September 10-11, 2021
Seattle, Washington
The Tech Center held its 2021 hackathon, Hack the Language Flagship, on September 10th and 11th on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. The event is designed to engage Flagship students from across the United States in ideation of new technologies to support or enhance their language learning experience. This year’s theme was on game design. Forty-seven students from 19 different Flagship programs collaborated in teams to design game experiences that integrated gameplay and language learning objectives. Towards the end of the event, each team presented their design pitch to all attendees. A winner was selected by a panel of experts in game design and language learning.
Congratulations!
The winning team designed a strategy role playing game named Facade. Language learners adopt the role of a intergalactic traveler that must infiltrate an unexplored planet to gather intelligence, while not giving away their true identity.
Team members included Armando Hernandez (Chinese, Arizona State University), Grace Shields (Russian, Virginia Tech), Xiangmin Mo (Chinese, Hunter College) and Leon Hartley (Chinese, University of Rhode Island).
Honorable Mentions
Operation H.I.L.
FluenCity
Flagship Down!
Game design is a field that prioritizes the player experience. The primary objective of a game designer is to model an interactive environment that will challenge, engage, motivate, and entertain the player. The design of language learning technology shares these objectives with the added condition that the interaction also develops a player’s language skills and proficiency. Flagship students may have very specific ideas on what is challenging and what would be engaging. Or, they might have imagined a tool or application for their level of proficiency that does not exist but one they would surely play if it did!
Hacking the language learning experience through games can help us learn language or build the habits that can help us succeed in doing so. This year’s hackathon will give Flagship students the opportunity to propose innovative game-based solutions (“hacks”) that may impact the future of language learning.
About “Hack The Language Flagship!”
“Hack The Language Flagship!” is an amazing opportunity to become involved with a group of like-minded peers who have original ideas and want to drive the language technology innovation agenda together. Imagine the possibility of changing the world of language education over one weekend!
The Flagship Hackathon is a fast-paced event optimized for discovery and creativity. Use your experience and seek advice from experts in the field of language technology to propose technology-based solutions (“hacks”) that may impact the future of language learning.
Explore previous Hackathons
Winning Game Design
Expert Mentors and Judges
- Jonathon Reinhardt, University of Arizona
- Julie Sykes, University of Oregon
- Steve Thorne, Portland State University
Hackathon Dream Team
- Mery Diez-Ortega – Event Support
- Naiyi Fincham – Coach/Event Support
- Suzanne Freynik – Coach/Event Support
- Molly Godwin-Jones – Coach/Event Support
- Angela Haeusler – Event Support
- Richard Medina – Coach/Project Lead
- Scott Payne – Co-Lead Facilitator
- Julio Rodriguez – Director/Coach
- Stephen Tschudi – Co-Lead Facilitator
- Tian Wang – Event Support
Team 1
Grimace
Catherine Cata
Russian Flagship
Virginia Tech
Eric Dittus
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Nicholas Goltsos
Chinese Flagship
University of Rhode Island
Marria Peduto
Chinese Flagship
Indiana University
Justin Rogers
Arabic Flagship
University of Texas at Austin
Team 2
Love in Language
A simulation for achieving a better understanding of language in order to communicate better in an interpersonal relationship.
Callie Brown
Russian Flagship
Virginia Tech
Alexis Fisher
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Eric Hancock
Chinese Flagship
University of Oregon
Ana Linares
Portuguese Flagship
University of Texas at Austin
Molood Saeed
Chinese Flagship
University of Rhode Island
Team 3
Escape the Flagship
A simulation for achieving a better understanding of language in order to communicate better in an interpersonal relationship.
Natasha Dorr-Kapczynski
Portuguese Flagship
University of Georgia
Conrad Du
Chinese Flagship
University of Rhode Island
Makayla (Micah) McMinn
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina
Anthony Poon
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Camille Thompson
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State University
Team 4
Ghost Stories Untold
A mystery/fantasy game in which players rely on listening and reading comprehension skills and cultural/historical knowledge to interact with ghosts to escape a cave.
