Hackathons have become a global phenomenon in higher education — yet they typically run in parallel to formal curricula, guided by experience rather than research. The CoCreate framework changes that, providing structured guidelines for every design decision educators face.
Existing hackathon guides are domain-specific, experience-based, and focused on engagement rather than learning outcomes. First-time organisers lack practical, research-backed support for educational hackathon design.
CoCreate covers goal-setting, theme selection, team formation, mentoring, ideation methods, stakeholder involvement, curriculum integration, and assessment — grounded in empirical research across three European pilot institutions.
Aligned with ECTEL 2026's theme of intentionality in learning technology, CoCreate moves beyond the assumption that "hackathons are inherently good" towards evidence-based understanding of when, how, and for whom they work.
A draft hackathon blueprint tailored to your institutional context, familiarity with the CoCreate framework, and membership in a growing community of practice around educational hackathon design.