How ‘hackathons’ are taking over higher education

The Huffington Post 03 October 2014

The bigger shift in higher learning isn't about the way that it's delivered, but in the downstream effect it has on the way students learn how to learn, writes Nisarg Patel for The Huffington Post.

Learning from ‘hackathons’ or project-based MOOCs has started to introduce students not only to a community of engaged students voluntarily taking the time to learn something new, but also to a much more diverse group of people than a standard college classroom. Exposure to different kinds of people, creative perspectives, varying world views, and distinct methods of learning not only improves brain plasticity and the ability to learn, but also helps students increase their awareness of the cultures, environments and issues that impact areas outside of the university campus.

This trend hasn't gone unnoticed. Large companies and startups alike are rushing in hordes to sponsor university hackathons, which have become breeding grounds for talent not only because they show off technical expertise, but also display creativity, intuition and problem-solving.
Full report on The Huffington Post site

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