Cheryl Chen
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Belen Gad
Portuguese Flagship
University of Georgia
Ethan Joss
Chinese Flagship
Indiana University
Autumn Sniffen
Chinese Flagship
University of North Georgia
Yves Wienecke
Russian Flagship
Portland State University
Team 5
Operation H.I.L. (Hacking into Language)
Quintin Gay
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Belinda Liang
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Emily Lin
Chinese Flagship
University of Mississippi
Mamie Powers
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Jacob Schmitt
Chinese Flagship
Indiana University
Team 6
Trapped by Delusions
A multiplayer adventure game that utilizes the “information gap” to engage players in collaborative problem solving requiring skillful communication among team members.
Daniel Ferro
Chinese Flagship
University of Mississippi
Eliza Hernandez
Russian Flagship
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sophia Lu
Chinese Flagship
University of Washington
Sharon Ma
Chinese Flagship
University of Oregon
Tekla Maisashvili
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina
Team 7
FluenCity
A simulation and role playing game that places players in the role of a city builder that requires communication and interaction skills with villagers in culturally specific contexts.
Miguel Angel Bahena Schott
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina
Heather Jensen
Arabic Flagship
University of Arizona
Victoria Kwong
Chinese Flagship
University of Oregon
Shannon Li
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Juliette Oliver
Russian Flagship
University of California, Los Angeles
Team 8
Flagship Down
A survival and horror game that requires the player to fix the ship before it goes down while practicing their target language skills in a high stress situation.
Brooke Barton
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Peri Litt
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Audrey Moore
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Wesley Price
Chinese Flagship
Western Kentucky University
Samuel Quesada
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina
Team 9
ABSeas
Players engage in this action adventure game that places them in the role of a pirate that is tasked with recovering national treasure while building vocabulary and practicing dialogue.
Ashley Hermsmeyer
Russian Flagship
Virginia Tech
Maria Julian
Chinese Flagship
Western Kentucky University
Natalie Navarrete
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Leon Qu
Chinese Flagship
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Sarah Smith
Chinese Flagship
University of Mississippi
Team 10
Facade
A strategy playing game where players adopt the role of an intergalactic explorer that must infiltrate an alien planet to gather intelligence. They must not give away their true identity while being challenged to use the alien (target) language in skillful ways.
Leon Hartley
Chinese Flagship
University of Rhode Island
Armando Hernandez
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State University
Xiangmin Mo
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Grace Shields
Russian Flagship
Virginia Tech
Contact Information
TECH CENTER
1890 East West Road
Moore Hall 256
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-5121
tech.center@hawaii.edu
EVENTS
Upcoming Events
Strategies of Successful Learners of Chinese
Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 8:00 – 9:00 pm EDT
Have you found an efficient way to approach learning Chinese to get the best results? If you’re struggling to study effectively, or if you just want to up your game, this event is for you. The Tech Center Student Advisory Council is organizing a panel discussion featuring successful learners of Chinese who will share their strategies and advice with fellow Chinese Flagship students.
REGISTRATION: forms.gle/B9HStof3WqQ1YGDp9
Past Events
Strategies of Successful Language Learners
July 25th, 2021
World renowned learning strategies expert Dr. Carol Griffiths shared strategies used by successful language learners based on research.
Leveraging Your Flagship Experience Post Graduation
January 5th, 2021
Eva Cohn (DLNSEO) and Shabnam Ahmed (CTR: NSEP) presented strategies for Flagship students to market their skills online to their networks and future employers.
Leveraging Your Flagship Experience Post Graduation
January 5th, 2021
Eva Cohn (DLNSEO) and Shabnam Ahmed (CTR: NSEP) presented strategies for Flagship students to market their skills online to their networks and future employers.
