Schlagwort: Impact of our work

  • Adapting our computing curriculum resources for Kenya — the journey so far

    Adapting our computing curriculum resources for Kenya — the journey so far

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Young people everywhere deserve a high-quality computing education. But what a high-quality computing education looks like differs depending on a learner’s culture, context, and the existing provision in the country they live in. Therefore, adapting our educational resources for a range of contexts is a key part of our work at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, for example when we collaborate with partners to localise our Computing Curriculum resources.

    Two young people using a computer.

    In this blog post, we share our experiences of adapting curriculum resources with our partners in Kenya, and the impact of this work. This is the first post in a mini-series of three — look out for the upcoming ones about our partnerships in the Indian states of Odisha and Telangana.

    Our computing curriculum partnerships in Kenya

    Last year, we embarked on partnerships in two areas of Kenya and aimed to roll out computing curriculum resources to students in grades 4 to 9 in Kenyan schools:

    During the 2024 academic year, we trained 39 local community trainers, who subsequently trained 453 teachers. We also adapted The Computing Curriculum materials to develop resources — lesson plans, presentation slides, and supporting activities — that are relevant and engaging in the schools our partners work with.

    Educators participate in a teacher training in Kenya.

    Impact in 2024

    We estimate that around 55,000 students were reached by our Kenya computing curriculum resources in 2024. Most teachers who had used our resources felt the lessons had improved their students’ knowledge and skills. Of those who responded to our follow-up survey:

    • 94% agreed that their students had improved their knowledge of computing concepts
    • 92% agreed that their students have developed their computing skills
    • 90% agreed that their students better understand how to use technology safely.
    Young people using tablets in a classroom.

    This was supported by conversations with teachers and students. In student focus groups, students were able to list topics they had learned about and skills they had developed.

    “….The lessons have had a significant positive impact on the students. They now demonstrate greater confidence in using technology, particularly with tasks involving programming in Scratch. This has improved their problem-solving skills and made them more engaged in learning.” – Teacher, Mombasa

    “In my computing lessons, I’ve learned how to use a computer safely and properly. I learned how to type, use the mouse, and open programs. We also learned about coding, which is really fun because we can make things happen on the screen by giving the computer instructions. I’ve also learned how to create a simple document using software like Excel sheets. I really enjoy using the computer to solve problems and make things work.” – Learner, Arid and Semi Arid Lands

    Implementation: Challenges, solutions, and building on progress

    While teachers tended to agree that students’ skills and knowledge had increased, fewer felt that most students had achieved the specific learning objectives identified in the resources. This was often due to the content being only partially delivered, for example, due to limited availability of computing equipment in schools. However, many students lacked prior experience with the topics covered in the lessons, suggesting a large improvement in their skills compared to a low baseline.

    Young people learning about computing in a classroom.

    Similarly, some training sessions were affected by challenges with the equipment, infrastructure, and learning environment available. Teachers were appreciative of the training and many have begun to deliver the computing lessons, but often lacked prior experience with computing and hence requested additional support.

    In response to feedback from partners and teachers, we made some updates to our Computing Curriculum and training resources in preparation for the 2025 academic year. For example, we increased the alignment to Kenya’s national curriculum, prepared a more comprehensive teacher guide, and incorporated time for teachers to discuss solutions to common delivery challenges during training.

    Educators participate in a teacher training in Kenya.

    In 2025, we are working with partners to upskill even more teachers and broaden the reach of our computing lessons to a further four counties. Our partners have now begun upskilling both new and existing teachers on the updated resources, and we will continue to work with them to monitor and evaluate their programme’s success in the coming months.

    Want to learn more about our curriculum resources?

    You can access our free Computing Curriculum resources on our website — we are currently working to make the materials for Kenya, and for India, downloadable there.

    Look out for the next blog in this mini-series in July!

    Website: LINK

  • Discover the incredible impact of Code Club: The Code Club annual survey report 2025

    Discover the incredible impact of Code Club: The Code Club annual survey report 2025

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    We’re pleased to share highlights from the 2025 Code Club annual survey report today, showcasing another year of incredible achievements and the positive impact of the global Code Club community. 

    children at computers in a classroom.

    Code Club is a global movement of free coding clubs where school-aged young people — called creators — develop the confidence to create with digital technologies. Code Clubs take place in schools and community venues like youth clubs, libraries, and maker spaces and are run by teachers, educators, and volunteers from all walks of life — known as mentors. These incredible mentors make Code Clubs possible and we are so grateful for their hard work.

    About the 2025 survey report

    This Code Club annual survey report presents key responses from 775 mentors gathered via surveys and feedback from partners.

    This year, 7,494 Code Clubs have confirmed they have been active in the last two years, with clubs in 102 countries. We estimate 257,000 creators are involved in clubs and 43% of creators are female. As one UK Code Club mentor put it: “Girls who didn’t think it was for them now have confidence”.

