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All official REC Foundation events that qualify teams to a Championship event are required to have a Certified Judge Advisor, and all Judges are encouraged to use this certification course for training. If there is anything in the certification course that is in disagreement with the Official Game Manual, the Official Game Manual should be followed.
This course takes an average of 4 hours to complete, and represents 4 hours of professional development and training when completed.
Need to reach us about a course or certification? Email us at volunteercerts@recf.org.
Unit 1: Judging Principles
Introduction
This course is designed to teach volunteer Judge Advisors and Judges the procedures and resources needed to judge team interviews and engineering notebooks at a competition, and to determine winners of Judged awards. Judge Advisors and Judges help provide a consistent experience for participants within and across local, regional, national, and World Championship events.
Judge Advisors are required to pass the certification exam at the end of this course before volunteering in that role at a qualifying event. Judges are encouraged to take this course, but it is not a requirement for that volunteer position.
Throughout this course, you will find links to external resources that include important information for Judges and Judge Advisors. Please take time to read the identified sections of each resource before moving on to the unit exam.
This unit assists Judging volunteers in understanding the principles and ethos of judging at REC Foundation events.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Explain the principles and ethos of judging at REC Foundation events
- Describe the importance of youth protection at events
- Recall the intents of both the Student-Centered Policy and the Code of Conduct
Judging Principles
At a VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC), VEX Robotics Competition (VRC), or VEX U tournament, groups of volunteer Judges work together under the guidance of Judge Advisors to evaluate teams against specific award criteria. Judges have an enormous impact on students, and must ensure that all interactions with students and other volunteers are rational and respectful. The REC Foundation Judging Principles serve as a mindset and set of rules that all Judges and Judge Advisors should follow during and after events.
Read the Guide to Judging: Judging Principles now.
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Learn the importance of confidentiality, impartiality, and consistency in judging
- Discover that Judges are expected to apply qualitative judgment
- Review how Judges ensure Inclusion, balance, and integrity of awards
- Read the guidelines created to ensure youth protection at events
- Learn about the REC Foundation’s Student-Centered Policy and Code of Conduct
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 2: Judging Roles
Introduction
This Unit describes the three volunteer roles that have responsibilities in the judging process at tournaments.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Identify the three volunteer roles in the judging process
- Recall the general responsibilities of each Judging volunteer role
- Recognize the requirements and restrictions of each Judging volunteer role
Judging Roles
Judges, Judge Advisors, and Event Partners all have roles and responsibilities in the process of judging at an event. Some of these responsibilities overlap, but each of these roles have specific tasks that they are expected to take on before, during, and after a tournament.
Read the Guide to Judging: Judging Roles now.
- Learn the minimum ages for each judging volunteer role
- Read the general responsibilities of each role during a tournament
- Discover the limitations on an Event Partner’s role in the judging process
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 3: Event Preparation and Execution
Introduction
This unit describes the process of preparing for judging at a tournament.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Recognize the phases of event planning and execution
- Recall specific tasks that must be completed by each volunteer
- Explain how Event Partner, Judge Advisor and Judge volunteers coordinate their work
- Identify event characteristics that impact the judging process
Event Preparation and Execution
The success of judging is ensured by proper event planning, preparation, and execution by each type of volunteer associated with judging at the event. Judging should be considered during the initial stages of event planning, and as part of every stage through the end of the event.
Read the Guide to Judging: Event Preparation and Execution now.
- Review tasks that occur prior to each event, and who handles them
- Read through the judging-related tasks for each volunteer role on event day
- Recognize tasks which multiple volunteers must work on together
- Study a sample timeline for an in-person event with in-person judging
- Discover event characteristics that affect the scope of judging at the event
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 4: Awards
Introduction
This unit introduces the categories of awards at VIQRC and VRC tournaments, describes the awards in each category, and explains the role of the Qualifying Criteria in the judging process.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Understand how to use the Qualifying Criteria document to determine which of an event’s awards qualify teams for a higher level of competition
- Identify the most commonly offered awards at REC Foundation qualifying competitions
- Describe the new criteria for the Excellence Award
- Recognize teams that meet the new criteria for the Innovate Award
- Correctly categorize each award
- Recall the names of and criteria for each of the Judged Awards
Awards
The REC Foundation judging process gives students an opportunity to practice written communication skills through the engineering notebook, practice verbal communication skills through the team interview, and demonstrate the values of the REC Foundation Code of Conduct and Student-Centered policies.
Judging recognizes and celebrates what teams have learned and the hard work they have put into the robotics competition as an educational activity. Judged awards can qualify teams to higher levels of competition.
Read the Guide to Judging: Awards now.
- Discover how the Qualifying Criteria are used to determine which of an event’s awards qualify teams for a higher level of competition
- Review the most commonly offered awards at REC Foundation qualifying competitions
- Discover the new criteria for the Excellence Award
- Review the new criteria for the Innovate Award
- Learn the specific awards in each category
- Explore the names of and criteria for each of the Judged Awards
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 5: Judging Engineering Notebooks
Introduction
This unit introduces the Engineering Design Process; describes the Engineering Notebook and its key attributes; and presents the steps, tools, and methods used for judging Engineering Notebooks.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Describe the importance of an Engineering Notebook
- Recognize the general steps of the Engineering Design Process
- Determine when the Engineering Notebook is required for judging, and when it isn’t
- Recall the key attributes of developing and fully developed Engineering Notebooks
- List the basic steps in judging an Engineering Notebook
- Understand how to use the Engineering Notebook Rubric
Judging Engineering Notebooks
VIQRC and VRC student teams use engineering notebooks to document their work and use of the Engineering Design Process as they develop and refine their robot and code over a season. An Engineering Notebook is a required component of some, but not all, Judged Awards. At tournaments, Judges review and sort notebooks as either Developing or Fully Developed, and judge Fully Developed notebooks against a standard rubric.
