The purpose of this competition is to jump-start an OER repository, using the Connexions platform, on High Performance Computing (HPC) and parallel computing. We think that, by offering modest inducements (monetary prizes, publications, and fame), we can quickly collect a wide variety of modules to teach parallel computing. By using Connexions tools to publish and host these Open Educational Resources, they will be freely available (published under the Creative Commons attribution license) to the students, professors, and teachers who most need them. Instructors and teachers can then choose their preferred sets of existing modules sometimes enhanced by personally authored content, thus creating a variety of courses that are engaging, comprehensive, constantly updated, and customized to their students needs. The OER repository Connexions also support translation of modules into multiple languages. While the contest entries
must be in English we encourage authors to support language translations. In the long term, such an OER repository and the collaborative courses in it can form the foundation for a new way of teaching computer and computational science. This is admittedly a grand vision, but it is imperative that we start now to build core material for the coming wave of new computational learning.
Contest rules
To be considered for the contest, prospective authors are required to submit entries that adhere to the following guidelines:
- Prepare/author
original content in
English in one of the following five (5) contest categories:
-
Parallel architectures
Descriptions of parallel computers and how they operate, including particular systems (e.g. multicore chips) and general design principles (e.g. building interconnection networks).
-
Parallel programming models and languages
Abstractions of parallel computers useful for programming them efficiently, including both machine models (e.g. PRAM or LogP) and languages or extensions (e.g. OpenMP or MPI).
-
Parallel algorithms and applications
Methods of solving problems on parallel computers, from basic computations (e.g. parallel FFT or sorting algorithms) to full systems (e.g. parallel databases or seismic processing).
-
Tools for understanding and improving parallel programs, including parallel debuggers (e.g.
TotalView ) and performance analyzers (e.g.
HPCtoolkit and
TAU Performance System ).
-
Accelerated computing
Hardware and associated software can add parallel performance to more conventional systems, from Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) to innovative special-purpose hardware.
- Derived modules (i.e., creating a new module from a previously published module) will only be considered if the module is derived from your own previously published Connexions module. Modules derived from existing Connexions modules written by other authors, while generally encouraged in an open educational repository, will not be accepted in the contest. Co-authored modules are, however, permitted.
- The content, related to one of the subject areas,
must be published in Connexions. The author must not only upload a draft copy of the module into Connexions, but must go through the final step of publishing the module (agreeing to the Creative Commons open licensing terms adopted by Connexions) before the posted deadline. For additional information about each of the subject areas of the contest see the module Parallel Computing by Charles Koelbel.
- A single module can only be judged in one of the categories and it is the responsibility of the author to select the most appropriate category (authors must select the category in the web form discussed below). Modules sent to multiple categories will only be judged in the first category to which they are submitted.
- Authors are free to update the modules after the deadline and we encourage this. However, only the version that was current as of the posted deadline will be judged. Connexions allows access to time-stamped versions of modules so it is possible to judge the submitted version even as updates are being made.
- For a module to be considered in the contest, the author must also fill out and submit the form entitled “Submit Module” linked from the Open Education Cup web page at
(External Link) . The Submit Module form must be completed after the module is published in Connexions because the URL assigned to it is not permanent until that time. Updates to a module after the first version has been published will maintain the same module number, only the version number and time stamp will be updated.
- An individual author may, and is strongly encouraged to, submit more than one module. However, the same module may only be submitted to one content category. The author may submit multiple modules to the same content categories and/or submit modules to multiple content categories. Please see the Contest Award section for award descriptions and limitations.
- Entries MUST be submitted (both the published module in Connexions and Submit Module web form) on or before 5 p.m. (US central time zone) Monday, February 2, 2009.
