Resources

What is a Hack-a-thon?

Hacking is a method of collaboration used to solve problems and get feedback on promising practices. A hack-a-thon is a time bound event, where attendees can present a 60-second pitch for a solution to a problem and other participants choose to work with a team on one of the ideas depending on their interests. Teams then refine the idea using design thinking protocols and techniques. The event culminates when teams present 4-minute presentations to a panel of judges. The judges have 1-minute for follow-up questions. After all teams present, the judges will select the winner.

The most powerful examples of hack-a-thons bring together teams of people across different contexts, to ideate possible solutions, and have the potential for evaluation and refinement through a process of iteration.

Mount Saint Mary College hosts a hack-a-thon at the Annual Hudson Valley Tech Festival this October.

Below are interviews with the participants from the winning team at NYSCATE18. Learn about their experience in their interviews on Coffee with a Geek, Andrew Wheelock.

Why focus on issues related to the workforce pipeline, employability and professional sustainability in the Hudson Valley?

What is a pitch-fest?

What is Design Thinking?

What tools can I use to create digital artifacts?

You can using any digital media to create an artifact that supports your solution. For example, you may want to use Google Sites or Glitch (see MakeBlox below) to build a website. You could create a presentation using Google Slides (See DigzIT below). Or you could build a comprehensive social media presence using Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Below please find two examples from the NYSCATE Hack-a-thon and additional possibilities: