Oii-web: An interactive online programming contest training system

In this paper we report our experience, related to the online training for the Italian and International Olympiads in Informatics. We developed an interactive online system, based on CMS, the grading system used in several major programming contests including the International Olympiads in Informatics (IOI), and used it in three distinct context: training students for the Italian Olympiads in Informatics (OII), training teachers in order to be able to assist students for the OII, and training the Italian team for the IOI. The system, that is freely available, proved to be a game changer for the whole italian olympiads in informatics ecosystem: in one year, we almost doubled the participation to OII, from 13k to 21k secondary school students. The system is developed basing on the Contest Management System (CMS, http://cms- dev.github.io/), so it is highly available to extensions supporting, for instance, the pro- duction of feedback on problems solutions submitted by trainees. The system is also freely available, with the idea of allowing for support to alternative necessities and developmen

Getting In On the Act: How Arts Groups are Creating Opportunities for Active Participation

Arts participation is being redefined as people increasingly choose to engage with art in new, more active and expressive ways. This movement carries profound implications, and fresh opportunities, for the nonprofit arts sector.We are in the midst of a seismic shift in cultural production, moving from a "sit-back-and-be-told culture" to a "making-and-doing-culture." Active or participatory arts practices are emerging from the fringes of the Western cultural tradition to capture the collective imagination. Many forces have conspired to lead us to this point. The sustained economic downturn that began in 2008, rising ticket prices, the pervasiveness of social media, the roliferation of digital content and rising expectations for self-guided, on-demand, customized experiences have all contributed to a cultural environment primed for active arts practice. This shift calls for a new equilibrium in the arts ecology and a new generation of arts leaders ready to accept, integrate and celebrate all forms of cultural practice. This is, perhaps, the defining challenge of our time for artists, arts organizations and their supporters -- to embrace a more holistic view of the cultural ecology and identify new possibilities for Americans to engage with the arts.How can arts institutions adapt to this new environment?Is participatory practice contradictory to, or complementary to, a business model that relies on professional production and consumption?How can arts organizations enter this new territory without compromising their values r artistic ideals?This report aims to illuminate a growing body of practice around participatory engagement (with various illustrative case studies profiled at the end) and dispel some of the anxiety surrounding this sphere of activity

A Case Study: Motivational Attributes of 4-H participants engaged in Robotics

Robotics has gained a great deal of popularity across the United States as a means to engage youth in science, technology, engineering, and math. Understanding what motivates youth and adults to participate in a robotics project is critical to understanding how to engage others. By developing a robotics program built on a proper understanding of the motivational influences, the program can be built on a foundation that addresses these influences. By engaging more youth in the robotics program, they will be able to envision a future for themselves as a high-school or college graduate, in addition to a viable employee with marketable skills in tough economy. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the underlying motivational attributes or factors that influenced 4-H youth, parents, volunteers, and agents to participate in the Mississippi 4-H robotics project. Specifically, this research focuses on two unique counties in Mississippi with very diverse populations. Interviews with participants, observation, and document analysis which took place occurred over the course of a robotics year – October to July. This study sought to identify motivational attributes of participants in the robotics project. Once identified these attributes could be used when developing new program curricula or expanding into new counties in Mississippi. Data analysis revealed that there are many unique motivational factors that influence participants. Among these factors, (1) the desire to build and construct a robot, (2) competition and recognition, (3) desire for future success and security, (4) safe place to participate and build relationships, (5) teamwork, (6) positive role models, and (7) encouragement

Girls in IT: How to develop talent and leverage support

The objectives of this panel are to inform the audience about national and regional initiatives developed by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) to reach out to middle and high school girls; learn from promising experiences in which the panelists have been directly involved; and discuss venues to scale and sustain efforts to increase women\u27s participation in technology careers. Panelists will describe their particular experiences, and discuss ways to utilize the Aspirations in Computing program to increase enrollment and retention of females in computing. A minimum of 30 minutes will be set aside for question and answer

4-H recruitment possibilities among Tennessee suburban seventh grade students : a focus group study

