Teaching programming in primary school: curriculum, didactic methods, textbooks, online support Erasmus Project

Project Title

Teaching programming in primary school: curriculum, didactic methods, textbooks, online support

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

At European level there exist noticeable discrepancies in teaching programming – in Finland, Croatia and Poland teaching programming at primary school is a basic element of core curriculum for general education. It is worth mentioning here that the most advanced and complex schemes are currently being run in Finland, then in Croatia and recently they have also been introduced in Poland – https://programowanie.men.gov.pl/o-pilotazu/. Whereas in Portugal programming at primary school is only a topic for debates concerning education.
The main objective of the project to be achieved during 2 years of the project implementation is the following:
– to create a coherent system of teaching programming at primary school together with necessary teaching resources that will be uniform for all project participating countries.
Specific objectives to be achieved during 2 years of the project implementation:
– to create a coherent core curriculum for teaching programming at primary school,
– to design and test 50 model lesson plans to teach programming at primary school,
– to design, test and share 2 textbooks for teaching programming at grades 1-3 and 4-8 of primary school,
– to design, test and make available the Internet platform that will support teaching programming at primary school,

JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO is the Leader of the following Intellectual Output: designing and translating into English the core curriculum for teaching programming at primary school. Joint and coherent core curriculum for teaching programming at primary school forms basis for subsequent activities that will be implemented by project partners in Croatia. Additionally, JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO will be responsible for translating the project materials into Finnish.

I Osnovna Szkola Cakovec is the Leader of the next Intellectual Output. They will prepare 50 tested model lesson plans that will be coherent with the core curriculum. Designing lesson plans is the next logical step in implementing the new core curriculum for practical teaching. Additionally, I Osnovna Szkola Cakovec will be responsible for translating the project materials into Croatian.

Skolska knjiga d.d. is the Leader of another Intellectual Output. They will prepare 2 textbooks for teaching programming at primary school: one for grades 1-3 and the other for grades 4-8 and translate them into English. They are also the Leader of another Intellectual Output, i.e. creating the Internet platform that will support teaching programming at primary school in Croatian and English.

Zamojskie Towarzystwo Oświatowe is the Leader of the subsequent Intellectual Output. They will prepare concept of testing, test the core curriculum, lesson plans and the Internet platform involving at least 200 students and 20 teachers. After working out coherent core curriculum, they will test lesson plans, textbooks and the Internet platform. It will take place in all project partner countries and will involve at least 200 students and 20 teachers. The testing process will last about 3 months and will be used as an evaluation of designed teaching tools. ZTO will be also responsible for translating the project materials into Polish.

Agrupamento de Escolas de Fornos de Algodres is the Leader of Dissemination process. They will work out and implement strategy for disseminating project results within European Union. On the basis of former results Zamojskie Towarzystwo Oświatowe will work out and implement strategy for disseminating project results in all EU member states. Agrupamento de Escolas de Fornos de Algodres will also translate the project materials into Portuguese.
Tangible results on project completion:
– consolidated and coherent core curriculum for teaching programming at primary school (a report in 4 partner native languages and in English),
– 50 tested model lesson plans consistent with newly designed core curriculum (compilation in 4 partner native languages and in English),
– 2 textbooks for teaching programming at primary school: one for grades 1-3 and the other for grades 4-8 (compilation in 4 partner native languages and in English),
– the Internet platform supporting teaching programming at primary school with teaching materials, open to anyone interested and available in 4 partner native languages and in English,
– active project on eTwinning and TwinSpace concerning programming at primary school,
Intangible results:
– project participants will gain new knowledge,
– participating teachers will get familiar with methods of teaching programming in partner countries,
– there will be established a new network of partners,
– interest in teaching programming will increase

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 180050 Eur

Project Coordinator

Zamojskie Towarzystwo Oswiatowe & Country: PL

Project Partners

• l. osnovna skola Cakovec
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Fornos de Algodres
• Skolska knjiga d.d.
• JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO