Web based school trip forms

[Danp]

Looking at moving away from the stupid paper forms that need to be filled in when organising a trip and I would much rather have an online form with drop downs if needed etc etc. I could code this from scratch but I dont really have the time and wondered if anyone knew of a simple module that I could get running that would do what I need. Webspace or server type is not an issue.

 

TIA

[HMCTech]

If you have SharePoint this could be done quite easily with InfoPath forms and workflows.

[Danp]

No, no sharepoint

[mattianuk]

Wordpress with gravity forms

[Danp]

Wordpress with gravity forms

 

Have you used this method yourself? If so, any chance I can see an example of your work?

 

Any other suggestions? Got a meeting at 2 today and I could do with having a solution for them! (talk about cutting it fine)

[mattianuk]

Have you used this method yourself? If so, any chance I can see an example of your work?

 

Any other suggestions? Got a meeting at 2 today and I could do with having a solution for them! (talk about cutting it fine)

 

 

Afraid not - as I don't currently work at that school anymore. However it is only $40 I think (gravity forms, WP is free and can be installed via WAMP etc)? It did everything for us - it is really easy to build custom forms.

[nickjelly]

Google forms are incredibly useful and quick to administer. Output to a speadsheet too.

[Achandler]

The biggest issue with web based forms is anyone could be filling it in, i.e the pupil. The paper based ones, yes I accept they can be fraudulently completed by a pupil but the evidence of that is more real then an email. Just a word of warning.

 

If a filled in web form is backed up by maybe an email to all parents who have agreed (through the contact email address in your MIS) then you probably have covered yourself more or less. Just a thought.

[Danp]

It's only for internal use, teachers can complete the form and its to be emailed to a few members of SLT. Currently, teacher hand fills in form, this is passed around and other forms are then had filled in once it's approved etc. Just trying to cut the paperwork and hopefully speed up the process.

[GrumbleDook]

Google Forms if you are using Google Apps for Edu, Sharepoint (inc SharePoint Online if on Office 365) can do both of these but could be overkill if you are not already going down that route.

 

Do you have an existing VLE? Does that have the facility to do anything like this? Part of dealing with this as a service request is not to create yet another system that will grow out of control as yet another person thinks, "wow ... that would be handy for doing this as well!" ... leaving you with a pile of development work, planning and little time to do it in if you want to keep up with the day job.

 

If you do use something as a solution now make sure that you tell people that it is a trial ... an interim solution ... something to help identify the long term needs ... and presuming it all works out ok then start looking at other tasks which could be streamlined in the same way as part of the school's move away from paper for pretty much everything.

 

If you are looking for more research into going digital with things like this then Dr Don Passey at Lancaster Uni (Independent Evaluation of the Implementation of the Learning Platform LP+ across Schools: Summary of Early Implementation Outcomes in Wolverhampton Local Authority - Research Portal | Lancaster University), or have a look at what Mike Herrity / Dave Coleman did at Twynham School (Microsoft UK Education - Schools blog - Schools Windows 7 blog) ... or Alan Richards at West Hatch High School (Using SharePoint to Cut Costs - SharePointEduTech) or have a look at the other cost savings blog posts on the UK MS Education blog ... and the principles behind using forms and SharePoint translate very will to other solutions ... they bear a striking resemblance to things I saw when in the forces 15 years ago (Unicom ... you just had to love it!), when first using Moodle (10 years ago?) and when being trained on FirstClass.

[Danp]

All very valid points, thank you.

 

I am having a look at google now, we dont currently have Apps for Edu in place, but it can be done, Sharepoint is not an option at the moment. Our VLE is not great, hardly used and I would be very keen to have it turned off!

 

I have a feeling this afternoon's meeting will be more about what could be done in the future rather than put in place tomorrow.

[mattianuk]

The biggest issue with web based forms is anyone could be filling it in, i.e the pupil. The paper based ones, yes I accept they can be fraudulently completed by a pupil but the evidence of that is more real then an email. Just a word of warning.

 

If a filled in web form is backed up by maybe an email to all parents who have agreed (through the contact email address in your MIS) then you probably have covered yourself more or less. Just a thought.

 

With Gravity forms - you can set up login to the page via wordpress and then install a plugin to setup LDAP login - so same username and password to login as network. A hidden form element can grab the current logged persons username and email address. I set it so every form displayed the logged in users details, and included these in an email sent to the form submitter and the form receiver (it would construct the email from the current logged in persons username - so even if they impersonated another user - that user would get an email and could question it - but you would have bigger issues if they knew someone elses username and password!)

 

End result is login to an internal website via AD details -> Fill in form which pre populates some data from logged in user, emails off to submitter and receiver and stores in the gravity forms database which has a web front end and youc an export to CSV if required.

[edutech4schools]

Another one for the Google apps. It is free and can easilly be set so only staff have access. It can be attached to your existing website if needed.

[DSapseid]

Our LEA have an online system that we use here. Once the member of staff completes the trip details it gets emailed to the person in charge of trips and the head for authorization. Its called evolve and from the logon screen there are lots of LEA's/Academies trusts that use it.

[glennda]

Our LEA have an online system that we use here. Once the member of staff completes the trip details it gets emailed to the person in charge of trips and the head for authorization. Its called evolve and from the logon screen there are lots of LEA's/Academies trusts that use it.

 

+1 for evolve

[Danp]

Need to try and output to pdf or docx, as far as I can see that rules out Gravity.

 

I like the idea of Google Docs, but as we are not using them already I feel it would be too much for people to deal with.

 

Next option is this one Joomla!® Form Builder and Manager - RSForm!Pro as we already have a joomla in place or go custom which I have a couple of people looking into for me.

[edutech4schools]

I like the idea of Google Docs, but as we are not using them already I feel it would be too much for people to deal with.

 

Do not forget it is all web based, so you can create a form and publish it as a web page, the all the user needs to see is the web page with your created form.

[Danp]

Do not forget it is all web based, so you can create a form and publish it as a web page, the all the user needs to see is the web page with your created form.

 

True, but can they then get a copy of the completed form straight away?

 

This is the sort of thing I could do with seeing an example

[edutech4schools]

I think you can make the output public. I am busy at the moment but on Thursday I will create a test one for you to try.

[edutech4schools]

What questions or info would you like in the form?

[Danp]

Quite a few.

 

Ended giving up looking around online and made a Word template with drop down boxes for pool mobile numbers etc.