WOMEN POWER CODE Erasmus Project

Project Title

WOMEN POWER CODE

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 adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

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

Project Summary

All documents are available in the file repository:
http://repository.erasmusplus.website/WPC/Final_Report/
Username: evaluator
Password: Evaluator101!

Context/Background
Digital technologies play an important role in the everyday life of most Europeans; the internet allows people, businesses and governments to transform the ways they communicate and engage with one another. Yet the question of digital divide is still very much relevant nowadays, disproportionally affecting girls and women across Europe. The causes of digital gender gap are multiple, and actions must therefore address different fields: the education system, the labor market, work-life balance, public services and the digital divide in general.

Objectives
The WOMEN POWER CODE PROJECT celebrates coding by, motivating adult women to start learning to code, as well as connecting individuals, groups, organizations and companies who are willing to help more women experience the joy and relevance of coding, and therefore reducing the gender digital divide, particularly targeting one of the most vulnerable groups, women between who are not digital natives (40-60 years old).

Profile of participants
WPC is addressed to women aged 40 to 60 willing to improve their daily life, to change their job or to find new opportunities. The project was implemented by a strategic partnership formed of seven partners from seven different EU Member States.

The first intellectual output concerned the definition of Internet of Things (IoT) concepts which are the starting point for entering the IoT area. Based on the concepts which needed to be understood, the output identified the knowledge, skills and competences for implementing IoT applications. The two main activities of the output were a desk research and a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis identified the opportunities for women in IT from the viewpoint of IoT
related knowledge, skills and competences. The SWOT analysis is provided together with a PowerPoint summary of the main conclusions of the work. These conclusions were translated to all the languages of the project for dissemination purposes.

The second intellectual output defined the conceptual framework on which the training course and delivery tools of the project is based. The purpose of IO2 was to define a curriculum for adult women to embrace IoT in their daily lives.

We first did an analysis of the tools to be used for fieldwork research and the identification of the structure of the course content. The second activity concerned the background work for the construction of the ECVET profile for the WPC Expert in the third activity.

We then focused on describing the competences linked to the specificities of the IT sector and ran a brainstorming session which provided the competencies, that our trainees will have once they complete the training course.
From this we decided to write content for the following modules:
Module 1: 3D Printing:
Unit 1: Introduction to 3D printing
Unit 2: 3D printers
Unit 3: Software
Module 2: Internet of Things:
Unit 1: Introduction to the IoT world
Unit 2: IoT in practice
Unit 3: Raspberry Pi platform

We then adapted and implemented our competencies into the ECVET profile in a 10 page document elaborating this.

Next we defined the framework and created a template that the content was to be written on. Internal Validation was then completed by Nerda who reviewed and validated the content. CIVIC created a Functional Specification and started developing the course and at the same time partners wrote the content for the training course over a few months. The course consists of x2 Modules, x6 units with 30 pages each (roughly), x180 pages, 12 videos. Content was then reviewed and translated.

We designed the open badges and prepared a final document defining the criteria behind gaining a badge. Once complete we ran pilots in each partner country with at least 10 people and produced a final report analysing the results.

We hired an external organisation to build a physical our Mini Mate computer which is designed so it is possible to assemble by anyone anywhere based on the instructions. The Mini Mates imitates an all-in-one desktop computer, offering ease of use as it will not be necessary to connect to an external screen to use it while it will be easier to connect external kits and electronics for physical computing and enhancement of STEM-related teaching. The Mini Mate is a fully fledged Raspberry Pi based computer. All the necessary components and peripherals are included in one package, so the person, after assembling it, can start right away using it.

Finally, the Women Power Code Social Learning Community was created using the forum activity provided by the Moodle platform and it allows learners (and teachers) to
exchange ideas by posting comments as part of a ‘thread’. Learners can both comment on an existing thread or they and start a new thread of discussion depending on their
interests.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 414705 Eur

Project Coordinator

CIVIC COMPUTING LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• STICHTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FRIESLAND
• EUROCREA MERCHANT SRL
• DANIEL SG LTD
• AMNIN DOO CENTER ZA ZNANSTVENO VIZUALIZACIJO
• DIGITAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
• Agentia pentru Dezvoltare Regionala Nord-Est