How to do a Women in Technology Millionaire Game Session

Here is all the information you need to host your own Millionaire Game

1. Description:
   • This workshop is a fun and highly interactive game, with the goal of reinforcing the basic concepts about women and information technology careers.


2. Time Needed:
   • 30 to 45 mins.


3. Number of Students:
   • 24 - 35 students divided into 4 or 5 teams with 6-7 students per team.


4. Number of Presenters:
   • Two SWIFT presenters are ideal.    One asks the questions, and the other keeps score.   Another possibility is to just have one SWIFT presenter asking the questions and to train a local volunteer to take the scores.


5. Equipment Needed:
   • One laptop or desktop with the Millionaire Game loaded on it.    Bringing a SWIFT laptop is preferable to using a desktop on site since everything can be tested beforehand.
   • One projector that can be hooked up to the laptop.   If the projector is not a recent model, the settings on the laptop/desktop may need to be changed to 600 by 800.   To do this, right click on the screen, and go to properties and settings.
   • Projection screen
   • Extension cords for the laptop/desktop and projector
   • Prizes for the winning team (e.g. glitter pens) and goodies (e.g. halloween candy) for the whole group.
   • Scoring sheets.
   • A set of answer cards for each team;  each set with four cards (or two double-sided cards) showing the large letters A, B, C & D (one letter per card).
   • Evaluation or presenter information forms (optional).   A presenter information form asks the student to fill in information about the presenters (their job, what education is needed for that job, what the presenter likes about the job, what particular skills are important for the job).   Presenter information forms are a good way to reinforce information about IT careers.
   • 30 - 40 chairs for students and presenters, arranged into n columns facing the screen, where n is the number of teams.
   • Two tables, one for the projector and computer and one for the prizes and goodies.


6. Preparation:
   • The availability of a right-size room, the projector, laptop/desktop, projector screen, tables, chairs and extension cords need to be arranged ahead of time.
   • Check the number of students who will be attending.
   • Buy prizes and goodies (get some extra prizes in case the turnout is higher than what you have planned.
   • Modify the millionaire game to fit the group you are targeting, and to add or subtract questions according to the length of the session.
   • Make sure the game is working on whatever computer you will be using.


7. Suggested Procedure:
   • Set up laptop/desktop and projector at least half an hour ahead of time.
   • Arrange chairs in 4 or 5 columns of 7 chairs facing the screen.    Leave enough room in between columns so that the students can easily move forward to the chair in front of them.   Each team will occupy a column of chairs.
   • Set up the table with the projector and laptop on it in between the second and the third column of chairs.
   • Put a set of answer cards on the front chair of each column and have scoring sheets ready.
   • When the students come into the room, arrange them to fill up all the seats closest to the front, and so that the number of students per column is as even as possible.
   • Introduction of presenters and warm-up questions with goodies as prizes for those who have the right answers.   Base the warm-up questions on the plenary presentations that the students have heard in order to reinforce the messages in the plenary sessions.
   • Explanation and instruction of the game: each column forms a team, and each member of the team will take turns answering questions.   The questions and all the answer options will be on the screen and the presenter will also say the questions out loud.   The students seated in a front chair of a column will answers the first question by holding up their answers using their answer cards.    Then each of these students moves to the back of their column while the rest of their team moves one chair forward.    This goes on until all the questions are answered.    The scoring person keeps track of the scores for each team.   The students are supposed to keep quiet while their team member answers the questions.   When all the questions are done, the team with the highest score wins.    If there is a tie, the tying teams will get a tie-breaking question.
   • Each team is asked to choose their name (e.g. Digibubbles, Grrls, Rubber Duckies, etc.) and the names are entered in the front slide of the Powerpoint presentation.
   • Play the game.   In the case of tied high scores, ask each of the leading teams to huddle in a different part of the room.   Ask each team to write out their best guess at what the letters in a well known acronym stand for (e.g. IBM, URL, IMHO, ASAP, GTG etc.).   They get a point for each word that is correct.
   • Presentation of prizes
   • Students complete evaluation forms and/or presenter information forms.   If using the presenter information forms, encourage the students to ask the presenters about the answers, then ask the students guess the correct answers and hand out goodies as rewards for the best answers.


8. Common Problems:
   • It is very helpful to have as many students answer the warm-up questions as possible.   This gets the students excited and involved.
   • It is important to have enough tie-breaking questions ready.
   • The questions in the game itself need to be carefully chosen.    A good mix of questions is needed (e.g. from very easy to really challenging).    A review of some of the more challenging questions at the end of the session would be educational for the students.