The use of extracurricular hackathons to promote and enhance students’ academic and employability skills

Abstract

This article explores the academic and personal development outcomes from a two-week, University-wide sustainability hackathon conducted online. Data was gathered from 18 out of 23 participants through a post-hackathon questionnaire featuring 24 structured questions. These questions covered various aspects, including participants' prior work experience, motivations for participating in the hackathon, shifts in their attitudes toward sustainability, perspectives on interdisciplinary collaboration, and acquired skills. Quantitative data underwent analysis using, as appropriate, Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney tests, while qualitative responses were examined via thematic analysis. The results showed an improved awareness and appreciation of several personal and professional skills, encompassing ideation, product development, leadership, resilience, and teamwork. Additionally, they highlighted an increased appreciation for interdisciplinary collaboration, fostered through interaction with students from diverse academic backgrounds.