    Three learners laughing at a laptop in a Code Club.

    Code Clubs have a positive impact on young creators

    In 2024, an independent evaluation by the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education provided evidence of positive outcomes for young people attending Code Clubs. We are continuing to build on this evidence, with 96% of mentors responding to our surveys agreeing that creators have increased skills in computing and digital making, as well as increased confidence to engage with technology as a result of attending a Code Club. 

    Here are a few of the examples mentors gave of the impact Code Club has on creators: 

    • Confidence: “[Creators become] more confident using technology and making friends. Some really come out of their shell compared to when they started.” – Code Club mentor, UK  
    • Skill development: “They come into the club with no coding skills (some barely know how to use a computer) and leave as competent, literate, coders.” – Code Club mentor, Canada
    • Enjoyment: “One of our core principles is that coding should be fun… we give them creative ways to expand on the task. They learn to push themselves a bit beyond a task, and look for more things.” – Code Club mentor, the Netherlands  
    • Social skills: “One great outcome has been the socialization that occurs. Kids in our club are definitely making friendships and improving their soft skills.” – Code Club mentor, USA  
    • Continued participation: “It has increased their passion for tech and how to create new things to solve problems.” – Code Club mentor, Ghana
    Learners in a computing classroom.

    Increasing access to technology

    Code Club also plays an important role in increasing access to technology for creators who would otherwise not have access. We work with partners across the world to run clubs in areas of educational disadvantage to ensure that Code Clubs are available to creators from all backgrounds to address this need.

    Kenyan children work on a physical computing project.

    In some regions, Code Club provides creators with their first significant encounter with digital making. A mentor in Kenya told us that Code Club ensured that creators in his area were not “left behind”. A Code Club mentor in Tunisia told us  “[…] access to coding is very limited, our club contributes to reducing this inequality”.

    Next steps

    Read the full report to dive deeper into the data and stories from the Code Club community!

    We are an impact-focused organisation and are always looking to understand how we can improve and increase the impact we have on the lives of children and young people. Over the coming weeks we will be reviewing the feedback we have received to understand how we can support the Code Club community even better.

    Website: LINK

  • Empowering India’s digital future: Our computing curriculum’s impact

    Empowering India’s digital future: Our computing curriculum’s impact

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The Raspberry Pi Foundation has been working in India since 2018 to enable young people to realise their potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. 

    We’ve supported Code Clubs, partnered with government organisations, and designed and delivered a complete computing curriculum for students in grades 6 to 12 and at the undergraduate level. Our curriculum is tailored to the Indian context, and we provide extensive support to help teachers deliver it effectively.

    Three female students at the Coding Academy in Telangana.

    In another recent blog, we shared in detail how we’ve created an impactful curriculum for India. We’re now excited to share our new report evaluating how our curriculum is being taught in Telangana and Odisha. This report demonstrates the impact we’ve had so far, highlighting our successes and the key lessons we have learnt.

    Key findings from the evaluation

    Our evaluations of how the curriculum is being taught show that teachers are well-equipped to deliver the curriculum and provide high-quality and accessible learning experiences that develop students’ computing knowledge and skills.

    A group of students in a classroom.

    In Telangana, we partnered with the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) to introduce our curriculum at the Coding Academy School and Coding Academy College. Our report found that all school and college teachers we trained agreed they felt confident teaching students using the resources provided. Students were very positive about the classes, and their assessment scores demonstrated strong learning outcomes: 77% of school students and 70% of college students achieved at least 60% of available marks.

    In Odisha, we worked with Learning Links Foundation and Quest Alliance, in partnership with Panchasakha Sikhya Setu (PSS) Abhiyan, to deliver the IT and Coding Curriculum (Kaushali) to students in grades 9 and 10. Our findings were also very positive:

    • 87% of teacher respondents agreed that the curriculum resources were high quality and useful for their teaching
    • 91% felt more confident about teaching IT and coding due to the curriculum resources
    • 93% of teachers agreed that the training helped them understand the curriculum’s structure, content, and objectives
    • 89% felt confident in teaching the curriculum after the training
    • Teachers also reported a positive impact on their students, with almost all agreeing that it improved students’ coding skills, digital literacy, and understanding of responsible digital citizenship

    The report also highlights how students better understood how computing and coding are used in the world and developed an increased interest in pursuing careers in these fields.

    Key factors for effective implementation

    Our evaluations show the importance of several factors when launching a computing curriculum:

    • Aligning content with students’ experience and interests: Content should be tailored to students’ existing knowledge, culturally relevant, and follow industry standards to prepare them for employment
    • Providing extensive support to teachers: This includes careful selection and training of master teachers, comprehensive training for teachers that considers their knowledge and experience, and ongoing support through webinars, calls, and classroom observations
    • Ensuring sufficient quantity and quality of infrastructure: Adequate equipment and internet access are crucial for effective teaching and learning

    We are committed to always improving our approach to ensure that all young people in India have the opportunity to learn about computing.

    Join us in shaping the future

    You can read our new report here. If you are interested in partnering with us or want to learn more about our mission, please contact india@raspberrypi.org.

    Website: LINK

  • Experience AI: The story so far

    Experience AI: The story so far

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    In April 2023, we launched our first Experience AI resources, developed in partnership with Google DeepMind to support educators to engage their students in learning about the topic of AI. Since then, the Experience AI programme has grown rapidly, reaching thousands of educators all over the world. Read on to find out more about the impact of our resources, and what we are learning.

    The Experience AI resources

    The Experience AI resources are designed to help educators introduce AI and AI safety to 11- to 14-year-olds. They consist of:

    • Foundations of AI: a comprehensive unit of six lessons including lesson plans, slide decks, activities, videos, and more to support educators to introduce AI and machine learning to young people
    • Two standalone lessons:
      • Large language models (LLMs): a lesson designed to help young people discover how large language models work, their benefits, and why their outputs are not always reliable
      • Ecosystems and AI — Biology: a lesson providing an opportunity for young people to explore how AI applications are supporting animal conservation
    • AI safety: a set of resources with a flexible design to support educators in a range of settings to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to responsibly and safely navigate the challenges associated with AI

    We also offer a free online course, Understanding AI for educators, to help educators prepare to teach about AI.

    International expansion

    The launch of Experience AI came at an important time: AI technologies are playing an ever-growing role in our everyday lives, so it is crucial for young people to gain the understanding and skills they need to critically engage with these technologies. While the resources were initially designed for use by educators in the UK, they immediately attracted interest from educators across the world, as well as individuals wanting to learn about AI. The resources have now been downloaded over 325,000 times by people from over 160 countries. This includes downloads from over 7000 educators worldwide, who will collectively reach an estimated 1.2 million young people.

    Photo of an educator teaching an Experience AI lesson.

    Thanks to funding from Google DeepMind and Google.org, we have also been working with partners from across the globe to localise and translate the resources for learners and educators in their countries, and provide training to support local educators to deliver the lessons. The educational resources are now available in up to 15 languages, and to date, we have trained over 100 representatives from 20 international partner organisations, who will go on to train local educators. Five of these organisations have begun onward training already, collectively training over 1500 local educators so far.

    The impact of Experience AI

    The Experience AI resources have been well received by students and educators. Based on responses to our follow-up surveys, in countries where we have partners

    • 95% of educators agreed that the Experience AI sessions have increased their students’ knowledge of AI concepts 
    • 90% of young people (including young people in formal and non-formal education settings and learning independently) indicated that they better understand what AI and machine learning are
    Photo of a young person learning about AI on a laptop.

    This is backed up by qualitative feedback from surveys and interviews.

    “Students’ perception and understanding of AI has improved and corrected. They realised they can contribute and be a part of the [development], instead of only users.” – Noorlaila, educator, SMK Cyberjaya, Malaysia

    “[Students] found it interesting in the sense that it’s relevant information and they didn’t know what information was used for training models.” – Teacher, Liceul Tehnologic “Crisan” Criscior, Romania

    “Based on my knowledge and learning about AI, I now appreciate the definition of AI as well as its implementation.” – Student, Changamwe JSS, Kenya

    Photo of a group of educators participating in an Experience AI teacher training event in Kenya.

    The training and resources also support educators to feel more confident to teach about AI:

    • 93% of international partner representatives who participated in our training agreed that the training increased their knowledge of AI concepts
    • 88% of educators receiving onward training by our international partners agreed that the training increased their confidence to teach AI concepts
    • 87% of educator respondents from our ‘Understanding AI for educators’ online course agreed that the course was useful for supporting young people

    “It was a wonderful experience for me to join this workshop. Truly I was able to learn a lot about AI and I feel more confident now to teach the kids back at school about this new knowledge.” – Nur, educator, SMK Bandar Tasek Mutiara, trained by our partner Penang Science Cluster, Malaysia

    “This was one of the best information sessions I’ve been to! So, so helpful!” – Meagan, educator, University of Alberta, trained by our partner Digital Moment, Canada

    “The layout of the course in terms of content structuring is amazing. I love the discussion forum and the insightful yet empathetic responses by the course moderators on the discussion board. Honestly, I am really glad I started my AI in education journey with you.” – Priyanka, head teacher (primary level), United Arab Emirates, online course participant

    What are we learning?

    We are committed to continually improving our resources based on feedback from users. A recent review of feedback from educators highlighted key aspects of the resources that educators value most, as well as some challenges educators are facing and possible areas for improvement. For example, educators particularly like the interactive aspects, the clear structure and explanations, and the videos featuring professionals from the AI industry. We are continuing to look for ways we can better support educators to adapt the content and language to better support students in their context, fit Experience AI into their school timetables, and overcome technical barriers. 

