 1) Think about using a theme or stress the idea that this is information to let us get to know the group or floor.
2) Make sure to make it clear that nothing offensive about someone is posted on the webpage.
3) Keep an eye out for a group of Computer Science majors or other computer savvy members working together. That's why it's best to have different categories. That way people not as inclined to work on a webpage might be encouraged to do so.

The Good, The Bad, and The No Way!

Description: This is a real easy Program to pull together, but it helps the residents in more ways than one. We have internet access in our rooms, so we set up a chat room. We told every to log on at a certain time and have an open forum on what professors they should or shouldn't take. They could discuss why it other teachers were more challenging or just a "blow off." The cool thing about it was that not many students chose the "blow off" classes and went for the better and more active teaching styles. The main rule is that you can not use degrading or hurtful language toward any university professor.

Instructions/Things Needed: All you have to do is set up a chat room say in MSN chat, and tell people to go there. MSN is free, so it was no big deal.

Other Considerations: I think that I would do it more than just one time at the beginning of enrollment season and open it up to more than just students in our building. That way, there are more people with more information.

E-Mystery

Description: It would be a social Program, designed to help residents meet new people and form new connections within the campus community! It would involve some e-role playing, sort of like a murder mystery dinner theatre type arrangement.

Instructions/Things Needed: Online characters\profiles could be created, and people involved could meet at designated times\days in a chat room where scenarios could be acted out and a "virtual" murder would take place. Residents could have fun asking questions to the role playing RA's as they tried to figure out who had motive enough to commit the crime. The residents could work together virtually to discover the "e-killer". When the correct person has been identified, the involved residents could meet at a social or in a residence hall back lobby to see each other face to face. (Access to a computer with Internet would be needed, but many schools have free computer labs available to students, so this may not be a problem)

Other Considerations: When meeting, the residents could dress up as their favorite character from the mystery, or try to guess what each of the individual's screen name's was! it would be a great way to form lasting connections!

Tech Tac Toe-Beat the Internet at It's Own Game!

Description: Provides information and a hands-on experience with technology that benefits residents in regards to employment and academics. Topics covered include the following:
oOptimize search results for research
oElectronic resumes
oSet up online discussion boards and chat discussion for study groups.

Instructions/Things Needed: -Contact a computer expert such as a professor or Programmer (two if expecting a large group)
-Reserve a location (such as a computer lab in the dorm, library, etc.)
-Handouts to serve as a reminder/instructions of the topics covered
- Applications: ezboard.com for message boards, google.com for search engine optimizing, and geocities for publishing resumes online.

Other Considerations:

Location-Reserve a computer lab that is convenient but not during a high demand time
Computer/Resident Ratio- Since this is a hands on Program, consider the ratio of computers to residents. If there are more residents than computer assign two person per machine, making sure they take turns with uses.
Monitoring- It would be a good idea to either have an RA or experienced in the Program subject area to provide close attention to the resident progress. This is particularly crucial for a large group.
Target - It is a good idea to target the Program to an individual RAs floor to ensure a better follow-up of the Program topics.
Handouts/further information- Make sure to have information on a handout to give to the residents to refer back to. Also, it is a good idea to have contact information of computer services and resources to ask additional questions and concerns. Can also send handout as an email attachment or webpage, which consequently can provide feedback form of the Program).

PICTURE TIME!!

Description: The Program will invite residents to come have their picture taken by a digital camera, for free. As many people as can fit, can be in a picture. We will then hook the camera up to a computer and print off each picture. We are supplying small picture frames and picture holder key chains for the residents to decorate with paint pens and such and place their picture into. There will also be various accessories lying around like hats and boas if people want to add some spice to their pictures.

Instructions/Things Needed: This Program will require a digital camera and access to a computer with a good quality printer. The pictures can be printed on regular printer paper. There are also picture frames and key chains needed as well as art supplies to decorate the frames.

