CodeIT – Enhancing Teachers’ professional development through algorithmic and programming Erasmus Project

Project Title

CodeIT – Enhancing Teachers’ professional development through algorithmic and programming

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

The CodeIT project concentrates on programming competence of teachers of non-IT subjects. The huge technological progress has forced the situation in which IT, and in particular, programming become the key competence of the 21st century. Today, digitization and technology development make programming language a language of communication. It is worth pointing out that programming is a method of developing useful competences such as causal thinking, analytics, and teamwork. We must be aware that children who are currently enrolled in school will in future perform professions that do not yet exist, and the only thing we can say about these jobs is that they will be technology based.

Ability to programming is recognised by the European authorities. Development of this skill is one of requirements in terms of development of key competencies. EU recommendations in “Developing Key Competences at School in Europe” – Eurydice report [2012], points that it is needed to include ICT competencies in ISCED 1-3. Also authorities of national levels (Ministries) have recognised programming as crucial in the development of children and lots of funding is addressed to teachers of teaching those children that are in classes 1-3. While large amount of money is being directed to train the teachers of initial education, the other teachers – those that teach in higher grades of elementary schools and gymnasiums seem to be omitted as far as programming training is concerned. This causes situation that on one hand children that had good start in the area of programming education in classes 1-3 will not receive the same level of education when they enter grade 4 and on the other, the teachers of higher grades don’t perceive as their professions are as strong as their colleagues and their self-esteem is lower when they compare themselves to those that teach younger children. According to Eurydice report, in project’s partner countries, ICT competencies are intended to be included in core curricula in primary and secondary schools. Countries (except RO & BG) agreed, that this competence has interdisciplinary status, what means that there is a need to implement it cross the curricula. Since that time, the efforts to make it happen have been made, but only IT applied cross curricular approach and implemented computer programming/coding in other subjects, but still, it is not a compulsory requirement at any level of education [European Schoolnet data, Computing our future, 2014, update 2015]. In other partners’ countries programming is not located in other subjects.

In order to fill this gap the project aim is to rise programming competences of teachers of non-IT subjects teaching in grades 4 and higher through development of innovative resources:
– Virtual Learning Environment for Teachers containing training materials in algorithmic and programming ant its didactic in other than IT subjects,
– Model lesson plans incorporating programming for Chemistry, Geography, Maths and Physics,
– Handbook entitled “Advance your teaching skills with the use of algorithmic and programming”,
and their wide dissemination and exploitation.

Primary target group: non-IT teachers from elementary schools (grades 4 and higher) and gymnasiums with special attention to teachers of Chemistry, Geography, Math and Physics
Secondary target group: students of primary schools in grades 4 and higher and gymnasiums (where it applies).

The project will directly involve 1007 participants. Teachers will be involved in various project activities: development of materials, providing feedback, evaluation, piloting. Students will be also involved during piloting phase during which models of lessons with incorporated programming will be tested. Stakeholders and decision makers will participate in multiplier events and in specially created stakeholders committees.

The methodology that the partnership intends to apply is going to be based on proper, competent management and effective monitoring of the activities, on-going assessment and evaluation of project outcomes, rigorous quality management, appropriate dissemination activities to generate awareness of the aims and objectives of the project. Assurance that the outputs are accomplished with high quality, on time and within the budget will be priority for all partners separately and for the consortium as a whole.

It is expected that the impact of the project will be significant at all levels but especially or regional levels in which partners have access to the Centres of teachers training and through them, to practically every school in given region. The project’s desired impact is to influence the decisions about school education referring to incorporating programming into non-IT subjects. It is expected that 250 teachers will enhance their competences at the end of the project and about 1000 after 3 years from the project end.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 224002,48 Eur

Project Coordinator

P.T.E.A. Wszechnica sp. z o. o. & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Kekavas vidusskola
• DANMAR COMPUTERS SP ZOO
• Istituto Superiore E. Mattei
• Colegiul National Pedagogic “Mircea Scarlat”
• M.K. INNOVATIONS LTD