Educational benefits of hackathon: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Hackathons are said to promote a variety of innovative ideas and can be traced back to the idea of problem-solving. There is little research on the use of hackathons in classes to meet course-level learning objectives, despite the emphasis given to its advantages in other human efforts. By conducting a systematic literature review (SLR), this study uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement criteria to better understand the advantages of hackathons in education. From an initial search result of 108 research publications obtained from Google scholar and Scopus databases and published between 2015 and 2022, 25 articles were reviewed. The findings point to three important educational advantages of hackathons: improvement of technical and soft skills, learning new things, and successful networking. The study has implications for academics and other interested parties in in adopting hackathons in an academic curriculum. It suggests a need to model and develop instruments to introduce hackathon-based pedagogies to support traditional classrooms. Keywords: Educational support, hackathon, students, systematic review, teaching pedagogy.

Empathy, Education, and Awareness: A VR Hackathon’s Approach to Tackling Climate Change

“…Therefore, our student-centred teaching intervention aimed to achieve its objectives by inviting penultimate-year engineering and computer science students to participate in a 3-day hackathon to raise empathy, education and awareness around four UN SDGs (depicted in the concept image shown in Figure 1. Evidence suggests that these programmes offer students an opportunity to forge relationships with new staff/students and to gain new skills [21]. The term "hackathon" combines the words "hack" and "marathon" and denotes an extended, focused time spent developing a project [22].…”

Datathons in Medical Education: A Case Study and Best Practice Recommendations (Preprint)

“…One potential method for hands-on AI education popular across many fields of science and engineering is the "hackathon" and related "datathon", which are short competitions in which teams of students work together to create new solutions to domain-specific challenges through leveraging real-world data and algorithms. Oyetade et al [4] offer a scoping review of hackathons and found that such events help students learn both technical and soft skills, and argue that hackathon-based pedagogies be incorporated in classroom environments. Silver et al [5] describe a hackathon event for current attendings in clinical practice, and found that study participants were better equipped to accelerate specialty-focused innovation after the hackathon.…”

The Clarifying Hackathon in Health Profession Education

“…The participants in the hackathon can be a diverse range of individuals according to the purpose and topic of the hackathon and having experience and knowledge in that field. 1 Hackathons can take place in physical locations, such as conference centers or university campuses, or be held virtually, allowing participants from different locations to join remotely. The event structure requires participants to engage in team formation, problem identification, and preparation for the presentation and demonstration of their solution which aligns with the Double Diamond design process.…”

“…Deliver is closely linked with the Develop phase, and often observed rotation between the two phases to synthesize the final design in the design process throughout the hackathon. 1 Hackathons provide a solution-oriented environment for participants to collaborate, learn from others, and network with like-minded individuals. These events offer opportunities for teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, and fostering a sense of innovation among participants.…”

“…Learners teach themselves how to overcome difficulties, learn new skills, and have community involvement during hackathons, and educators as hackers encourage and facilitate the use of systematic design processes on how to design a hackathon. 1 Hence, developing and introducing hackathonbased pedagogies can be utilized in the design of the curriculum to support traditional classrooms as an extracurricular activity. This curriculum which includes hackathons provides a dynamic and immersive learning experience, encouraging participants to think creatively, collaborate effectively, and develop practical skills.…”