    We value feedback on our resources and will continue to highlight the importance of AI education in schools and work with partners across the globe to adapt our resources for different contexts.

    Get involved

    If you would like to try out our Experience AI resources, head to experience-ai.org, where you can find our free resources and online course, as well as information about local partners in your area.

    Website: LINK

  • Ada Computer Science: What have we learnt so far

    Ada Computer Science: What have we learnt so far

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    It’s been over a year since we launched Ada Computer Science, and we continue to see the numbers of students and teachers using the platform all around the world grow. Our recent year in review shared some of the key developments we’ve made since launching, many of which are a direct result of feedback from our community.

    Today, we are publishing an impact report that includes some of this feedback, along with what users are saying about the impact Ada Computer Science is having.

    Computer science students at a desktop computer in a classroom.

    Evaluating Ada Computer Science

    Ada Computer Science is a free learning platform for computer science students and teachers. It provides high-quality, online learning materials to use in the classroom, for homework, and for revision. Our experienced team has created resources that cover every topic in the leading GCSE and A level computer science specifications.

    From May to July 2024, we invited users to provide feedback via an online survey, and we got responses from 163 students and 27 teachers. To explore the feedback further, we also conducted in-depth interviews with three computer science teachers in September 2024.

    How is Ada being used?

    The most common ways students use Ada Computer Science — as reported by more than two thirds of respondents — is for revision and/or to complete work set by their teacher. Similarly, teachers most commonly said that they direct students to use Ada outside the classroom.

    “I recommend my students use Ada Computer Science as their main textbook.” — Teacher

    What is users’ experience of using Ada?

    Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that Ada is useful for learning (82%) and high quality (79%).

    “Ada Computer Science has been very effective for independent revision, I like how it provides hints and pointers if you answer a question incorrectly.” — Student

    Ada users were generally positive about their overall experience of the platform and using it to find the information they were looking for.

    “Ada is one of the best for hitting the nail on the head. They’ve really got it in tune with the depth that exam boards want.” — Ian Robinson, computer science teacher (St Alban’s Catholic High School, UK)

    What impact is Ada having?

    Around half of the teachers agreed that Ada had reduced their workload and/or increased their subject knowledge. Across all respondents, teachers estimated that the average weekly time saving was 1 hour 8 minutes.

    Additionally, 81% of students agreed that as a result of using Ada, they had become better at understanding computer science concepts. Other benefits were reported too, with most students agreeing that they had become better problem-solvers, for example.

    “I love Ada! It is an extremely helpful resource… The content featured is very comprehensive and detailed, and the visual guides… are particularly helpful to aid my understanding.” — Student

    Future developments

    Since receiving this feedback, we have already released updated site navigation and new question finder designs. In 2025, we are planning improvements to the markbook (for example, giving teachers an overview of the assignments they’ve set) and to how assignments can be created.

    If you’d like to read more about the findings, there’s a full report for you to download. Thank you to everyone who took the time to take part — we really value your feedback!

    Website: LINK

  • Implementing a computing curriculum in Telangana

    Implementing a computing curriculum in Telangana

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Last year we launched a partnership with the Government of Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) in Telangana, India to develop and implement a computing curriculum at their Coding Academy School and Coding Academy College. Our impact team is conducting an evaluation. Read on to find out more about the partnership and what we’ve learned so far.

    Aim of the partnership 

    The aim of our partnership is to enable students in the school and undergraduate college to learn about coding and computing by providing the best possible curriculum, resources, and training for teachers. 

    Students sit in a classroom and watch the lecture slides.

    As both institutions are government institutions, education is provided for free, with approximately 800 high-performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds currently benefiting. The school is co-educational up to grade 10 and the college is for female undergraduate students only. 

    The partnership is strategically important for us at the Raspberry Pi Foundation because it helps us to test curriculum content in an Indian context, and specifically with learners from historically marginalised communities with limited resources.

    Adapting our curriculum content for use in Telangana

    Since our partnership began, we’ve developed curriculum content for students in grades 6–12 in the school, which is in line with India’s national education policy requiring coding to be introduced from grade 6. We’ve also developed curriculum content for the undergraduate students at the college. 

    Students and educators engage in digital making.

    In both cases, the content was developed based on an initial needs assessment — we used the assessment to adapt content from our previous work on The Computing Curriculum. Local examples were integrated to make the content relatable and culturally relevant for students in Telangana. Additionally, we tailored the content for different lesson durations and to allow a higher frequency of lessons. We captured impact and learning data through assessments, lesson observations, educator interviews, student surveys, and student focus groups.

    Curriculum well received by educators and students

    We have found that the partnership is succeeding in meeting many of its objectives. The curriculum resources have received lots of positive feedback from students, educators, and observers.

    Students and educators engage in digital making.