When compared to junior (5th or 6th grade) 4-H members, the number of junior high (7th or 8th grade) 4-H members is significantly lower. In fact, in Tennessee, a major decline in enrollment occurs during the transition between the sixth and seventh grades. Additionally, very few members who live in suburban areas, an area with large member potential, are represented in the enrollment figures. As the enrollment of older members declines, the need to discover ways of recruiting new members into 4-H in order to boost long-run teen enrollment is apparent. The purpose of this study was to reveal suburban students\u27 perceptions about 4-H, suggestions that would make 4-H more appealing to a similar group of students, as well as reveal programming alternatives for the seventh grade suburban population in hopes of increasing senior participation by retaining newly recruited members. The objectives of this study were to: (1) inquire about the kinds of groups and/or clubs that non-4-H members participate in and their motivation behind participation in this group; (2) examine the awareness of non-4-H members of 4-H in their school; (3) reveal the students\u27 perceptions about 4-H; (4) infer other students\u27 perceptions in the school about 4-H through the focus group participants; (5) reveal the reasons these students do not participate in 4-H; (6) reveal the degree and manner in which other people influence the participants\u27 decisions not to join 4-H; (7) reveal the activities the participants suggest 4-H should offer; (8) reveal participants\u27 perceptions of what types of incentives would encourage participation in 4-H; and (9) reveal participants\u27 suggestions of how 4-H can ultimately increase participation. The conclusions of this study were based upon the participants\u27 responses. First of all, generally most students in the focus groups were involved in the same types of activities suggesting they are heavily influenced by their physical and socio-emotional environments. They initially choose to participate in a club or group because their friends invite them but choose to continue to participate if they view the purpose as meaningful and have fun. Generally, most students attributed 4-H with projects associated with learning and making stuff. To a lesser extent, some felt 4-H\u27s activities were largely agricultural and some associated 4-H with contests and awards such as ribbons. However, they did not associate 4-H with development of skills such as leadership, communications, or decision making. Furthermore, they were not aware of the current activities of 4-H and speculated that 4-H had a lot of environmentally beneficial projects. Approximately half of the students stated 4-H was boring and the other half perceived 4-H as being fun. However, when they were asked to report other students\u27 perceptions, they believed most other students felt 4-H was boring revealing a discrepancy between their own reported perceptions and those they believed others had. They also cited peer pressure as the main reason students did not join 4-H but felt students who were high achievers would be more likely to join 4-H. They also cited friends or peers as the most influential entities in their decision to participate in 4-H. Parents and teachers were also reported to be an influence to a lesser extent. Peers were the most influential because of the social aspect they provided the student. Animal, bicycle, and summer camp activities were perceived to be the most interesting probably because of their implication of hands-on activities, fun, and group involvement. The participants also expressed a desire for outdoor projects and new animal projects such as reptiles and endangered species. They would also like to reinforce learning activities with field trips. They implied that by having other students endorse and advertise 4-H, more students would be interested in 4-H. They also stated most people participate in in-school 4-H meetings to get out of class or socialize but if 4-H was engaging enough, students would stay after school for 4-H. Recommendations included updating curriculum and restructuring the planning and marketing of meetings as well as changing the content, organization, and philosophy of meetings

Control Systems and Robotics Outreach to Middle-school Girls: Approach, Results, and Suggestions

We conducted a three-day outreach camp focused on control systems and robotics for 8th grade girls from economically disadvantaged families. The overall objective of the camp was motivating the young girls to consider pursuing a career in engineering and sciences. The main focus of the camp were hands-on labs using LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kit. Students learned about programming, sensors, motors and put their skills to test by creating a mobile robot that took part in three contests: car racing, line following, and parallel parking. A pre- and post-camp survey indicated that although program did not predominantly change the girls’ excitement towards careers in engineering and sciences, it increased the girls’ knowledge and excitement towards robotics and control systems. Our results indicate that short camps help kindle the interests of young girls, but are not able to sway them to take on engineering/science careers. In the latter case, we hypothesize that long-term STEM-based programs (e.g., a quarter or year-long robotics course) might be more effective.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Motivational Factors Impacting Youth Participation in West Tennessee 4-H

The 4-H Youth Development Program is an organization that is offered through the Cooperative Extension System. 4-H is mandated to provide youth with opportunities for experiential learning in the field of agriculture and home economics. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that motivate high school youth participation in 4-H programs in West Tennessee. The central research question guiding this study was: What motivates high school youth to participate in the 4-H program after 8th grade? The findings of this study can be broken down into three themes (a) Why 4-H members continue participation into high school, (b) Why 4-H members discontinue participation in high school, and (c) 4-H involvement after high school. The following six subthemes were also found: (a) personal relationships and social factors, (b) 4-H prepares students for life, (c) competition and scholarships, (d) negative stigma, (e) not well publicized, and (f) over committed and other activities. Recommendations for practice and future research were made based on the literature and findings

Mastering the Hard Stuff: The History of College Concrete-Canoe Races and the Growth of Engineering Competition Culture

This article details the history of college engineering competitions, originating with student concrete-canoe racing in the 1970s, through today’s multi-million-dollar international multiplicity of challenges. Despite initial differences between engineering educators and industry supporters over the ultimate purpose of undergraduate competitions, these events thrived because they evolved to suit many needs of students, professors, schools, corporations, professional associations, and the engineering profession itself. The twenty-first-century proliferation of university-level competitions in turn encouraged a trickling-down of technical contests to elementary-age children and high schools, fostering the institutionalization of what might be called a competition culture in engineering