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Global Tech Marathons

Hands‑On Technical Learning for IEEE Women in Engineering Students Worldwide

Global Tech Marathons2026-05-13T14:50:57-04:00

AI Prompt Engineering Marathon: Learn to Code with AI Prompts

The prize(s) for the Contest are being sponsored by the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society.

This 3-hour AI Prompt Engineering Marathon teaches beginners how to use prompt engineering as a coding learning engine.

This marathon is not about memorizing syntax or passively following tutorials. It is about learning how to learn coding by using AI prompts as a thinking and exploration tool.

Participants will discover how to:

  • Ask better questions of AI
  • Use prompts to understand unfamiliar code
  • Debug intentionally instead of guessing
  • Turn AI into a personal, reusable coding tutor

By the end of the marathon, learners won’t just write code; they’ll know how to think with AI while learning code.

One winner from each session will receive a $50 gift certificate sponsored by the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society

Instead of reading documentation end‑to‑end, participants actively:

  • Interact with AI locally using Ollama
  • Break things on purpose
  • Learn through explanation, error, and iteration
  • Build a reusable AI Coding Tutor Prompt

The experience follows a proven learning progression:
Learn → Break → Build → Teach

The Learning Model

  • Understand

    Ask AI to explain code. Learn how to use prompts to:

    • Translate unfamiliar code into plain language
    • Ask “why” instead of just “what”
    • Control depth, examples, and explanation level
  • Experiment

    Break and fix with intent:

    • Introduce errors intentionally
    • Use prompts to investigate failures
    • Debug through dialogue, not panic
  • Build

    Prompt‑driven mini project:

    • Build step‑by‑step using structured prompts
    • Rely on AI reasoning instead of copy‑paste
    • See how prompt quality affects outcomes
  • Teach

    Create a reusable AI Coding Tutor:

    • Explains code
    • Diagnoses errors
    • Adapts to skill level

Session Breakdown

Pre‑Marathon Setup (Required)

All participants must complete setup before Hour 1

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