The judging criteria for the first twelve categories and the Manufacturing and Digital Skills awards are different. Please read carefully.
Criteria for Innovation Categories 1 to 12
The following judging criteria will be applied to the students’ innovation log. The log can contain up to a maximum of 15 A4 pages and should be uploaded as file of no more than 3 Mb. More details about the Innovation Log structure can be found in the Competition Rules for the TeenTech Awards here underneath How to Enter, Stage 2
Originality of idea . Does the idea or project show creative thinking? Does it stand out from the crowd?Is your idea unique and original? Are there similar solutions for this market? Perhaps your innovation is an alternative to existing solutions or an evolution of an existing solution?
Originality of your research methods and your presentation. We want you to do this your own way.
Clarity of idea. Is the project or idea clearly described? Is the purpose clear? How does the work demonstrate that the team have thoroughly understood the area where they have chosen to work?
Understanding of potential market. Have you clearly identified the market for your idea? Is it a mass or niche market? Who would use it? Who will benefit? What steps did you take to understand people’s needs and the way your innovation could make a difference? Are there any competitive alternatives to your approach? Have you explained why your approach is needed?
Use of industry experts. How did you make use of expert help from industry or academia? Who did you contact and what did you ask them to do? How did you use their advice to improve, develop or change your idea?Do you have plans to continue the relationship with the partners?
International collaboration. If you chose to work with a team in another country, how was the collaboration managed and how well did you work as an international team? What did you gain from the international collaboration? How did it shape your thinking? What problems did you need to overcome?
Skill and thoroughness. How well is the project or idea executed? How much effort has been made to develop the idea? The technical quality of the execution of the idea or project.
Is it doable? How practical is it to take this innovation to the next level? Are there major technology or market dependencies that prevent this innovation being developed into a prototype or achieving production status?
What did the team learn from their experience? Has it changed your thinking in any way? Have you learnt more about a particular area of Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths? Have you been inspired?
Finalist presentations at the TeenTech Awards.
TeenTech will provide you with an exhibition space and the judges will award additional points for quality of the presentation material supporting your innovation, the clarity and confidence of the team demonstrating their project and the completeness of illustration / prototype of the innovation itself.
Criteria for the Special Journalism category
TeenTech want to encourage young people to report on Science, Technology and Engineering stories. They can choose to tell us about world issues, local issues or even report on fun STEM experiments they have seen in school. If schools are collaborating with students from another country with the Awards, students might consider using the relationship to research and stories together, using an ‘international’ reporter.
The BBC School Report website offers some very helpful advice for young journalists and is well worth reading.http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/
Judging criteria:
We will be looking for:
Stories that come alive in the telling and are accessible to people who may not understand anything about the subject area
Good use of appropriate media
Well written or well produced stories
Factual accuracy
A sense that the student has understood the topic
Good use of research, preferably original research, to inform the story
Students should upload their work by April 4th. They can enter a web report, a text piece, three minute video or three minute radio piece or a combination of media.
- Max 1000 words
- Max 3 minute video report
- Max 3 minute radio report
We will select three finalists who will be invited to the TeenTech Awards Ceremony and invited to report on the day using the media of their choice. They will be supported in this activity and there will be an Award and a £1000 prize for for the Best Journalist.
Digital Skills
There are few aspects of modern life that are not touched by Information Technology (IT). The innovative entries we have seen in the annual TeenTech Awards are no different and whilst some previous entries have not been outright winners in their category our judges have noted that many have exhibited design and coding skills that really should be celebrated.
TeenTech is looking to recognise both excellence in computer programming as well as creativity in the use of IT. Not everyone is an expert programmer so we are looking both for those that have demonstrated superb coding skills, and for those who have taken their understanding of the building blocks of computer programming and have used those in a novel way.
Through this award category, TeenTech hopes to encourage young people to develop the skills that will continue to be the thread that runs through all areas of innovation.