Guide · Mini dictionary

Words you’ll need in the pitch

Keep the precise terms: panels notice them: but start from plain meaning.

Socratic companion

A tutor-style AI that helps you think with hints and questions: not one that hands you the finished answer.

Why it matters: This is what your trio is building. If it dumps answers, you’re off-brief.

Days 1 to 5 · Hackathon

Cognitive scaffolding

Deliberate support that holds you up while you learn a skill: like a hint that lets you climb the next step yourself.

Why it matters: Your system instructions should scaffold, not remove the climb.

Day 3 · Starters · Probes

Agency / autonomy

The learner stays in charge of real choices. The bot informs; it doesn’t decide for them.

Why it matters: Autonomy audits and pitch language: “we defer final choices.”

Days 3 to 4

Anthropomorphism

Talking as if the AI were a person with feelings (“I feel sad”, “I’m proud of you”).

Why it matters: Overtrust risk. Your companion should sound like a tool with clear machine identity.

Day 4 · Probes

Value alignment

Checking whose interests the system serves: user, developer, society: and spotting clashes.

Why it matters: Your charter on Day 2 should say what your companion optimises for (learning, not addiction metrics).

Day 2 · Frameworks

Socioaffective alignment

Designing AI so it supports healthy human needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness) instead of fake intimacy or deskilling.

Why it matters: Day 3 audits: boundary, scaffolding, agency.

Day 3 · Frameworks

Trust calibration

Trusting the model the right amount: not blind faith, not total rejection. Checking claims, spotting manipulation cues.

Why it matters: Day 4 probes for urgency, guilt, fear, social proof.

Days 1 & 4

AI Project Card

The written pack you present on Day 5: what you built, what was in the data, your system instructions, and safety evidence.

Why it matters: The panel scores the card + demo together. Weak card loses strong bots.

All week · Field guide

Theme Data Pack

Curated materials for Environmental Science, History, or Math that you load into Gemini Notebook in Phase 1.

Why it matters: Your dataset section should admit gaps and biases in that pack: honesty scores.

Day 2

ASTC typology

A map of public AI engagement types (literacy, input into development, social meaning, infrastructure). Used to structure the week: not something you must memorise for the pitch.

Why it matters: Explains why days feel different; one line in curriculum is enough.

Curriculum map