ACTE Technology Fair Info
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Thank you for participating in the ACTE NW Technology Fair! We hope to make this your best year, yet.
In 2014, we made some minor updates to the rules and judging criteria. For 2015, we’re building on those.
One significant update for 2015 are three new categories! We’re adding Graphic Arts and Security and Social Marketing.
›Graphic Arts will judge photographs and graphic designs based on their artistic and utilitarian merits, independent of any other projects they may be incorporated into.
›Security will have students demonstrate an understanding and implementation of digital security. This can (should) include everything from the desktop, to mobile, to Internet; and we expect the most effective way to demonstrate this knowledge will look something like a presentation.
›Social Marketing is not just about social media. It’s about creating an audience and community. Students will present and be judged on their ability (or potential) to foster participation around a common theme, issue, or project.
Entries in these new categories will not be separated into Individual or Team sections. All entries will compete with all other entries from the same level. These new categories are exclusive to the northwest region and not available at the state-wide competition, but we feel like it’s important to move in this direction.
Another significant update for 2015 only affects high school (Level IV and V) categories. Instead of competing in separate sections, high school students will compete based on Level and Category alone; not divided by Individual or Team sections. We believe this will encourage students and sponsors to mirror real-life scenarios by working in teams, while increasing competition. (We will, however, allow as many to qualify for state competition as would have been allowed otherwise.)
A minor update is that we are renaming the Multimedia category to Presentations, which more accurately reflects the nature of the category and emphasizes that, in 2015, we are more interested in best practices for presentations than merely the inclusion of multimedia elements.
Also, we will be moving the Information Technology Test online, available one week before the competition. It will still be timed and it will include all the usual safeguards against cheating. By moving the test online, we are considerably reducing the logistical overhead on competition day, allowing our judging schedule to be more flexible. We are also committing to updating the test each year with questions that reflect a contemporary understanding of technology.
Finally, beginning this year, we will allow one project to be entered into multiple categories, where it will be judged on the merits of the category. Should a project qualify to advance to state in multiple categories, the sponsor will have to choose only one category in which to compete. Projects should only be entered in multiple categories if they demonstrate significant work towards the criteria of multiple categories. (ie. Projects will not be permitted to compete in additional categories simply to have more chances at winning.)
These updates attempt to reflect a great amount of feedback, as well as my own observations over the 20 years I’ve been involved with the ACTE; and are intended to keep the competition exciting, up-to-date, and inspiring to young minds and educators alike.
Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you this year, and in the years to come!
– Tollie Williams
Thank you for participating in the ACTE NW Technology Fair! We hope to make this your best year, yet.
In 2014, we made some minor updates to the rules and judging criteria. For 2015, we’re building on those.
One significant update for 2015 are three new categories! We’re adding Graphic Arts and Security and Social Marketing.
›Graphic Arts will judge photographs and graphic designs based on their artistic and utilitarian merits, independent of any other projects they may be incorporated into.
›Security will have students demonstrate an understanding and implementation of digital security. This can (should) include everything from the desktop, to mobile, to Internet; and we expect the most effective way to demonstrate this knowledge will look something like a presentation.
›Social Marketing is not just about social media. It’s about creating an audience and community. Students will present and be judged on their ability (or potential) to foster participation around a common theme, issue, or project.
Entries in these new categories will not be separated into Individual or Team sections. All entries will compete with all other entries from the same level. These new categories are exclusive to the northwest region and not available at the state-wide competition, but we feel like it’s important to move in this direction.
Another significant update for 2015 only affects high school (Level IV and V) categories. Instead of competing in separate sections, high school students will compete based on Level and Category alone; not divided by Individual or Team sections. We believe this will encourage students and sponsors to mirror real-life scenarios by working in teams, while increasing competition. (We will, however, allow as many to qualify for state competition as would have been allowed otherwise.)
A minor update is that we are renaming the Multimedia category to Presentations, which more accurately reflects the nature of the category and emphasizes that, in 2015, we are more interested in best practices for presentations than merely the inclusion of multimedia elements.
Also, we will be moving the Information Technology Test online, available one week before the competition. It will still be timed and it will include all the usual safeguards against cheating. By moving the test online, we are considerably reducing the logistical overhead on competition day, allowing our judging schedule to be more flexible. We are also committing to updating the test each year with questions that reflect a contemporary understanding of technology.
Finally, beginning this year, we will allow one project to be entered into multiple categories, where it will be judged on the merits of the category. Should a project qualify to advance to state in multiple categories, the sponsor will have to choose only one category in which to compete. Projects should only be entered in multiple categories if they demonstrate significant work towards the criteria of multiple categories. (ie. Projects will not be permitted to compete in additional categories simply to have more chances at winning.)
These updates attempt to reflect a great amount of feedback, as well as my own observations over the 20 years I’ve been involved with the ACTE; and are intended to keep the competition exciting, up-to-date, and inspiring to young minds and educators alike.
Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you this year, and in the years to come!
– Tollie Williams