    In our recent survey, 96% of school students and 85% of college students reported that they’ve learned new things in their computing classes. This was backed up by assessment marks, with students scoring an average of 70% in the school and 69% in the college for each assessment, compared to a pass mark of 40%. Students were also positive about their experiences of the computing and coding classes, and particularly enjoyed the practical components.

    “My favourite thing in this computing classes [sic] is doing practical projects. By doing [things] practically we learnt a lot.” – Third year undergraduate student, Coding Academy College

    “Since their last SA [summative assessment] exam, students have learnt spreadsheet [concepts] and have enjoyed applying them in activities. Their favourite part has been example codes, programming, and web-designing activities.” – Student focus group facilitator, grade 9 students, Coding Academy School

    However, we also found some variation in outcomes for different groups of students and identified some improvements that are needed to ensure the content is appropriate for all. For example, educators and students felt improvements were needed to the content for undergraduates specialising in data science — there was a wish for the content to be more challenging and to more effectively prepare students for the workplace. Some amendments have been made to this content and we will continue to keep this under review. 

    In addition, we faced some challenges with the equipment and infrastructure available. For example, there were instances of power cuts and unstable internet connections. These issues have been addressed as far as possible with Wi-Fi dongles and educators adapting their delivery to work with the equipment available.

    Our ambition for India

    Our team has already made some improvements to our curriculum content in preparation for the new academic year. We will also make further improvements based on the feedback received. 

    Students and educators engage in digital making.

    The long-term vision for our work in India is to enable any school in India to teach students about computing and creating with digital technologies. Over our five-year partnership, we plan to work with TGSWREIS to roll out a computing curriculum to other government schools within the state. 

    Through our work in Telangana and Odisha, we are learning about the unique challenges faced by government schools. We’re designing our curriculum to address these challenges and ensure that every student in India has the opportunity to thrive in the 21st century. If you would like to know more about our work and impact in India, please reach out to us at india@raspberrypi.org.

    We take the evaluation of our work seriously and are always looking to understand how we can improve and increase the impact we have on the lives of young people. To find out more about our approach to impact, you can read about our recently updated theory of change, which supports how we evaluate what we do.

    Website: LINK

  • How fun-filled Code Clubs drive learning: New evidence

    How fun-filled Code Clubs drive learning: New evidence

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    When you walk into a vibrant Code Club, it is easy to see that the young creators are having fun with digital making. But are they actually learning anything? Our recent evaluation has shown that not only are they developing their coding skills, but there are many other benefits.

    Young person sitting at a laptop with an adult mentor helping them with their code.

    Code Club is a network of free coding clubs where young people learn how to create with technology. The Raspberry Pi Foundation supports Code Clubs through training and guidance for mentors, and by providing learning resources that lead to meaningful and lasting learning outcomes for the young people attending the clubs.

    Founded in the UK in 2012, Code Club has grown into a global movement and has already inspired more than 2 million young people to learn how to build their own apps, games, animations, websites, and so much more. We are incredibly proud of the impact Code Club has already achieved and we want many more young people to benefit. Our ambitious goal for the next decade is to reach 10 million more young people through Code Club.

    New impact insights about Code Club

    We’re ambitious about Code Club because we know it works. Over the last year, the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE) conducted an independent evaluation of the programme that confirmed earlier evidence: attending Code Club leads to positive outcomes for young people.

    Two young people smiling whilst working on their laptop with an adult mentor by their side.

    The DECE evaluation showed that young people who attend Code Club build their coding skills. They also become more confident in learning coding, grow their interest in it, and develop a sense of belonging. Researchers observed how each young person has their individual projects to work on, which promote a sense of ownership and personalised learning, but that there are also opportunities for collaboration and celebrating their achievements with other creators in the club.

    Young people also develop positive attitudes to coding and a range of life skills such as problem solving and communication. These skills and mindsets prepare young people to confidently engage with emerging technologies and with learning in a broader context.

    “Coding is really fun when I know what to do, but sometimes it is hard. But I always keep trying.”

    – Code Club creator.

    Another finding was that Code Clubs are a place where young people who experience difficulties in formal classroom settings can thrive. This suggests Code Clubs can help educators engage a more diverse group of young people in creating with technology than formal education alone could.

    “We see pupils in completely different roles when they are doing these Code Club activities. They enjoy more, and you can see they have skills to do things that we otherwise don’t notice.”

    – Code Club mentor.

    None of the benefits for young people would be possible without the volunteers who give their time and make Code Clubs the positive learning environments they are. Their support is crucial to young people’s engagement and skill development. The evaluation showed that mentors find the experience of volunteering rewarding, and pointed us towards areas where we can offer further support to help them run engaging, impactful Code Clubs.

    “…volunteering with Code Club has helped me feel I’m a useful member of society in my old age, so the benefits have been good for me too.”

    – Code Club mentor.