Other Considerations: This Program should be one to draw a large crowd because no one wants to miss an opportunity for free pictures with their friends, especially college kids. One should be prepared for a large turnout and get plenty of supplies for the Program because people might get upset if they do not get to have their picture taken. If you get to many supplies the Program can always be duplicated because it is sure to be a success.

Interactive R.A.

Description: This would be a interactive Program implemented in freshmen residence areas. The interactive Resident Assistant would be a virtual cartoon character that gave a presentation about the institution, with emphasis on residence life rules and regulations. Giving a virtual guided tour of campus, the interactive Resident Assistant would be logged onto using specific student identification, so after the tour, the Programmed cartoon could take you on a tour of your academic days. By this, I mean that the Program would have access to each students schedule and their specific course schedule, times, and locations on campus. What the interactive Resident Assistant would do, after presenting information about residence life policies, would be to actually take you on a guided tour of that specific students Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Friday -- depending on which specific day the student chooses. Virtual guided map would give incoming students a feel for what the campus looks like and what to look for on the
way to your classes. It would also provide a very structured explanation of policies, instead of those extensive forms with tiny print left all over your desk on arrival weekend. By exchanging that old paper trail (that most do not take the time to read or understand)the university or institution could require/monitor each student's access to the Interactive R.A. Program. Upon completion of the presentation, notice would be sent to the mainframe indicating completion; which would verify that the student utilized the Program, understood the material, and agreed to the terms outlined. To test the students' attentiveness, questions can be posed throughout the presentation as a method of advancing. Material will be presented. The interactive resident assistant stops and asked a question, the student replies correctly, and the virtual tour/Program/presentation continues. At the end, the student may simply sign the legal (previously paper) agreement using his or her access information and passcode. I feel that implementation of this technology would make arrival extensively more appealing and helpful to incoming students.

Instructions/Things Needed: My only concern with this Program is that it would require
quite a bit of space on the hard drive; and might be really expensive if it had to be replicated for every student. My solution would be to run it off the institution mainframe and have students access it from the main website. This would also added and increased level of security, being that the student would have to log-on using his or her own personal access information. Of course this would be a new Program that would have to be written based on existing technology. Every student would have to have access to a computer and a personal identification access code. Once the Program is created, it would useful for years to come.
Other Considerations: The Interactive R.A. should be a real student, or at least look like a young student...preferably, not an administrator! The Campus virtual tour should allow the student to interact
and move through anywhere they want. For example, the student should have a control panel for things like: Walk Forward, Walk Backwards, Left turn, Right turn, etc. so that they may navigate the virtual map on their own. Possibly even test them by starting them out in one location and making it their assignment
to get to another location. For example, start the student at their residence community and ask them to find the dining commons. Something fun, educational, but most of all functional.

Lend a Helping Click

Description: This Program would be a volunteer service project using the internet. Most students have access to a computer and this project takes virtually only a few seconds to complete.
Students would be asked to sign a roster stating that they pledge to visit a site of their choice once a day for a certain length of time. (A week, month etc.) There are 3 sites that are available to them, so they may choose the charity they wish to support. The charities are THE HUNGER SITE, THE RAINFOREST SITE, and THE BREAST CANCER SITE. These three sites raise donations by having people visit their page to click a button. Every time the button is clicked, a sponsoring business donates a portion of money or food to the cause. Therefore there is no charge to the student.
About once a week signs and notes should be posted in public areas with facts about starvation and reminders to visit their site.
The task is a very easy way to give back to the world. Plus it utilizes technology which is available to most students.

Instructions/Things Needed: A sign up sheet would be needed.
The internet needs to be available to students.
The address is The Hunger Site. com, which has links to both other charities.

Other Considerations: This type of Program could be campus wide if you were able to get other RA's to support it.
The only problem is that you are going on the trust that people will visit the site everyday. The more you remind them, the better off your Program will be. Plus once people are aware of the sites, you have already helped increase awareness about ways students can help.

