Learn-Apply-Reinforce/Share Learning : Hackathons and CTFs as General Pedagogic Tools in Higher Education, and Their Applicability to Distance Learning

This paper lays out two teaching/learning methods that are becoming increasingly prevalent in computer science - hackathons, and Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions - and the pedagogic theory that underpins them. A case study of each is analysed, and the underpinning similarities extracted. The frameworks are then generalised to Learn-Apply-Reinforce/Share Learning-a social constructivistic method that can be used subject-independently. The applicability of this new method to distance learning is then investigated-with a mind to potential necessity to work from home-both due to increasing demand in the Higher Education sector, but also the devastating impact of crises such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, potential extensions and future applications are discussed-including possibilities to pivot the method to drive research