Pueblo Science invites you to take part in the second annual Hackathon for Science Education taking place online on September 19-27. The event will bring together innovative students with scientists, engineers and educators as mentors. The students and mentors will work for two weekends to create STEM activities that address the UN sustainable development goals and are aligned with the K to 12 science curriculum of our target country (to be revealed on day 1 of the hackathon). 

This event will provide a fun and engaging opportunity for professionals and students to become leaders, builders and innovators as well as to make an impact on education around the world. The kits developed during this hackathon will enable teachers to introduce hands-on science and engineering experiences into their classrooms and improve their students’ attitudes towards STEM learning, concept uptake and problem solving.

Students in groups of 3-5 will participate in prototyping science kits that are engaging, curriculum-relevant and address the UN sustainable development goals. Teachers’ guides will also be written up to instruct educators on how to construct the kits and how to teach it. Mentors knowledgeable in science and technology, education or resources available in remote communities will be providing input to all teams. The projects will be presented in front of an expert judging panel on Sunday (September 27) afternoon.

Eligibility

You need to be 18 years of age or older AND a current student, postdoctoral fellow, or recent graduate (max. 18 months since graduation) at a Canadian postsecondary institution to be eligible to participate as a competitor in our hackathon. 

All participants in the Hackathon for Science Education must compete as part of a team with 3-5 members. If you wish to sign up as a group, you must do so as teams of 3-5 members. All team members must sign up individually and you will specify your team members on your application. If you do not have a team of 3-5, send us an email at hackathon@puebloscience.org and we will try to match you up with teammates.

If you’re passionate about changing how STEM is being taught in low-resource communities around the world, please join us!

Requirements

Participants must submit a video that is under 2 minutes. Additionally, they must submit an experiment manual / teacher's guide according to the format and guidelines given. Lastly, participants must do a live demonstration in front of a judging panel and be ready to answer any questions.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$1,400 in prizes

People's Choice Award

This award goes to the winner with the greatest number of votes from the public.

Winning Teams (3)

Three winning projects will be chosen by our Judges and Manual-Assessment Team.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

 Isi Caulder

Isi Caulder
B.A.Sc. (Eng. Sci.), M.A.Sc. (Elec. Eng.), J.D./Lawyer & Patent Agent/ Bereski & Parr LLP

Ruby Sullan

Ruby Sullan
Ph.D/Assistant Professor/ University of Toronto

Lisa Cole

Lisa Cole
B.Sc, B.Ed, M.Ed./Director of Programming for the K2I Academy

Alice Herrera

Alice Herrera
Ph.D, MEng/Evaluations Supervisor/Independent Electricity System Operator

Judging Criteria

  • Presentation: Materials Used (20 points)
    How appropriate (cost-effective and available) are the materials used in this science activity for our target countries?
  • Presentation: Procedure for Activity (20 points)
    Can this science activity (including explanation and discussion) be conducted easily in two-to-three 90-minute classes?
  • Presentation: Creativity and Demosntration (20 points)
    How creative was the activity to demonstrate the intended scientific or engineering concept(s)? How well did the team demonstrate their science activity?
  • Presentation: Enjoyability and Educational Content (20 points)
    How enjoyable and educational for students is this science activity?
  • Presentation: Fit (10 points)
    How well does this science activity connect with the challenge?
  • Presentation: Clarity and Organization (10 points)
    How clear and engaging was the presentation?
  • Manual: Materials Listed (10 points)
    How comprehensive is the list of materials used in this science activity (including quantity, dimensions, and other specifications where appropriate)? Are alternatives included?
  • Manual: Procedure for Activity (20 points)
    How well does the written procedure allow the activity to be replicated in a classroom setting? If applicable, are there any notes on potential hazards or special disposal procedures?
  • Manual: Concepts Covered (30 points)
    How relevant are the concepts covered to sustainability and sustainable development in the target country? Could it inspire local innovation and make students consider what they can do locally to alleviate challenges?
  • Manual: Learning Goals (20 points)
    How well are the learning goals articulated to the teacher in the manual write-up? How clear are the lessons the students should take away from the activity?
  • Manual: Readiness (20 points)
    How ready is the activity to be deployed in our target country? Can it be used without too much more development?

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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