2E Website

Description: Residents will help create the floor's website. The site will include updates on hall Programs, area wide Programs, and other great events on campus. The site will also include clips from the hall movie, in which there are clips of each resident that give a glimpse of their personality. Pictures of each resident will be posted, along with interests, goals, major, and year, so that other residents may find things in common with them. The site will provide links to their favorite sites (other than this one of course). The site will become their homepage, so they are always informed about the campus and such. The Student Government Link would also be available.
Instructions/Things Needed: Things needed: yahoo geocities account, simpletext, imageready, photoshop, premiere, Lightwave, participation, and a lot of time
Instructions: create a geocities account (just go to the site it's easy) prepare the movie before-hand using premiere and get your video clips together; scan pictures of residents and get their favorites sites and other info.; create the website's code in html (you'd need a class to explain that one); post everything and advertise your website around campus; update it
Other Considerations: Consider the amount of time it takes to complete this Program and the time to update the site, consider asking for your residents help with the site, and be prepared to start fresh if something crashes (save your work)

Get your Game On

Description: Most of my residents shared a common interest in video games, and most own their own laptops. We also recently upgraded to a wireless campus. We now have Game nights where the residents all play against each other on their own computers through the network. We have a few different games and it usually rotates to encorporate everyone's wishes and interests.
Instructions/Things Needed: Find a common interest in a type of game among your residents (include yourself it makes it more fun) then just play. The games can be anything from Hearts, which comes with most computers already installed, to Unreal Tournament and other fighting games.
Things needed: Computers, Games able to be played though the network.
Other Considerations: This may seem like it would keep the residents from interacting with each other, but my residents actually play it in the hall instead of in their rooms. Sometimes teams are also formed, if the games allow it, siding one side of the hall against the other and other variations like that.

LAN Party

Description: Everyone in college has a computer right? And everyone has one of those nice ethernet cards in their computer right? Well it's almost impossibly easy to set up a LAN party with this. Giving the students the choice to either coordinate the Program from their own rooms or to bring their computers to a main lounge, any multiplayer video game can be played with a hub.
Instructions/Things Needed: In my experience, Counter-Strike is the game of choice for LAN parties. It's an increadibly fun first person game. It can be purchased pretty cheaply and can be used legally on several different computers. Quake3, Unreal Tournament, Star Craft. Diablo and myriad others could also be used. A hub would also be necessary if the students or RA chose to do the Program in a lounge or group area, otherwise the school's network connection in each room would be perfect.
Other Considerations: Last year we did this in my dorm, not as a Program, but for fun. It was great, we had about 15 people running Counter Strike and all playing on the same server. It does depend on the demography of the students in the dorm though. A floor or dorm that only used computers to type papers might not enjoy this as much as a floor or dorm of video game playing students.

The "I am SO Money" Challenge!

Description: At the end of last semester, a lot of my freshmen guy residents were very upset because they had done poorly during their first semester of college....
So, I decided to do something about it!
They decided they wanted to do things differently this semester, and I want to help them make the grade! Therefore, I have started a program that rewards them for doing their studies. It is a 2 month-long challenge where I award them with "play money" for doing certain things concerning their education.
They all have the chance to complete a learning styles inventories online(http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/ilsweb.html)
and if they e-mail or print out the results to me, they receive money. They can also be awarded money if I catch them studying around the residence hall or on campus, typing a paper in their rooms, or doing something else which helps them in the classroom. There are other tests, such as the Myer's Briggs, that can be found online as well, that they will be awarded for completing. Also, I bought some classical music CDs that will help relax them while studying in the lobby or in their rooms. Whenever they want, they can use it and receive money for that as well.
Furthermore, I have a list of all their e-mail addresses. Every few days I send out a study tip to them. They can reply to everyone with tips of their own as well. And, sometimes, it can even get fun at times b/c we can send jokes to each other as well.
This program will run until the middle of March, when March Madness(the NCAA Tournament) begins. The last challenge will be for them to complete the 64-Team Bracket on ESPN.com and pick a winner of the National Championship. They can e-mail or print their predictions out and send it to me. This will be their final way to receive even more "play" money. During the Final Four, they can cash their money in for prizes and food to eat while they watch the games.
Finally, there will be a winner of the "I am SO Money" Challenge, while all of the resident will have hopefully gained knowledge about himself or herself as a learner.

