Description
The Congressional Hackathon is a bipartisan event which congressional staffers and outside groups attend to discuss how Congress can improve its work through technology. They pitch ideas about apps they have created and how Congress can be more open and accessible. In this lesson, students will hear some innovative ideas from organizations who aim to assist Congress in this endeavor.
Procedures
STEP 1:
As a class, view the following two video clips to provide background information on this event. Use the accompanying questions to guide class discussion.
Students may also use the document below to take notes:
Google Doc: Congressional Hackathon
Stephen Dwyer and Chris Bien talk about the purpose of the Congressional Hackathon.
VIDEO CLIP 1: Congressional Hackathon: Stephen Dwyer, U.S. House of Representatives Senior Adviser to Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (6:18)
VIDEO CLIP 2: Congressional Hackathon: Chris Bien, U.S. House Floor Assistant for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (1:54)
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What is the Congressional Hackathon?
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Explain the goal of the first Congressional Hackathon. What was accomplished?
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How do they address the issue of security?
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What is the role of the Cloud?
- Explain the significance of bipartisanship at this event.
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STEP 2:
View the video clips below as a class or a jigsaw activity to hear ideas that are being showcased by various organizations at this event to improve the way Congress operates.
VIDEO CLIP 3: Breakout Session: The Moonshot Group (3:52)
OpenGov Foundation Executive Director Seamus Kraft talks about how the organization is working on congressional digital services including constituent engagement.
VIDEO CLIP 4: Breakout Session: DotGov.com (2:49)
CEO John Leary of Dotgov.com talks about the organizations' development of applications that compile congressional committee hearing reports as well as constituent case work.
VIDEO CLIP 5: OpenGov Foundation: Phone Based Engagement (3:10)
OpenGov Foundation Director of Product Aaron Ogle, showcases the company's product to assist communication between constituents and members of Congress.
VIDEO CLIP 6: General Services Administration: Delivering Content on Platforms (3:33)
Peter Burkholder, Specialist, General Services Administration, talks about how the company can help creators manage and deliver their content on platforms.
VIDEO CLIP 7: U.S. House of Representatives: Technology to Compare, Archive, and Manipulate Bills (3:20)
Kirsten Gullickson, Senior Systems Analyst for the U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk, talks about the development of a tool that compares different versions of bills and how to manage working with them on digital devices.
VIDEO CLIP 8: GovTrack.us: Bill Tracking (3:19)
GovTrack.us Founder Josh Tauberer explains improvements his organization has made in technology that tracks the text in congressional bills as well as accessibility to documents and ethics violations.
VIDEO CLIP 9: Whip Watch App (3:54)
Stephen Dwyer, U.S. House of Representatives Senior Adviser to Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), talks about improvements to their Whip Watch App to include information about time left to vote on bills, tallies and public access to information.
STEP 3:
After viewing the videos, have students share the innovative idea that was being presented in the clip. As a class discuss how these ideas can effect change in how Congress operates.
Activity: Classroom Congressional Hackathon
Students can work individually or with a partner(s) to develop their own ideas of how to improve the way Congress interacts with constituents as well as colleagues. Encourage students to be creative and consider the ways they communicate with technology on a variety of platforms to increase civic engagement. Each student or group can present their idea within an allotted time.
Additional Resources
- Lesson Plan: Improving How Congress Works
This lesson has students research the effectiveness of Congress. Using proposed solutions for improving how Congress works, students will evaluate each proposal and develop a plan to fix it. Video clips of former and current members of Congress, journalists and professors are included. Topics include term limits, gerrymandering, primaries, earmarks, filibuster rules, lobbying, and campaign finance reform.
- Lesson Plan: Student Civic Engagement
Engaging students in civic education cultivates them to become informed and engaged citizens. In this lesson, students will explore the current state of civic education in the U.S., hear viewpoints on engaging students in civic activities as well as experience the actions of their peers across the country as they seek to affect change.
Vocabulary
- Archive
- Beta Stage
- Commodity
- Constituent
- Leverage
- Modernizing Government Technology Act
- Omnibus