    How we’re building on our support for clubs

    With AI already transforming so many parts of our lives, learning how to create with technology has never been more important. Generative AI is changing how humans give instructions to computers, and at Code Club, young people can experiment with new technologies such as AI in a safe environment. New projects that support young people to learn about AI technologies will be added to the Code Club Projects site later this month, alongside support for club leaders and mentors on this topic.

    The evaluation methods used by the DECE will help us hone our ongoing impact measurement work for Code Clubs running in communities all over the world. As we continue to support Code Clubs, we are taking into account that the independent evaluation ran in school-based Code Clubs in the UK only. In our work to grow the Code Club network across the globe, we are adapting our support and resources for local contexts in collaboration with partners who share their expertise.

    This will ensure that Code Clubs can provide a fun, welcoming space for all young people. And while they’re having fun, they will also gain relevant learning experiences that empower them to engage confidently with a world that is being transformed by digital technologies.

    If you’re interested in the DECE evaluation’s results, we’ve put together a summary for you to download.

    To get involved in Code Club, visit codeclub.org.

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrating Coolest Projects 2024, plus dates for 2025

    Celebrating Coolest Projects 2024, plus dates for 2025

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Coolest Projects celebrates young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. Today, we’re sharing the impact that taking part in Coolest Projects showcases has on young people’s motivation and confidence, as well as announcing dates for Coolest Projects 2025.

    Coolest Projects will be back in 2025.

    Coolest Projects in 2024

    This year, 7197 young people across 4678 projects took part in our global Coolest Projects online showcase, with participants from 43 countries. All of these projects were shared in our online showcase gallery, and we hosted a live-streamed event celebrating the judges’ favourites watched by over 1000 people.

    At the 2024 in-person Coolest Projects events in Ireland and the UK, 192 young people shared 120 projects. At these events, the young creators presented their projects to other attendees and our team of judges. They also took part in other activities, including a digital escape room.

    We wanted to understand how Coolest Projects impacts young people, and so we collected the following data:

    • For the online showcase, mentors and tech creators filled in a survey when they completed their project registration, and we ran focus groups with mentors, who are adults that support the tech creators
    • At the UK and Ireland in-person events, creators completed a survey, other event attendees completed feedback cards, and we also interviewed creators. 

    Online showcase: Impact on skills and confidence

    In the survey, mentors and young people told us that taking part in the Coolest Projects online showcase had a positive impact:

    • 91% of young people and 87% of mentors agreed or strongly agreed that taking part in Coolest Projects online inspired them or their team to continue to participate in computing and technology
    • 89% of young people and 86% of mentors agreed or strongly agreed that taking part in Coolest Projects online increased their or their team’s confidence in coding and digital making

    Mentors told us that the community built by the online showcase gallery played an important role in making young people want to participate,  and improving their confidence. One mentor said that “[being part of the online showcase] motivates them actually to do something innovative and… [the] global community motivates them to think out of the box.”

    The favourites in the web category for Coolest Projects 2024.

    They also reported that the online community inspired young people to solve real-world problems. One mentor said, “the wonderful thing is the kids create so many things which are solutions to world problems.” Others told us that young people feel a great deal of pride that their solutions are available for others to see online and that they get ideas from other projects on how to solve problems. One mentor from India told us about a young person who created a boat to clean rivers and then was inspired to learn to program micro:bit devices, having seen similar projects in the gallery.

    Focus on ‘growth, not competition’

    The phrase ‘growth, not competition’ came from the mentors in the focus group, and we love this description.

    “[With] Coolest Projects… the only agenda is to grow. Grow with the coding, nurture your skills, creativity.” – Focus group attendee.

    In he focus group, mentors told us they really valued the way the Coolest Projects online showcase allows all young people to participate, including those who were less experienced tech creators. One mentor told us that because everyone’s project is displayed in the gallery the beauty is that everybody is encouraged individually… regarding the experience. … They can start with very small things. And they have [the] opportunity to upload it on the platform.”

    One mentor who supports young people in remote locations in India spoke about the way Coolest Projects offers a level playing field where his students can be included and participate to the same extent as less remote places: “students never feel left behind.”

    Three young people working together on a tech project.

    The in-person events also reflected the diversity of young people’s experience of digital making. Of those creators who answered surveys, 35% said it was their first time making this kind of project, while 37% said they had made similar projects before. This mix of experience was also reflected in the interviews, with some young people creating something for the first time and having only started learning coding recently, while others had been developing their projects for a long time. Many creators told us they felt inspired by the opportunity to show their projects to others, regardless of their experience level.

    In-person events: Building a community of digital creators

    Attendees at both Coolest Projects UK and Ireland commented on the sense of community and the excitement that was generated by being around other young people. One young person spoke about how much they enjoyed being “surrounded by people who like coding too”. They really valued seeing other creators’ projects and speaking with their peers.

    The exhibition hall at Coolest Projects Ireland 2023.