Read the Guide to Judging: Judging Engineering Notebooks and review the Engineering Notebook Rubric now.
- Learn the importance of Engineering Notebooks in the VEX Robotics competitions
- Review the steps of the Engineering Design Process
- Discover when the Engineering Notebook is required for judging, and when it isn’t
- Read the key attributes of Developing and Fully Developed Engineering Notebooks
- List the basic steps in judging Engineering Notebooks
- Explore the criteria and proficiency levels in the Engineering Notebook Rubric
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 6: Team Interviews
Introduction
This unit describes how volunteer Judges conduct Team Interviews at competitions, record observations and assessments using the Team Interview Rubric, and identify initial candidates for Judged Awards.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Understand how to use the official tools during team interviews
- Recall some suggested interview questions
- List some attributes of a high-quality interview
- Describe how interviews are conducted at events
- Explain how Judges work together to identify initial awards candidates
Team Interviews
At VIQRC and VRC tournaments, volunteer Judges interview teams to learn about their understanding and use of the Engineering Design Process. Judges ask questions about a team’s strategies for the game, robot, code, and project management, then use the Team Interview Rubric to rate and record the team’s responses. After interviewing multiple teams, Judging sub-groups identify their initial candidates for each award and present them to the larger Judging panel for cross-interviews and deliberation.
Read the Guide to Judging: Team Interviews and review the Team Interview Tips and Sample Questions, Team Interview Rubric, and Initial Candidate Ranking Sheet now.
- Learn how interviews are conducted at events
- Review recommendations for team interview questions
- Explore the criteria and proficiency levels in the Team Interview Rubric
- Read about how Judges identify initial candidates for each award
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 7: Award Deliberations
Introduction
This unit introduces award deliberations, which is the final step of the judging process used to determine the winners of Judged Awards at an event.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Express the importance of confidentiality and impartiality in the process
- Recall how Judges deliberate to arrive at a short list of award nominees
- Recognize the steps to gather additional information about award nominees
- Identify the tools and procedures used to help determine award winners
- Know how to properly dispose of judging materials after an event
Award Deliberations
Award Deliberation is the process in which Judges candidly discuss and compare teams to one another using the information gained from observation, field notes, team interviews, and Engineering Notebooks. The Judge Advisor facilitates as Judge sub-groups nominate their initial award candidates, potentially cross-interview top candidates, rank finalists, and determine award winners. A variety of tools help Judges during deliberations, but should not be used to mathematically identify winners. Judges should apply qualitative judgment to select the winners of all Judged Awards.
Read the Guide to Judging: Award Deliberations and review the Award Description sheets and Final Award Nominee Ranking Sheet now.
- Learn the importance of confidentiality and impartiality in the deliberation process
- Discover how Judges deliberate to arrive at a short list of award nominees
- Review the steps to gather additional information about award nominees
- Read through the tools and procedures used to help determine award winners, and how the Judge Advisor facilitates the process
- Learn how to properly dispose of judging materials after an event
When you’re done, return here to check your understanding of what you’ve learned.
Unit 8: Remote Judging
Introduction
This unit introduces the guidelines for events that include remote judging of engineering notebooks and/or team interviews.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, a Judging volunteer should be able to:
- Describe the Remote Digital Engineering Notebook judging process
- Describe the Remote Initial Team Interview judging process
- Recall remote judging protocols for youth protection
Remote Judging Processes
Remote Judging can occur in the form of Remote Digital Engineering Notebook Judging, Remote Initial Judged Team Interviews, or a combination of both. Remote judging is essentially the same as in-person judging, but there are some changes to the process, norms, and protocols.
Read the Guide to Judging: Remote Judging now.
- Review the process for remote judging of Digital Engineering Notebooks
- Review the process for conducting Remote Initial Team Interviews
- Learn about remote judging protocols that help protect student team members
That’s it! You’re now ready to take the final Unit Quiz and proceed on to the final exam for this course. Thank you for taking the time to read and understand the Judge Advisor & Judge training materials. If you need to refer back to the content referenced in this course during the season, it’s all available in the judging section of the RECF Resources library. The time you have invested will help make events run more smoothly and be more enjoyable for all participants!
Judge Advisor Certification Exam
Congratulations! You've reached the end of the course, and are ready to assess your knowledge in the final exam. Click this link to proceed to the final exam. Note that to fill the role of a Judge Advisor at a Qualifying Event, you must meet the minimum age requirement (20 for VIQRC, 20 for VRC, 21 for VEX U) and pass the final exam with a score of 90% or better (at least 49 of 54 questions answered correctly).
If you meet the following criteria, you will be given access to post questions in the official Judging Q&A on Robot Events. Permissions are generally assigned within 2 weeks of the date that you pass the final exam.
- Must be at least 20 years old at the time you pass the certification exam
- Must pass the final exam with a score of at least 90% (49 of 54 questions)
- Must have a user account on RobotEvents.com
- Must provide the email address associated with the RobotEvents.com account when prompted on the final exam
Certificates for the 2023-2024 season certification courses are emailed approximately once per week, and are sent to the email address entered during the exam. You can confirm your status as a Certified Judge Advisor by contacting your region’s Event Engagement Manager (US) or Regional Support Manager (international).
Need to reach us about a course or certification? Email us at volunteercerts@recf.org.