Write It Do It B/C

[GoofyFoofer]

That's crazy. The highest I know of was when one of my buddies in Florida had like 25 or so pieces.
And yeah, I think we are allowed to talk about the structure, as long as the competition(s) are already done.

[chalker]

Here's something to think about (which applies to many events, not just this one): If a competition such as Nationals has 60 teams competing, and the structure only has say 20 pieces, each worth an equal amount, then you only have 20 possible scores you can give. That would result in every team on average being tied with 2 other teams. In SO event you generally should have at LEAST 1.5x the number of teams for possible points / scores you can assign so you don't have to break too many ties.

[GoofyFoofer]

Good point. I guess the structures should have enough pieces to discourage ties like that.

[hscmom]

Hmmm - I figured that each piece could be worth more than a point (so that you could differentiate teams by score easier). Let's say that part of the structure is a baby block. There are several things that can be right or wrong about it. It could be totally missing (so you get no points). Or it could be part of the build. If it IS part of the build then it can be correctly oriented (the little sailboat picture is facing the builder and the sail's top points left) or not. It can be stacked correctly (the green block can be on top of the baby block or underneath it - one is right...). It can touch the red ball or not. It can be 2 cm from the edge of the base/tray or not. So, I could see the following rubric section (each with a point or two as the judges determine beforehand) regarding JUST the baby block:

1) Is it present?
2) Is it on top of the green block?
3) If on the green block, is the left edge of the baby block 2 mm to the right of the left edge of the green block?
3) Is it the right distance from the edge of the tray?
4) Does the sailboat face the builder?
5) Does the sailboat's mast point left?
6) Does the block's right edge touch the red ball right on the end of the middle line of the E?


Maybe I'm daft, but having coached this for half a decade now, I can see how you can have 100 potential points on a 15 item build. There is presence, location, relationships, orientations. distances, angles, and even sometimes the right piece (maybe the writer sees a dark yellow block but the builders' kits have two almost identical blocks, one being dark yellow and one a very pale yellow - more credit is given if the builder used the right one, which could happen by luck or could happen because the pair practiced enough to know to call the dark yellow "dark yellow" or similarly there might be a regular paper clip and a jumbo one to pick from in the builders' kits and a practiced writer should know what a default paper clip looks like).

Am I missing something obvious here? Am I over-coaching this?

[Unome]

Hmmm - I figured that each piece could be worth more than a point (so that you could differentiate teams by score easier). Let's say that part of the structure is a baby block. There are several things that can be right or wrong about it. It could be totally missing (so you get no points). Or it could be part of the build. If it IS part of the build then it can be correctly oriented (the little sailboat picture is facing the builder and the sail's top points left) or not. It can be stacked correctly (the green block can be on top of the baby block or underneath it - one is right...). It can touch the red ball or not. It can be 2 cm from the edge of the base/tray or not. So, I could see the following rubric section (each with a point or two as the judges determine beforehand) regarding JUST the baby block:

1) Is it present?
2) Is it on top of the green block?
3) If on the green block, is the left edge of the baby block 2 mm to the right of the left edge of the green block?
3) Is it the right distance from the edge of the tray?
4) Does the sailboat face the builder?
5) Does the sailboat's mast point left?
6) Does the block's right edge touch the red ball right on the end of the middle line of the E?


Maybe I'm daft, but having coached this for half a decade now, I can see how you can have 100 potential points on a 15 item build. There is presence, location, relationships, orientations. distances, angles, and even sometimes the right piece (maybe the writer sees a dark yellow block but the builders' kits have two almost identical blocks, one being dark yellow and one a very pale yellow - more credit is given if the builder used the right one, which could happen by luck or could happen because the pair practiced enough to know to call the dark yellow "dark yellow" or similarly there might be a regular paper clip and a jumbo one to pick from in the builders' kits and a practiced writer should know what a default paper clip looks like).

Am I missing something obvious here? Am I over-coaching this?

That makes sense.

[hscmom]

That makes sense.

Thanks. That's what I'm coaching to - get the right piece in the right place in the right orientation the right distance from the other pieces...

[erikb]

Hmmm - I figured that each piece could be worth more than a point (so that you could differentiate teams by score easier).

While you are correct, the rubrics do account for many aspects however, at nationals they tend to have tests that are very hard to complete in time. (not just WIDI)

In the past there have been tests that students can complete. Then comes the problem of how do you award first place. So with 15 pieces, yes the max score could be 105 or more but, too many teams would be conglomerated around that max score. With more then one team getting perfect a score.

Think about that, many teams at nationals have practiced just as much as your kids and for years at the high school level. 15 pieces would be easy.

But, if you make it so large that they can not describe every aspect of every piece in detail then it becomes a test of who can convey the information quickly and accurately.

That is the point, who can do this the best. Not who can be perfect.

[Unome]

Hmmm - I figured that each piece could be worth more than a point (so that you could differentiate teams by score easier).

While you are correct, the rubrics do account for many aspects however, at nationals they tend to have tests that are very hard to complete in time. (not just WIDI)

In the past there have been tests that students can complete. Then comes the problem of how do you award first place. So with 15 pieces, yes the max score could be 105 or more but, too many teams would be conglomerated around that max score. With more then one team getting perfect a score.

Think about that, many teams at nationals have practiced just as much as your kids and for years at the high school level. 15 pieces would be easy.

But, if you make it so large that they can not describe every aspect of every piece in detail then it becomes a test of who can convey the information quickly and accurately.

That is the point, who can do this the best. Not who can be perfect.

Well said.

[hscmom]

Think about that, many teams at nationals have practiced just as much as your kids and for years at the high school level. 15 pieces would be easy.

But, if you make it so large that they can not describe every aspect of every piece in detail then it becomes a test of who can convey the information quickly and accurately.

That is the point, who can do this the best. Not who can be perfect.

Which is why a good WIDI coach will test their teams with "easy" and "hard" builds. The writer has the important task of quickly assessing what sits before him and deciding how much detail to give. Small build? Lots of detail. Huge build? Just get the pieces close. The builder has the more important task of trusting that the writer did the very best given the complexity (or simplicity!) of the build and the time allotted.

Practice, practice, practice!

[GoofyFoofer]

For me, it wasn't practice, it was mostly luck. I was assigned on the WI/DI team the day before the competition (I'm not kidding) and I did much better than I thought I would.