Page last updated 11/3/20

​The Competition:

Students in grades 3-12 are invited to compete in the following levels and categories. Rubrics and explanations of the categories can be found on the state website. 

Levels:
Level 1 - Grades 3-4
Level 2 - Grades 5-6
Level 3 - Grades 7-8
Level 4 - Grades 9-10
Level 5 - Grades 11-12

Categories: 

Students can only enter as an INDIVIDUAL this year. No team projects. 

Animation
Audio 
Computer Project Programming
Digital Art 
Digital Game Design
Multimedia Applications
Productivity Design 
Robotics 
Video Production 
Website Design (This year it will NOT be divided by internet-based and manual coding. It will be one big category. Students can submit whichever form they prefer.)

DESCRIPTION OF CATEGORIES:
For a description of all categories, including the rubrics, please visit:
https://www.alabamaconsortiumfortechnologyineducation.org/categories
     

RUBRICS:
Visit https://www.alabamaconsortiumfortechnologyineducation.org/categories for the rubrics. Note that rubrics have been changed since last year so do not use old ones. 

Special rubric considerations for the Regional Fair:

• The first box on the rubric asks for a certificate of watching the orientation video. We will NOT require a certificate at the regional level. By submitting a project for the regional fair, the student is certifying that s/he watched the regional orientation video.
• The student will automatically receive full credit for the box that says "student was on time for the presentation" since they will not be judged "live."
• The last box, about "responding to judges' questions" - students will receive full credit here automatically since they will not be judged "live."

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​Special rubrics for each category will be used. However, all judges will consider the following items in determining the rating for an entry:

• Was the technology used appropriately?
• Did the student(s) demonstrate knowledge of the technology as it relates to the project appropriate for the grade level of the student(s)?
• Is the entry original, creative, and imaginative in subject and implementation?
• Overall value and purpose of the project. More points will be given for those projects that demonstrate an academic or business purpose. Projects which have been created for a class assignment should be identified as such.
• Complexity of the project with respect to the technology used and the grade level of the student(s).
• Clarity of the presentation.
• Did the student understand and pay attention to the use of copyrighted material? Did the student document the source material properly?

This year, students will create a video that is hosted on YouTube (UNLISTED--do NOT use a public or private setting) or VideoSprout. The video must be 15 minutes long or less. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure the link they submit works and a third party can see it. If the URL does not work, judges will not contact the student and the project will not be judged.

In the video, students will be required to:
1.       Use the program or applications software to demonstrate a previously prepared file.
2.       Demonstrate their understanding of the software as it relates to the project.
3.       Explain the various aspects of the creation of the project.
4.       Move through the program demonstrating the project.
5.       Defend their choice of software for the project.

For the portfolio, students will upload all the documentation required in the rubric to a file hosting site like OneDrive, DropBox, Google Drive, etc. The student will include a link to the folder housing the document(s) in the comments section or the "about this video" section. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure the link they submit works and a third party can see it. If the URL does not work, judges will not contact the student and the portfolio will not be judged.

Students should explain and demonstrate the highlights of their project in no more than 15 minutes. Shorter videos are perfectly acceptable and will not be penalized. Videos that are longer than 15 minutes, however, will be penalized. 

Advancing to the state competition:

The top two winners from each category per level will advance to state. Since the regional fairs have a large degree of independence, competition at the state level has additional rules and restrictions, as well as a separate registration process and fee. For more information, see the State Fair website: http://actefair.webs.com/​