Riga Puzzle Day: Fostering Algorithmic Thinking for Students in Latvia

"Riga Puzzle Day" is an educational initiative organized by the Riga City Council and RTU Riga Business School in cooperation with Luminor Bank. The primary target audience of the initiative is 11th–12th grade students from Riga's general secondary education institutions in teams of 2–3 people, as well as school educators and class teachers. The initiative is adapted from the Harvard University experience (Harvard Puzzle Day), where it has become a popular tradition. The main goal is to develop youth's logical and critical thinking, foster collaboration and problem-solving skills, and encourage interest in information technology and computer science.

The "Riga Puzzle Day" initiative was launched in Latvia in 2023 and has successfully taken place for three consecutive years, becoming an annual tradition. Each in-person event gathered an average of over 250 young people (forming around 70 teams). Over three years, more than 700 Riga high schoolers have taken on this logic and computing challenge.

The initiative has gradually scaled and been implemented in other Latvian cities and municipalities through cooperation between Riga Business School and local municipalities or education boards: Sigulda, Ogre, and Cēsis. Overall, by scaling the initiative from Riga to the regions, more than 500 high school students across Latvia have already taken part in the "Puzzle Day" logic challenges.

Main activities and progress

The initiative combines an intensive logic challenge for students with a professional development programme for teachers.

Logic challenges marathon for students: Student teams solve 10 tricky logic tasks within 3 hours, where each task has only one correct answer. It is allowed to use the Internet in the process of resolution. Students can use the internet while solving tasks.
Low entry barrier for tech skills:The tasks do not require prior programming experience, emphasizing that computer science is based on problem solving and analytical thinking.
Parallel sessions for teachers: Separate educational and inspiring sessions are provided for teachers to develop their personal and professional competences while students are solving tasks.
Partner activities and answer breakdown: At the end of the event, participants have the opportunity to visit partners' interactive stands, listen to explanations of task answers and participate in the awards ceremony, receiving valuable prizes from initiative partners.

Why is this a good practice?

Riga Puzzle Day is an effective example of good practice in several key aspects:

Adaptation of an internationally recognized methodology: Adopting Harvard University's format provides high-quality, proven educational content that offers an engaging experience for young people.
Comprehensive approach to the target audience: The event delivers value simultaneously to both students (practical skill development and teamwork) and teachers (competency development and networking).
Tripartite cooperation (public, academic, and private sectors): The initiative is based on a partnership between the Riga Municipality, RTU Riga Business School, and Luminor Bank, combining institutional, educational, and financial resources.
Building a better understanding of IT and computer science: By emphasizing logic and analytical thinking rather than writing code, it reduces anxiety and attracts students who have no prior experience with programming.

RBS Riga Puzzle Day official website.

#RigaPuzzleDay #CodeweekEU #Code4Europe