Hackathon

Draft

Introduction

Hackthon is a combination of "hack" (extreme programming) and marathon", originally describing short events where developers gather together to prototype some new code that answers a challenge.

According to Wikipedia (1/2019), A hackathon (also known as a hack day, hackfest or codefest) is a design sprint-like event in which computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers, project managers, and others, often including subject-matter-experts, collaborate intensively on software projects. The goal of a hackathon is to create usable software or hardware with the goal of creating a functioning product by the end of the event. Hackathons tend to have a specific focus, which can include the programming language used, the operating system, an application, an API, or the subject and the demographic group of the programmers. In other cases, there is no restriction on the type of software being created. [..] Hackathons typically start with one or more presentations about the event, as well as about the specific subject, if any. Then participants suggest ideas and form teams, based on individual interests and skills. Then the main work of the hackathon begins, which can last anywhere from several hours to several days.}}

Initially created for software development, hackatons now exist for all kinds of innovative or transformative purposes, e.g. designing new policies, medical practice, urbanism, educational reform, etc. These events typically ask participants to brainstorm about a problem or a challenge and then suggest a solution.

Hackathons are also used in education, both in programming education and in project-oriented learning.

See also:

• game jam

In programming education

According the literature review of Porras et al. (2019:7755) , based on 51 papers selected from 145 papers, “the four most emphasized learning outcomes for the participants in these papers are a) teamwork or collaboration skills, b) creativity or innovation skills, and c) some context specific skill (e.g. Java programming skills)and d) presentation (or discussion) skills.”. The authors summarize the study as follows (p. 7756): “As a summary of the analysed papers one could conclude that even though code camps and hackathons are widely used, especially in connection with companies, their use as an integral part of curriculum is immature or at least it has not been properly documented in academic papers. The outcomes of the events are very positive and the events have attracted large amounts of participants but still academics seem hesitant to integrate this mode of courses to their curricula. As the approaches are still quite rare and distinct and one cannotreally make any quantitative analysis of these approaches .”

Bibliography

Other

Kos, B. A. (2018, August). The Collegiate Hackathon Experience. In Proceedings of the 2018 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research (pp. 274-275). ACM.

Porras, J., Knutas, A., Ikonen, J., Happonen, A., Khakurel, J., & Herala, A. (2019, January). Code camps and hackathons in education-literature review and lessons learned. In Proceedings of the 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

Suominen, A. H., Jussila, J., Lundell, T., Mikkola, M., & Aramo-Immonen, H. (2018, June). Educational Hackathon: Innovation Contest for Innovation Pedagogy. In ISPIM Innovation Symposium (pp. 1-17). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).