    The young people we spoke to reflected on the positive impact of this sense of community and belonging. They told us that seeing others’ projects inspired them to develop their ideas and learn new skills. One young person described how the in-person event allowed them to get inspired and socialise.” A second said, “that’s why I’m here — to get inspired.”

    Another clear theme was how much young people valued the opportunity to show their projects to others. This gave them confidence in their own ability to build things. One creator at Coolest Projects UK spoke about the sense of achievement they felt after building something themselves and then being able to present it to others.

    Two young people share a project on their laptop with a judge at Coolest Projects.

    Young people at both events spoke about their plans for what they wanted to do next, talking about trying new technology such as building games, learning Python, and creating mobile apps. At both events, creators described how they wanted to continue to develop and build on their existing ideas with the possibility of showcasing them again.

    What we want to learn next

    We are continuing to look for ways to improve the Coolest Projects experience for young people and their mentors. As part of this, we are conducting user experience research to understand how we can improve the registration process for the online Coolest Projects showcase.

    We were delighted to hear from mentors in this year’s focus group how much they valued the online showcase gallery, and we want to understand the impact of this resource better as part of Coolest Projects 2025. If you want to find out more about Coolest Projects, we highly recommend taking a look at the amazing projects made by young people around the world

    Dates for Coolest Projects 2025

    We’re so pleased that so many young people around the world loved taking part in Coolest Projects this year. And we’re very excited that Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025! 

    The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to any young person up to age 18, based anywhere in the world. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.

    A Coolest Projects sign with two people doing handstands in front of it.

    Coolest Projects in-person events will also be popping up around the world. In-person events are open to everyone up to age 18 in the host country. Family and friends are very welcome to come along too. 

    Save the date for:

    • Coolest Projects Ireland, 1 March 2025
    • Coolest Projects USA, 5 April 2025
    • Coolest Projects Belgium, 20 April 2025
    • Coolest Projects UK, 17 May 2025
    • Coolest Projects Belgium, date to be confirmed (TBC)
    • Coolest Projects Ghana, date TBC
    • Coolest Projects India, date TBC
    • Coolest Projects Malaysia, date TBC
    • Coolest Projects South Africa, date TBC

    Keep an eye on the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details coming soon.

    It’s never too early to start making and saving digital projects to showcase next year. We can’t wait to see what the world’s young tech creators will make!

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrating Astro Pi 2024

    Celebrating Astro Pi 2024

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    About the projects

    Over the past few months, young people across Europe have run their computer programs  on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Astro Pi Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab.

    Mission Zero code deployment
    Mission Zero code deployment | Credits: ESA/NASA

    Mission Zero offers young people the chance to write a simple program that takes a reading from the colour and luminosity sensor on an Astro Pi computer on board the ISS, and uses it to set the background colour in a personalised image for the astronauts to see as they go about their daily tasks. In total, 16,039 teams and 24,663 young people participated in Mission Zero this year. This was a 3% increase in teams entering compared to last year.

    Mission Space Lab offers teams of young people the chance to run scientific experiments on board the ISS. This year, 564 teams and 2,008 young people participated in Mission Space Lab. Compared with last year, there was a 4% increase in the number of teams who managed to achieve flight status and run their code in space.

    Two young people at a computer.

    To evaluate the projects, we encouraged mentors to complete surveys once their teams had submitted their computer programs. Overall, 135 Mission Zero mentors (11% of mentors) and 56 Mission Space Lab mentors (15% of mentors) completed surveys. We also ran focus groups with mentors from both projects to understand their experiences and the impact of these projects on young people.

    Impact on young people

    Understanding how technology is changing the world

    The mentors we spoke to told us how valuable Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab are because these experiences connect young people to real technology. Mentors felt that Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab bridge the gap between theoretical coding and tangible outcomes, giving young people the confidence to engage with technology.

    “Participating in Mission Space Lab offers students a great opportunity to work with the International Space Station, to see the Earth from above, to challenge them to overcome the terrestrial limits. It’s very important.” — Mission Space Lab mentor

    A young person working on a coding project on a computer.

    “We want students to use their digital skills as superpowers to make the world a better place and this competition really aligns with that because regardless of your race, your ethnicity, your gender, you can write some code that actually runs in space. And if you can do that, then you can make medical tech, or you can solve the big problem that the adults of the world are still grappling with, so it’s the opening up [of] opportunities.” — Mission Zero mentor

    Mentors observed that the project inspired children to consider careers they previously thought were out of reach. Space exploration was no longer a far away and theoretical idea for the children, but something connected to their everyday lives and their own learning.

    “Some of the people that I was teaching this to felt like becoming an astronaut was really difficult to learn… now it’s not necessarily a distant thing to study.” — Mission Zero mentor

    Mentors also described how the young people gained confidence in their ability to engage with technologies. One mentor described the “self-esteem” and “pride” younger pupils gained from participation. Others talked about the confidence that came with achieving something like having their code run in space and receiving certificates proving they were “space scientists”.

