Title of case study	A Programming Hackathon for Challenge-based Learning in Level 1 Engineering
School/Subject:	CoSE/Computer Science
Lecturer(s):	Dr Hasan Tahir Abbas
Course:	Introductory Programming (UESTC 1005)
Student Level:	1st year UG
Class size:	600-750 total (counting both campuses in China) – c.78 participated in the competition itself
Location:	Online / distance (event also held online for the Hainan campus in China) & on campus/in person (event held at the Chengdu campus in China)

 

Brief summary

Problem-solving is vital in engineering, especially in courses like computer programming that call for abstract thinking. To engage students, first-year Glasgow College UESTC students participated in a programming competition themed around the World Cycling Championship, led by Hasan Abbas and guided by Daichen Liu. The students used their knowledge of programming from the previous semester, to design the fastest, most energy efficient race route, using CodeForces.

 

Objectives

The primary objective was to introduce first-year programming students to the path-finding algorithm – one of the most important algorithms in computing – and to show there is a methodology behind problem solving. To make the concept engaging, we decided to use a real-world application tied to sports (the World Cycling Championships), which also aligns with Glasgow UESTC’s curriculum requirements on physical activity.

 

What is done?

The one-off programming competition, open to UESTC freshmen, took place in Chengdu with some Hainan students joining online. Promoted via Moodle and social media, it attracted 78 students. Because of the high interest, a large lecture hall with a strong internet connection was booked for students to bring their laptops. Hosted by the lecturer and managed by three graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), students used CodeForces to solve cycling-related problems, a programming platform that employers recognise. Sponsored by a UESTC alumnus, prizes were awarded to the top three teams, with a live leaderboard tracking progress throughout the event.

 

What works well?

The first thing that works well together is the mix and interaction between the resources used for the event. Another advantage is the successful deployment of the shortest path algorithm in an educational yet fun and relatable activity.

These aspects are also directly linked to the professional development of the students’ skills, as programming is a key skill in all engineering jobs. From the perspective of students writing their CVs, this is a valuable hackathon experience (a type of challenge-based learning) where the students demonstrated expertise and proficiency in a C programming language.

During the event, an important consideration is the well-prepared, structured rubric with clear instructions, allowing for the smooth running of the entire competition. Despite the novelty of programming for these students, the event proves that by challenging themselves, students do improve their skills and knowledge.

 

Benefits

Students

Staff

The method allows students to apply their knowledge and judgement and choose their own way of solving the problem instead of prescribing them the correct way to solve the problem. Students gain practical expertise in computer programming, which they can use during job interviews. Plus, real professional skill development, as the use of the CodeForces program is another thing to be added to a CV. This is particularly valued by employers.

The travel arrangements result in brief contact with the students. This activity is a relaxed and casual environment in which a better rapport between the staff and students is developed. It is heartening to see students opening up and sharing their experiences of cycling. Building a partnership with the sponsor. Appreciation of practicing what you preach – putting practical problems into context.

 

Challenges            

Students

Staff

English language (speaking level, not writing or reading), cultural barriers (interested mostly in activities/events which contribute to their grades) and technical challenges (novel experience of programming) are observable by the Chinese students as this is their first ever hackathon timed environment. The students are quite occupied with the workload, meaning the event had to be scheduled over the weekend (Sunday) and has to be voluntary (because of exams and difficulty of pushing the idea through the Senate as a novel event). The students who joined the competition online from the Hainan campus had no teaching support (no Graduate Teaching Assistants) in case they were lost/needed help.

Contextualisation is hard. Upon reflection, I think that cycling may not be everyone’s cup of tea and there are some students for whom it may not be possible to ride a bike.

 

What did you learn?

After evidencing the positive impacts of this competition learning method, much more structure to its subsequent use is needed. For instance, the structure of the competition is much more streamlined for this year (2024), with the University collaborating with us more. Simultaneously, the College of Science and Engineering is offering financial support such as awards for the event. The planning for this year’s competition started much earlier too.

 

Further, if such events are to be held online, attention should be paid to supporting the students joining the session online by having some academic staff available to help address their questions. This has already been implemented for this year’s competition.

 

One thing to consider for the future is how to motivate the students to show up which is a challenge because of the strong cultural practices in China. There, students are not willing to participate in voluntary competitions due to their heavy workload and the events not contributing to their final grade. The success for the higher participation might lie somewhere in between promoting the benefits and the directives regarding the hackathon.

However, making such events compulsory, as part of formative assessment, would be difficult due to the impracticalities of getting approvals. Although, admittedly, it is not impossible to achieve this.

 

What advice would you give to others?

Have a look at the many good practices that are already established. Especially for something like a hackathon or a programming competition, these events have been broadened and have surpassed the field of computer programming, making them applicable to numerous fields. In addition, these competitions can have many forms; for example, they could include forming teams, further boosting students’ skills, and learning on real life cases.