Instructions/Things Needed: -Computer
-E-mail account
-Access to Internet
-Knowledge of how to complete tests/surveys online
-CD Player
(Everyone has this stuff these days_

Other Considerations: 1.) Sign the money as you hand it out so that no one can copy it.
2.) Make all of the rules before hand and stick very strictly to them
3.) Talk to your residents and encourage them to participate in it without relying on them to do all of the challenges.

The Grandfather

Description: Make a movie with residents that is a mocking of the godfather, and then put the movie onto a computer CD. The teamwork required in an event such as this definitely strengthened the hall community.

Instructions/Things Needed: Video camera and a computer with a video card.

Other Considerations: The thing that made this Program work was the diversity of talents which made for killer action scenes. Also, a large deal of flexibility in timing was beneficial.

Yahoo Clubs

Description: Create a club through Yahoo.com, so that all residents can find out more about their fellow residents. To allow filesharing, and useful hints, and or submissions about student life at the university. This can include lists of teachers for when scheduling comes around, and or lists of classes that students are in, to find study groups and help when needed

Instructions/Things Needed: 1 computer with an internet connection. A browser that supports java. Basic knowledge of the internet and filesharing

Other Considerations: Make sure that most residents are computer savvy. Also make sure that some resdients can explain how to communicate through the internet to other residents. Also make sure that active participation happens on the bulletin board service

Burn It!

Description: This is a great way to get your residents to come together, and share an interest: music! You will have your residents compile a list of their favorite songs from the past year (this works best near the end of the year, when everyone has songs that invoke memories of their time together). You can compile this list through a group meeting where residents yell out songs they like and they are written on a large piece of paper, or you can hand out surveys where they can write their favorite songs. Then you can compile a listing of all the songs given, and then hold a vote on which 16/17 songs go on the cd. All you need is a CD Burner (which is more common now and should be easy to find), and CD-R disks for everyone (usually you can get 50 of them for $20-30). Most of the songs can be downloaded of the Internet.
You also can ask residents to donate a dollar for a CD compilation of their favorite songs to remember their friends, activities, and memories of the year in the residence halls.

Instructions/Things Needed: Things Needed:
Paper (copies of survey/vote sheet)
CD Burner
CD-R discs
Computer with MP3 download capacities
** if you really want to get into it, you may also buy cd labels (little stickers that go on the outside of the
disc) and extremely slender cd cases...

Other Considerations: You must consider the "offensive nature" of some songs, and
take this into consideration when editing the votable list of songs. Make sure it's listenable for all residents and family!

Kincannon Hall Website

Description: The Kincannon Hall Website was created, and is maintained, to service Kincannon Hall, a Residence Hall on the University of Mississippi main campus, in meeting the academic, community, and personal needs of the residents living there.
The site was primarily designed to be accessible to and used by residents who live in the building. It is a community enhancement tool. It aids residents in accessing information about their living environment. Information regarding activities that are going on in the hall, Kincannon staff information, Resident's particular floors, and forms for reporting things like maintenance needs are all included. There are also pictures from Hall events and links to other aspects of the University community that are outside of the Residence Hall, but that are important the development of the whole student.
Although it is not a recruitment tool, since its main users are students already living in housing, the site can also be used by prospective students who come to the campus or access it from home via the internet and want to see a Residence Hall. They can "tour" a room in Kincannon, virtually, and get different kinds of information about the room...such as measurements, bed lengths, etc.
Additionally the site is useful to hall RA staff, because areas and forms can be created specifically for use in their duties to the hall. For example, they can fill out a building duty report online, and it is e-mailed directly to the RHD. A Hall website can also be utilized to report program information that can be used to track programming efforts.
The overall possibilities of a Hall Website are endless, keeping in consideration limits to privacy of information regarding students.

