The 19th volume of the journal Olympiads in Informatics has just been released and it offers a wide range of valuable research and practical insights for educators in informatics and computer science. Closely associated with the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), the journal serves as a bridge between academic research and educational practice in the field of algorithmic thinking and programming education.
Founded in 1989, the IOI is one of the world’s most prestigious informatics competitions for secondary school students. It aims not only to promote excellence in algorithmic problem solving but also to promote international cooperation and innovation in informatics education. The Olympiads in Informatics journal contributes to this mission by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research related to informatics contests, training and teaching methodologies.
The newly published Volume 19 includes several articles particularly relevant to informatics teachers who wish to deepen their understanding of task design, student engagement and curriculum development.
One highlight of the volume is the paper: “Evaluating Interactive Tasks through the Lens of Computational and Algebraic Thinking, Interactivity Types, and Multimedia Design Principles” by Y. Gulbahar, T. Öztürk, V. Dagienė, M. Parviainen, I. Güven and J. Bilbao. This article presents a robust framework for evaluating interactive informatics tasks, drawing on principles from computational thinking, algebraic reasoning and multimedia design. It provides practical recommendations for developing effective and engaging learning materials, particularly valuable for those teaching programming and algorithmic problem solving at the secondary level.
In addition, several papers from this volume will be presented at the upcoming IOI Conference, to be held on July 30, 2025 in Sucre, Bolivia, during the IOI 2025. This will be an excellent opportunity for educators and researchers to engage in discussions and exchange ideas on informatics education and competition development.
Beyond this, Volume 19 includes articles on:
- Task analysis methodologies
- Strategies for preparing students for informatics competitions
- Integration of Olympiad content into national curricula
These contributions make the volume an invaluable resource for teachers seeking both theoretical grounding and practical tools for classroom and competition settings.
We warmly invite informatics educators to explore this latest edition and to consider contributing to future issues. Your experiences and research can help shape the evolving landscape of informatics education.
Explore volume 19 of Olympiads in Informatics here: https://ioinformatics.org/page/ioi-journal/1
