Challenges in Running a Computer Olympiad in South Africa

Challenges in Running a Computer Olympiadin South Africa

Bruce Merry1 Marco Gallotta2 Carl Hultquist2

1ARM Ltd

2Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of Cape Town

August 20, 2008

B. Merry, M. Gallotta, C. Hultquist Challenges in Running a Computer Olympiad in SA

Digital Divide

ICT infrastructure in SA schoolsAffluent suburbs

Computers with Internet commonComputer Studies classes available at some schools

Poorer areasLack the most basic of facilitiesNo computers or Internet


Digital Divide





Digital Divide





Representative Computer Olympiad

Aim:Involve as many students as possibleFoster interest in CS amongst talented students

But how can one run a computer olympiad for studentswith no access to computers?Size of South AfricaReliable Internet accessCoordinating and marking becomes problematic














International Olympiad in Informatics

SA has taken part in the IOI since 1992Need a mechanism to select teamsContest of comparable standard to the IOI


International Olympiad in Informatics

SA has taken part in the IOI since 1992Need a mechanism to select teamsContest of comparable standard to the IOI


South African Computer Olympiad

SACO has evolved into three rounds of competitionPen-and-paper roundProgramming round at schoolsOn-site finals

Follwed by training and IOI










First Round

Aim: involve as many students as possiblePen-and-paper roundSimilar to mathematics olympiads, but focus on logic andprogramming

Beaver contest


First Round

Aim: involve as many students as possiblePen-and-paper roundSimilar to mathematics olympiads, but focus on logic andprogramming

Beaver contest


First Round: Sample Problem

Sally (S) wants to go home (H). She can only move up or rightone square each time. She is not allowed to go through blacksquares. How many paths can she pick from to go home?


First Round: Logistics

Question paper mailed to schools via postal serviceSchool teachers admister and mark submissionsAnswers designed to be objective

Multiple choice or a unique correct answerTeachers do not require any computer knowledge










First Round: Divisions

Senior divisionAimed at grades 10–12Career choices

Junior divisionRestricted to grade 9 and lowerSubject choices

Same paper used for both divisionsDistinguish only in rankingsBroaden the difficulty of the questions as much as possible












First Round: Results

To gather and collate all results would be an enormous taskInstead, rankings only within schoolsEnormous differences in education standards


First Round: Results

To gather and collate all results would be an enormous taskInstead, rankings only within schoolsEnormous differences in education standards


First Round: Statistics

First introduced in 200311 123 participants

Junior division introduced in 2006Immediate increase to 31 926 participants


Second Round

Second round of the SACO requires a computerOpen to anyone, regardless of participation in the firstroundProblems algorithmic with specific answers like the IOIEasy for teachers with no programming experience to marksolutions


Second Round

Second round of the SACO requires a computerOpen to anyone, regardless of participation in the firstroundProblems algorithmic with specific answers like the IOIEasy for teachers with no programming experience to marksolutions


Second Round: Marking

Test data included in the problem descriptionStudents submit both their source code and printouts oftest runs on these test casesMinimises work required by teachers markingAutomated marking is infeasibleRe-mark top papers centrally

Few points allocated for programming stylePrintouts of code and test runs sent by postal service










Second Round: Start Division

Start division offered for grades 10 and belowChange of age group due to programming beingintroducedParticipants not eligible for the third roundSome problems shared with Open division


Second Round: Statistics

Figure: SACO Second Round participation


Third Round

Top fifteen or so contestants invited to final roundOn-site event hosted at the University of Cape TownFormat follows the IOI quite closely with two five hourcontests


Third Round: Languages Offered

C, C++, Pascal, Java and PythonJava is the main language taugh in SA schoolsPython added due to the backing of a sponsorLarge prizes offered for the top Python usersExtremely popular as it is easy to learn and powerfulDifferent time limits for Python


Third Round: Languages Offered

C, C++, Pascal, Java and PythonJava is the main language taugh in SA schoolsPython added due to the backing of a sponsorLarge prizes offered for the top Python usersExtremely popular as it is easy to learn and powerfulDifferent time limits for Python


Third Round: Junior Division

Judging of the final round is as strict and impartial as theIOILimits its use as a training opportunitySemi-official junior division of the final round addedFor-fun event with no prizes, but judges can provide hintsSeveral junior contestants have returned as regularfinal-round contestants








Statistics: Scores in Round 2 Against Round 1


Statistics: Scores in Round 3 Against Round 2


Questions?

Bruce Merry ([email protected])Marco Gallotta ([email protected])Carl Hultquist ([email protected])


Documents

Challenges in Running a Computer Olympiad in South Africa