What are "MVP FACTOIDS™"?

They are short statistical snapshots of the college athletic community including students, staff, coaches, faculty, and graduates that are reported periodically in the campus newspaper and on the local campus computing network. All sorts of characteristics drawn from reliable data bases are reported here. Several of the items are designed to reveal actual norms about academic engagement, alcohol and other drug use, and other health-related topics. New items appear regularly with multimedia videos, pictures, and other graphics.

Online Electronic "MVP FACTOIDS™"

MVP FACTOIDS™ is a program that displays normative information in small info-bytes we call "Factoids". About one in five have to do with health-related attitudes and behaviors. The rest deal with other characteristics of student-athletes. Each "Factoid" is accompanied by a brief description of the source of the data that the fact is based upon. Short video clips of student presentations on related matters as well as graphs, charts and photos, can be displayed by clicking on buttons at the bottom of the window.

The MVP FACTOIDS™ data base is a Microsoft Access database file that is held on the local hard disk but updated across the network from a server automatically as new "Factoids" are added to the master database. Any local institution can easily incorporate its own local data into the software using Microsoft Access. All graphics and video resources are held on a network server for distribution as they are requested. Video files are copied to the local hard disk and then played. The database can be distributed by SQL server or through network-installed Access database files.

We have installed this program in ~200 open-access computers in classrooms, laboratories, and the library as well as on 10 computer kiosks throughout athletic facilities and the health center. with a shortcut icon on the desktop. It is now part of the standard software suite that goes out to all faculty, administrators, and office staff. In the first year of its operation, almost 2,000 visits to this program were logged on our campus of 1700 students.

An interactive quiz has been administered through this program offering prizes to the high score each week. Students may take the quiz as many times as they wish. See posters below promoting the quiz for more information.

MVP FACTOIDS™ runs on windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, and XP computers. The video clips are played through Microsoft's media player and must be installed on client machines.

Sample Screen Images

Here are some sample Screens from the electronic MVP FACTOIDS™! These images are graphic bitmaps of the application. They are not executable nor will they display video as the runtime program does.

• Screen #1
• Screen #2
• Screen #3
• Screen #4
• Screen #5
• Screen #6
• Poster promotion showing the MVP FACTOIDS™

Here is a catalog of Factoid promotional posters.

		(mouse pad)

MVP FACTOIDS™ Screen Saver

The MVP FACTOIDS™ Screen Saver will randomly display factoids, graphics, charts and photos from the factoids database. This program has been installed in all open-access computer laboratories, the library, athletic facility kiosks and on faculty, administrator, and office staff computers. When the computers remain idle from work, they display a marquee of posters and "Factoids."

The screen saver uses the same local Microsoft Access database for "Factoids" and network distribution of graphic files. Database updates are received from the network automatically as "Factoids" are added. The graphic files are automatically copied to client machines through a configuration switch to reduce network traffic.

The MVP FACTOIDS™ Screen Saver runs on Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, and XP computers.