[Foss4g2009] Re: [Workshops] FOSS4G2008 workshop and lab evaluations

[Cameron Shorter]

+1 from me too.

Any chance we could get a volunteer to start putting together an 
evaluation form now?
I think it would be good for presenters to see the evaluation form in 
advance, and potentially improve the presentation accordingly.

My suggestion is "Less Questions = More Responders".
Form must be no longer than one page.
Core questions need should be able to be filled out in 3 to 4 minutes, 
with space to add comments if you wish.

Gavin Fleming wrote:
> +1
>
> Besides workshop evaluations, the full conference evaluation should also
> be a web form. 
>
> Perhaps this existing OSGeo resource could be used:
> http://community.osgeo.net/survey 
>
> Gavin 
>  
>  
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: foss4g2009-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
> [mailto:foss4g2009-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Jeff McKenna
> Sent: 05 March 2009 15:13 PM
> To: FOSS4G conference workshops subcommittee; FOSS4G2009 - general
> Subject: [Foss4g2009] Re: [Workshops] FOSS4G2008 workshop and lab
> evaluations
>
> (forwarding to the main 2009 list also)
>
> Thanks Burnie,  after the great work yourself and Graeme did last year 
> for the workshops your input on 2009 is much appreciated.
>
> I agree that the location of the workshops in relation to the main 
> sessions is very important (we first hit this issue in 2004, and it 
> comes back once in a while).  Not only does it affect the attendees 
> (difficult to find the workshop), but as you mentioned, it stretches the
>
> resources of the workshop committee.
>
> I'm also glad that you mentioned the workshop evaluations.  Actually, I 
> remember Graeme and I talking last year after the event and we both 
> FIRMLY agreed that the only way to do workshop/tutorial questionnaires 
> at future events would be to do it through a web form.  Why not? Every 
> attendee will be sitting at a computer, so why not point them to a 
> website for them to go through some questions.  Big benefit: no more 
> converting/compiling from paper responses to digital! (TylerM is a big 
> fan of these online forms)
>
> What do we think for 2009?  After 6 years in a row of paper workshop 
> evaluations, I don't see ANY OTHER WAY to handle evaluations.
>
> -jeff
>
>
>
> burnie nawn wrote:
>   
>> Morning All
>>  
>> I think it is time to put more information to the table supplied. This
>>     
>
>   
>> would then also serve to inform the new LOC on what can improve.
>>  
>> As you are well aware we actually ran workshops on 5 different
>>     
> locations 
>   
>> at one time. One of the venues was more then 5km's away. Logistically 
>> this was a challenge and we were ensured that the new LOC will take
>>     
> this 
>   
>> in consideration.
>>  
>> We further ran a record number of workshops and labs. The human 
>> resources available to do this was stretched beyond the limit in both 
>> setting up and preparing but also in running it and ensuring all goes 
>> well. Volunteers did help greatly in distributing the printed
>>     
> materials, 
>   
>> including the evaluation questionaire.
>>  
>> We have however found that at certain venues participants did not
>>     
> return 
>   
>> their questionaires as requested or did not fill them in. In certain 
>> case one or two pages might have gotten entangled in another pile when
>>     
>
>   
>> volunteers collected forms. As you would have seen under our planning 
>> for FOSS4G2008 we used a generic template. The problem was that 
>> participants did not fill in the workshop they attended and sometimes 
>> only wrote Tuesday Lab on it. My guess is there are two ways to
>>     
> improve 
>   
>> this:
>> 1. Print the questionaire with the workshop/lab title, which means you
>>     
>
>   
>> need to know precisely how many is attending or do a maximum bulk
>>     
> print, 
>   
>> which is too costly.
>> 2. Have a house keeping slide in every venue to remind participants to
>>     
>
>   
>> write the workshop title on teh form as well and have that re-inforced
>>     
>
>   
>> by presenters at the end of each workshop/lab.
>>  
>> So to get back to the comments thus far. Thank your for helping us out
>>     
>
>   
>> and finding the one or two that was mis-filed. I will change the 
>> settings this morning so you can at least see all the fields. I will 
>> chat to Gavin and see how we can optimise participation and insight
>>     
> into 
>   
>> the feedback.
>>  
>> Looking forward to enhance everybody's experience at FOSS4G.
>>  
>> Kind regards,
>> Burnie Nawn 
>> Tel. No. (011) 773 1682
>> Cell No. 072 134 5352
>> Fax No. 086 613 2741
>> E-mail: jbnawn at hotmail.com <mailto:jbnawn at hotmail.com>
>>
>>     
>
>
>   


-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Systems Architect
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

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