Technology Tournaments in a Nutshell

The Challenge is taken up by teams of four students representing their schools, coming together at [nowadays the John Hampden Grammar School) to tackle a design and build problem.  They are encouraged to consider several solutions before selecting the most practicable and, after a period of experimentation and development, are required to demonstrate that their solution achieves the design criteria.
Experience has shown that technical expertise is far less important than clear thinking ‘outside the box’.   Indeed,  winning teams have often come from an artistic rather than a technical background.

The Aim is not only to have an exciting and enjoyable day, but to allow every one of the students to exercise and develop individual skills (that they may well not realise that they possess!), and above all contribute to their team’s successful completion of their task by the deadline.

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Judging Criteria

The Judges will assess:

    •    Planning - use of time and resources; team organisation and management;
    •    Design Analysis - analysis of problems of physical constraints and principles;
    •    Design Development - generation of concepts; development of a solution; presentation and communication of proposals;
    •    Realisation - making skills; appropriate use of materials; testing; creating a portfolio.

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