* START EARLY!*
Develop Existing Projects
Your students may have completed a project for your class that meets the criteria for one of the categories. Rather than starting from scratch, have the student enhance the project to make it more competitive and submit as an entry.
Overlapping Projects
Many of your students who want to compete in the technology fair may have competed in the science fair at their school. If a student submitted a technology project to the science fair, the student may be able to use the same project to submit to the Technology Fair. Students would determine the category their project would fit under and use the rubric for that category to make necessary modifications. Another idea can be for a student to document their science fair project with the use of technology to create a technology fair project. For example, a student that conducted an experiment can create an iMovie or another mixed media presentation that shows the process and results of that experiment.
Make Final Edits
Once students have completed their project, have a few people, including yourself, look over and make suggestions for improvement. Some of these people can include other teachers, other students, administrators, parents, the school's ETS, and, if possible, experts in the field. I would recommend giving these individuals a rubric for the project category and letting them grade the project using the rubric. Below is a list of additional things to check for.
- If there is an audio component, make sure the audio is loud and clear.
- If there is a video component, make sure the video is clear and sharp.
- Ensure that all transitions included are smooth.
- Check for all grammar and spelling errors.
- Make sure that the project is within time limits.
- Make sure you follow copyright guidelines.
Prepare Students for Judging
Having a great technology fair project does not guarantee a win. Students must be able to effectively articulate themselves in a way that shows judges they have a good understanding of the process in creating their technology fair project as well as knowledge about the category and software in general. A great way to prepare students for the judging process is to hold mock judging sessions. Below are a few sample questions:
- Why did you decide to do this project?
- What process was involved to create your project?
- What new skills did you gain from doing this project?
- What challenges did you face while completing this project?
- What software did you use (if applicable)? Why did you choose this software?
- What did you learn from this project?