ERIC Number: EJ1419730
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 31
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1946-6226
Investigating Participation Mechanisms in EU Code Week
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, v24 n1 Article 4 2024
Digital competence (DC) is a broad set of skills, attitudes, and knowledge for confident, critical, and responsible use of digital technologies in every aspect of life. DC proves essential in the contemporary digital landscape, yet its diffusion is hindered by biases, misunderstandings, and limited awareness. Teaching Informatics in the educational curriculum is increasingly supported by the institutions but faces serious challenges, such as teacher upskilling and support. In response, grassroots movements promoting computing literacy in an informal setting have grown, including EU Code Week, whose vision is to develop computing skills while promoting diversity and raising awareness of the importance of digital skills. This study extensively analyses EU Code Week editions spanning 2014 to 2021 across European Union member states, pursuing three primary objectives: firstly, to evaluate teacher engagement in the campaign in terms of penetration, retention, and spatial distribution; secondly, to characterise the multifaceted audience and themes embraced by these initiatives; and, lastly, to investigate the influence of socio-economic factors on engagement. The investigation uncovers the underlying mechanisms fostering Code Week's engagement, providing insights to campaign organisers for strategic planning and resource allocation in future editions. Moreover, the analysis reveals that the most engaged areas are characterised by lower income as well as lower digital literacy, restricted access to technology, and a less established computer education, suggesting that Code Week thrives precisely where its impact is most needed.
Descriptors: Computer Science Education, Information Science Education, Coding, Digital Literacy, Diversity, Foreign Countries, Teaching Methods, Teacher Participation, Audiences, Socioeconomic Influences, Low Income Groups, Access to Computers, Educational Needs, Program Descriptions, Citizen Participation
Association for Computing Machinery. 2 Penn Plaza Suite 701, New York, NY 10121. Tel: 800-342-6626; Tel: 212-626-0500; Fax: 212-944-1318; e-mail: acmhelp@acm.org; Web site: http://toce.acm.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: European Union
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A