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Participant Specifics > Students

Graduate students who wish to participate should form teams of two.  Teams from all across the world may participate and the two graduate students need not be at the same institution. See Timeline for specific details on when each round/event discussed below will occur for this year's competition.

Phase 1: Preliminary Design Abstract (PDA)

The Award Committee formulates a problem statement each year with a challenging conceptual or practical problem relevant to the interests of the adult learning and performance-improvement community. Graduate student teams who wish to respond to the problem statement (coming soon!) will for teams of two and prepare a Preliminary Design Abstract of no more than 1,500 words (12 point Times Roman font, double-spaced, 1 inch page margins, APA 5th edition style) that offers a proposed solution in response to the problem statement. Teams from all over the world may participate and the two graduate students need not be at the same institution.

During the entire month of March, teams may ask questions about the problem statement to the client's designated representative, Ana-Paula Correia (acorreia@iastate.edu). Note that all questions submitted to the client representative must relate to the context and circumstances of the problem rather than competition procedures. You should contact James Marken at jmarken@odu.edu with questions related to competition procedures.

The 3-member judging panel will identify up to six promising abstracts to advance to Phase Two of the competition ?based on creativity, theoretical soundness, and practicality. These Participant Teams will then be matched with a mentor from a different institution. (Click here to see copy of Phase 1: Abstract Judging Form).

Phase 2: Final Design Paper (FDP)

The Award Committee will match mentors to the student teams chosen in Phase 1.  The assigned mentors ?who will likely come from either corporate or academic backgrounds? will then become active members of the design competition team, working closely with the two graduate students on the final paper. Student teams who have not heard from their mentors within a reasonable period of time should contact the PacifiCorp Design and Development Award Competition Committee Chairperson.

Final papers must be limited to 5,000 words, including all references and appendices (also 12 point Times Roman font, double-spaced, 1 inch page margins). Submissions can contain no more than 10 tables and figures. Design teams may develop associated design-and-development products related to the problem statement, as appropriate. These additional materials/artifacts must be accessible via the Internet and can consist of no more than 10 Web pages.  

The 3-member judging panel will select up to three final papers based on creativity, theoretical soundness, and practicality to advance to the next round. (Click here to see copy of Phase 2: Manuscript Judging Form).

Phase 3: Preparation and Presentation of Final Design (PFD)

Prior to the presentations at a special session during the Annual AECT Convention, student teams and their mentors are invited to attend the D&D/RTD Awards Luncheon where they will be recognized as finalists. Later during the convention, the graduate student teams will present their solutions during a special session. While the mentor may help the students prepare for this session, he/she can play no role in the presentation itself.  The judging panel, who will be joined by a fourth member from PacifiCorp, will then select the best presentation from that session for special recognition as the Winner Team . Presentations will be judged on clarity, teamwork, and professionalism.

All student team members of the finalist teams will receive free registration to the conference. All finalists are also invited to attend the D&D Luncheon as guests of the competition (date/time TBD).

Each team will be given at least 15 minutes to present their solutions with 5 minutes for Q&A while the next team sets up.  The awards committee will supply a laptop computer for those who need access to one (either Mac or Win). There will also be an LCD projector.  Typically, the conference supplies wireless Internet access during these sessions, but teams should NOT rely on this ?be sure to bring screen shots of any Web-based materials just in case.

Student teams should supply slide handouts at the presentation (bring 25 copies). Any additional materials can be supplied just for the judges (4 copies). One member of the student team should begin the presentation by introducing both team members AND the mentor. Be sure to mention each participant's organizational affiliation as well. Participants' names and organizational affiliations should also be included on the first PowerPoint slide.