Instructions/Things Needed: Any internet browser, internet access, and the web address (URL):
http://www.housing.olemiss.edu/kincannon

Other Considerations: Things to consider: Keep information as immediate and up to date as possible. This is very important, because a hall website is just like a flyer (poster) that you would post on a hall bulletin board, except that it is interactive. The information should always be as up-to-date as possible for it to be an effective resource.
Also, information about residents must be held secure. Any information that may be added to the web site, that may not be considered by the University as "directory", should be inspected and approved by a ranking Housing official prior to its being added to the site. For example, if the site were going to include a student directory database, there may need to be a discussion as to what information would be listed (names, phone numbers, etc.) prior to their being listed.
The use of a digital camera would also be a benefit. This would avoid having to constantly be scanning in photographs for use.

What Happened Last Night?

Description: A sign up sheet was posted in front of my door about a week before the Program kicked off. I had both male and female students sign up. The Program was a weeklong. Each day students were sent a letter via email, real mail, instant messenger, and by word of mouth. They were given a summary of the night before. This was all made up to show what could actually happen. Some students were at a party and others were with a few friends. An example would be a "you were at a party and you put your cup down, went to the bathroom, came back and finished drinking, but you don't remember the night before. Towards the end of the week each student was given an STD and the information and websites on how to correct or deal with the problem. As a follow up to this Program, we had sex and candy in our basement. Everyone who entered the room whether they participated in the Program or not was given an STD just based on the candy they picked. We discussed the STD and any problems relating to this topic. We also came up with ways to protect ourselves.

Instructions/Things Needed: Email address of all participants, Instant messengers names, Websites on STD and how to cope with them, a creative mind to think up all the scenarios
Other Considerations: I would have the participants interact with each other throughout the week. To share their feelings and stories, mainly forming a support group through the internet.

The Year at a Glance

Description: This is a slide show, of the whole school year, set up to let your residents look back at the memories that they have had.

Instructions/Things Needed: pictures
Computer with PowerPoint (or like Program)
Projector and Screen (optional)[different departments on your campus probably rent these out, your Housing Department will know where you can get this]
Throughout the year collect pictures from your floor. These pictures can be anything from a floor Program you have had, pictures that they have made themselves, individual people pictures, or any pictures that might create a memory with a resident. Use these pictures at the end of the year to scan into and create a slide show in PowerPoint (or any like Program). This is great because the residents love looking back on the year and remembering the fun that they have had. You can even incorporate songs with the pictures that might be special songs or just fun songs. Once the slide show is created, you can hook a projector into the computer and project the slide show onto a white screen for everyone to watch and enjoy.

Other Considerations: If you have a small group viewing it, you might just use your computer to view the show. It will save effort in set up. Also, let your residents help... tap their assets (they might know how to use the computer better than you and can do it much faster than you ever thought)!!!!! This is especially great to do right before exams because after exams hit, they will be studying or trying to pack up their belongings.

Secret Pals!

Description: To help build moral on the floor, during the first month or so of school have the residents drawn the names of other residents. Then, throughout the school year they can send anonymous greetings and other fun stuff that can be sent via e-mail to their pal to wish them luck on midterms, send a birthday greeting. (The possibilities are endless!). Then, at the end of the year they can reveal themselves at a wrap up party.
Instructions/Things Needed: -Access to the internet
-E-mail address of Secret Pal
-Possibly a list of sites that have fun, free things to send
Other Considerations: It may be a good idea to make this a non-manditory event so those people who aren't interested in doing it don't participate (which means whomever they chose would be left out).

