InnovateEdTech: Skills by Action
This edition focuses on the learning experience: moving from shiny tools to practical EdTech that makes digital skills visible, assessable, and transferable. In 1 day, teams will frame a real classroom, community or industry need, prototype a usable solution, and pitch it with evidence of learning impact. You choose the problem and medium; we provide mentors, support and template so your output is easy to pilot.
What to create (open format): app/mock-up, workflow/toolkit, activity/lesson, policy checklist, deployment plan—anything people can use.
What we look for:
• Learning value (clear goal, meaningful for people's life)
• Accessibility & inclusion (UDL mindset, low-barrier devices)
• Meaningful tech (privacy & safety, transparent AI use if any, technology aimed at educational goals)
• Feasibility (works on common setups, simple steps, scalable)
Deliverables: a link/file to the prototype or artefact + a one-pager (goal, who it’s for, how to use it in 30–90 mins, what you need to run it).
Short pitches at the end; quick feedback; invitations to pilot.
The address to attend this onsite hackathon is: Fablab Unitrento - DISI - Via Sommarive , 9
Questions?
daniele.agostini@unitn.it
Who can join?
Specific conditions to apply
18+; all disciplines welcome; bring your own device if possible
12 - 12 NOV 2025
Register by 11 NOVLanguage(s) of the hackathon
English, Italian
Onsite
Trento - Italy
The Learning Experience
Challenge and goals
• Design/Produce viable but ambitious solutions that make the learning experience clearer, safer, more engaging and effective.
• Show Skills by Action: how learners practise and transfer a digital skill.
• Keep barriers low (e.g. common devices, offline/low-bandwidth where possible).
• Package results so teachers, trainers, and community actors can pilot.
• Grow a local network of collaborators for follow-up pilots.
Expectations and requirements for the solutions and participants
Teams up to 5; individuals welcome. Build during the event (cite reused assets; prefer open licences). Any format is fine. Submit: prototype/artefact link or file + one-pager + 3-minute pitch. Design with inclusion, privacy, and safety in mind; be transparent if you use AI or collect data. Follow our code of conduct.
Available Support
On-demand mentors (pedagogy/UDL, assessment, AI/data, UX/privacy). Simple templates (one-pager, quick rubric, safety checklist). Test-slots with an educator/trainer. Connectivity and shared devices (limited). Awards: Learning Impact, Responsible-by-Design, Ready-Tomorrow, Audience Choice. Post-event: support to pilot with partners.
Schedule
This programme has been designed to guide participants through a full, energetic and highly collaborative hackathon experience. The day unfolds step by step—from welcoming everyone in, to exploring the challenge, working in teams, prototyping, refining ideas and finally presenting them to the jury. Each moment has a clear purpose: helping participants understand the problem, think creatively, build feasible solutions and communicate them effectively.
The schedule alternates focused work sessions with short breaks to keep the pace sustainable, while the testimonial, mentoring sessions and pitch clinic offer inspiration and structured support along the way. By the end of the day, every team will have transformed an initial concept into a concrete proposal and will have the opportunity to showcase it during the final pitches.
It’s a fast-paced, hands-on journey designed to spark innovation, encourage teamwork and give everyone the tools to shine. Let’s dive in.
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09:00 – 09:30
👋 Welcome & Registration
Participants check in, receive their badges and settle in. First contact with the mentors and an informal start to the day. -
09:30 – 09:40
🎬 Opening Remarks & Daily Overview
The host introduces the objectives, the flow of the event and any key messages. A short introductory video from the organising institution is shown. -
09:40 – 10:00
🎤 Inspirational Testimonial
A brief talk (15–20 minutes) from a local innovator or a past participant (and winners of the local and global competition), sharing insights, personal stories and practical advice to set the tone for the hackathon. -
10:00 – 10:20
🚀 Official Challenge Launch
Presentation of the challenge, evaluation criteria, expected outputs and key guidelines. Participants receive all essential information to start working strategically. -
10:20–10:40
🤝 Icebreaker & Team Formation
A dynamic activity to break the ice, get people talking and create balanced, interdisciplinary teams ready for collaboration. -
10:40–11:15
🔍 Understanding the Problem
Teams define the core need, identify key stakeholders and develop personas. This step ensures everyone shares a clear and grounded understanding of the challenge. -
11:15 – 11:30
☕ Coffee Break
A short recharge and networking moment before diving into the creative phase. -
11:30–13:00
💡 Ideation Session
Structured brainstorming, idea clustering and selection of the concept to develop. Teams explore multiple directions before choosing the most promising one. -
13:00–13:45
🍕 Informal Lunch Break
Pizza, conversation and cross-team exchange. A friendly and relaxed moment to keep the energy high. -
13:45 – 14:15
🧩 Concept & Model Development
Teams refine their value proposition and assess feasibility using a simplified canvas. Focus on clarity, coherence and user value. -
14:15 – 15:00
✏️ Rapid Prototyping
Sketches, mockups, storyboards—participants make the solution tangible to prepare for testing and pitching. -
15:00–15:15
☕ Short Break
A quick pause before entering the coaching phase. -
15:15–16:30
💬 Pitch Clinic with Mentors
Each team has a dedicated 20-minute session with mentors for individualised feedback on pitch content, structure and storytelling. Other teams use the time to refine slides or rehearse. -
16:30–17:30
🛠️ Final Pitch Preparation
Teams complete their slide decks, polish messages and rehearse. Final refinements before going on stage. -
17:30–18:15
🎤 Final Pitches
Each of the teams presents a 4-minute pitch followed by a 3-minute Q&A. The jury is present and evaluates according to the challenge criteria. -
18:15–18:30
🏆 Jury Deliberation & Award Ceremony
The jury announces the winners and the special mentions. Group photo and celebration moment. -
18:30–18:45
🎉 Closing & Thanks
Wrap-up of the experience, next steps and a final networking moment before closing the event.