Gaming Tournament

Description: This is a potentially ongoing Program that would unite the less social people of the floor with the more social through team competition in an online video game (the game I use is Unreal Tournament, because it can be found for a small amount of money).
The reason that I came up with this idea was a simple one: a great percentage of people on my floor are highly introverted (myself included). In my dealings with them, I came to learn that though they are introverted, they come into more social behavior over the internet (and especially games). I have found this to be true with other floors as well, and seeing the trend I decided to find a way to utilize it and turn the floor around.
Divide the floor into four or more equal teams. The key being to try and group the more introverted members of the floor with the extraverts. Have everyone on the floor come to a meeting where the teams will be assigned and introduced to each other. Have them come up with a catchy name for their team (assigning a name to an otherwise arbitrary team inherently brings the people together, as any teacher would tell you).
Schedule matches in said computer game between the teams. You can have a tournament format for a shortened version: but I prefer having an extended "season" that can bring people together for the rest of the year.

Whatever team has the best record at the end of the season (or whoever wins the tournament) will get some kind of arbitrary prize. Whatever you want to give, just as long as it's tempting enough to bring out the people who wouldn't play the game for the fun of it.

In the end, you will find that the floor is brought together. Through my observations, I have found that the introverts will begin to interact in "real life" with the other members of their group. You end up with a floor that is competitive but overall more social then before.

Instructions/Things Needed: * as many copies of said game as are needed (again, I recommend "Unreal Tournament": as of 2/2/2002, the game can be found for $9.99 at ebworld.com.) If you have cash to burn, you can ask for 5$ from each participant (reducing your financial burden) or even ask them to pay for the game themselves entirely. This is the one part to be careful. Some might not want to participate if it costs them.
Other Considerations: If your residents aren't interacting with this alone, you could try to have "team socials", where something social with the individual teams is scheduled (pizza night, dinner out, etc...).
The one thing I personally would do differently is that I would establish the need for residents to pay their own way up-front. I didn't do that immediately and ended up getting stuck with a fairly large bill.

Web Hunt

Description: This Program is a great tool for helping students get comfortable searching the web. You can come up with unique questions like "How much turkey is consumed during Thanksgiving?" or questions that pertain to a school like "What scholarships can an incoming freshman apply for with a GPA of 3.2 and 2 letters of recommendation?" The residents are given a time frame to search the web and come back with the answer highlighted on the page print out.
Instructions/Things Needed: The RA must come up with questions for the residents beforehand and do a little research to find the answers at different places online. All the residents need are computers with online access and a printer.
Other Considerations: Be creative, but make sure YOU can find the answer somewhere. You can use a theme like facts about a certain holiday, school facts, or job/major facts.

iMoviefest at Georgia Tech

Description: Every first year resident was given the opportunity to make a movie with a group of their fellow residents on their floor. This was a VERY large-scale Program that involved a lot of work from the students who organized and implemented it. Apple computers and digital video cameras were placed in each Freshman Experience Residence Hall to be used during the week of movie-making. It was a great way to build community among the residents because they spent a lot of time together that week coming up with ideas, filming the movie, as well as editing. At the end, all of the videos are viewed and an awards night is held to announce the winners. We were able to get fabulous prizes donated through Apple Computers and other local businesses that were so generous to do so.
Instructions/Things Needed: This Program took a lot of planning and resources to carry out. First, we had to get the computers and cameras, which were loaned to us by the university, Apple Computers, as well as Canon. Approximately 70% of our nearly 1600 first year students participated, so we had to get a lot of equipment to make it work efficiently. We had both desktops and laptops, and we had to be sure all of the equipment was secure by locking them all down with security cable. The cameras were placed in the buildings as well so those residents could easily access all of the equipment.
Other Considerations: Getting all of the equipment out to the buildings was very labor-intensive, so I would recommend getting a lot of people involved to help with that aspect of it. Also, all of the equipment must be inventoried and cataloged so that everything is accounted for at the end, so a detailed system should be developed in order to do that.

Free Halloween Pictures

Description: With a digital camera, take people's pictures with a Halloween (or whatever holiday you desire) backdrop created out of miscellaneous Halloween decorations and paper. Since the pictures will be taken digitally, have friends do different poses, and take many pictures of them. Then, transfer the pictures onto floppy disks and distribute them to each person in the picture. Also, include an instruction sheet on how to open, email, or print the pictures, and where they can go if they need help.
Have fun with them as you get them to do different poses, and get them to smile for the camera. :)
Instructions/Things Needed: Supplies: Anything creative for your backdrop, instruction sheets
Hardware: Laptop computer, digital camera, floppy disks
Software: Any software that allows you to transfer the digital images off the camera and onto the floppy disks
Other Considerations: This Program went awesome because people love free things and they love getting their picture taken with friends. One thing I would change is to find some way to make it quicker to get the pictures onto floppy disks (maybe by using a digital camera that puts the pictures directly onto disks).

Hall Technologies

Description: The residents and the Staff could compile pictures and various links that would be compiled onto a website. Through this website the residents could chat using a password protected chat server. Also we could post up Programs and also give an email address to the residents so that they could talk to each other and keep in contact through out the years after they leave. Another application would be to have the residents create home videos that are like realworld and then show them on the website.
Instructions/Things Needed: Computer, Webcam or Digital Camera, Internet, Program that is a webwizard that would give you a template to do internet web pages just by pointing and clicking.
Other Considerations: Try to make it as hands on as you can. It helps to give residents a piece of mind that they created this so that if they choose to they could do it on their own. Add theses as many Programs or one large Program either way it will help create a community that is as up do date as the 20th century.

IM YOUR FLOOR

Description: After making a list of IM screen names, you can hand the list out to your floor. By doing this, people on the floor end up going to dinner, watching movies, or just hanging for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is, it is a lot easier to IM someone then to call them.
Instructions/Things Needed: AOL Instant Messager
People to give their screen name
Other Considerations: Maybe open it up to other IM services like ICQ, MSN, and many others.
(Email addresses will not work for this Program)

Email Me!

Description: Okay, so in this day and age of internet surfing and email checking everyone is online in one way or another. Our way of getting our residents not only connected but bonded with each other is a hall email list serve.
We set up a hall email account where residents will get meeting minutes and up to date info on what's going on around their individual hall, community, campus and various other things. Residents are also given an email address of their neighbors, hall executive boards, Residence Hall Association and their RAs in order to direct questions and suggestions to.
The intent of this Program is to utilize the technology available on and off campus. It is a way for residents to stay connected with each other over breaks and from day to day.
The hall president and RAs both have access to the email account itself but everyone on the hall has everyone's addresses as well as the list serve address.
Instructions/Things Needed: This Program is very easy to set up. All you need is an email address for everyone on your floor and/or hall (which ever concerns you) as well as other campus groups. First, you set up an email account on a webite (i.e Yahoo.com, Hotmail.com, etc.). Then you start adding addresses into the account until everyone is added. Then you hand out copies of everyone's address and start emailing from there! It is simple and a great way to get CONNECTED!
Other Considerations: Some people might not have an email account that they do not want to give out . . . that's okay. They can still get the info from another person or you can print out copies of the mail sent and post it in a common area.

E-mail Soup for the Soul

Description: In this Program each participant made a compilation of touching, spiritual, inspirational, or other favorite e-mails. Each person e-mailed me their submissions and I stored them all in a folder in my inbox. At the end of the semester I printed out each e-mail and we made books out of the print outs, using construction paper as covers and yarn as a binder. This was a great success in my hall! Residents were making the books to give as gifts to friends and family!
Instructions/Things Needed: Materials: construction paper, glitter, glue, (anything to decorate the covers with), yarn (for the binding) and a hole punch, e-mail print outs of touching and inspirational e-mails, a group of eager residents
Other Considerations: I let people e-mail me all semester, which worked great because people were participating all semester long. However, my inbox did get a little full. I suggest printing them out as you receive them. Also, make sure that you have enough copies made when you go to construct the actual books.