    Our mentors

    None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our mentors. So, as part of our evaluation, we wanted to understand how we can best support them. For Mission Space Lab, that took the form of assessing the new guidance that we published this year and that sits alongside the project. When we spoke to mentors, they told us this guide provided clear, step-by-step guidance that enabled the young people to work through the project, and the majority of survey respondents agreed: 89% rated the Mission Space Lab project guide as somewhat or very understandable. 

    We also heard from mentors about the ways they are using Mission Zero in a wider context. Some told us that their schools ran the project as part of space-themed weeks where they used Mission Zero in conversations about space exploration, the Hubble telescope, and learning the names of the stars. Others used Mission Zero across multiple subjects by designing images and holding art competitions based on the design, as well as learning about pixels and animations. 

    A young person at a desk using a computer.

    Additionally, it was a pleasure to hear about young people who had participated in Mission Zero in previous years gaining leadership skills by supporting other young people to complete Mission Zero this year.

    Next steps

    Thank you to all the mentors who provided constructive feedback through surveys and focus groups. We have read and considered every comment and will continue to consider how to improve the experience for mentors and young people. 

    We will publish an in-depth report with the findings of our evaluation later in the year; however, we’ve already made some changes to the programme that will be launching for the 2024/25 Astro Pi challenge and wanted to share these updates with you now.

    Improvements for next year:

    Mission Zero

    • We’re adding a save button to Mission Zero to allow young people to work on this across multiple sessions.
    • We’re adding new code examples to the Mission Zero project guide. These have been selected from team submissions from the 2023/24 challenge.

    Mission Space Lab

    • We’re creating an online testing tool for Mission Space Lab so that it will be easier for teams to test whether or not their code works. It will feature new data and images captured from the ISS in spring 2024.

    We hope that all the young people and mentors who participated in last year’s Astro Pi challenge enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot. With the exciting updates we’re working on for the 2024/25 Astro Pi challenge, we hope to see even more young people participate and share their creative projects next year.

    Project launch dates

    • 16 September 2024: Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab launch
    • 24 February 2025: Mission Space Lab submissions close
    • 24 March 2025: Mission Zero submissions close
    • April – May 2025: Programs run on the International Space Station
    • June 2025: Teams receive certificates 

    Website: LINK

  • Introducing a computing curriculum in Odisha

    Introducing a computing curriculum in Odisha

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    We are working with two partner organisations in Odisha, India, to develop and roll out the IT & Coding Curriculum (Kaushali), a computing curriculum for government high schools. Last year we launched the first part of the curriculum and rolled out teacher training. Read on to find out what we have learned from this work.

    A group of teachers is standing outside a school building.

    Supporting government schools in Odisha to teach computing

    Previously we shared an insight into how we established Code Clubs in Odisha to bring computing education to young people. Now we are partnering with two Indian civil society organisations to develop high school curriculum resources for computing and support teachers to deliver this content.

    With our two partners, we trained 311 master teachers during July and August 2023. The master teachers, most often mathematics or science teachers, were in turn tasked with training teachers from around 8000 government schools. The aim of the training was to enable the 8000 teachers to deliver the curriculum to grades 9 and 10 in the June 2023 – April 2024 academic year.

    A master teacher is delivering a training session to a group of teachers.

    At the Foundation, we have been responsible for providing ongoing support to 1898 teachers from 10 districts throughout the academic year, including through webinars and other online and in-person support.

    To evaluate the impact our work in Odisha is having, we gathered data using a mixed-methods approach that included gathering feedback from teachers via surveys and interviews, visiting schools, capturing reflections from our trainers, and reviewing a sample of students’ projects.

    Positive impact on teachers and students

    In our teacher survey, respondents were generally positive about the curriculum resources:

    • 87% of the 385 respondents agreed that the curriculum resources were both high quality and useful for their teaching
    • 91% agreed that they felt more confident to teach students IT & Coding as a result of the curriculum resources

    Teachers also tended to agree that the initial training had helped improve their understanding and confidence, and they appreciated our ongoing support webinars.

    “The curriculum resources are very useful for students.” – Teacher in Odisha

    “The webinar is very useful to acquire practical knowledge regarding the specific topics.”  – Teacher in Odisha

    Teachers who responded to our survey observed a positive impact on students:

    • 93% agreed their students’ digital literacy skills had improved
    • 90% agreed that their students’ coding knowledge had improved

    Students’ skills were also demonstrated by the Scratch projects we reviewed. And students from Odisha shared 314 projects in Coolest Projects — our online technology showcase for young people — including the project ‘We’ll build a new Odisha’ and an apple catching game.

    A master teacher is delivering a training session to a group of teachers.

    Feedback and observations about teacher training

    On school visits, our team observed that the teachers adopted and implemented the practical elements of the initial training quite well. However, survey responses and interviews showed that often teachers were not yet using all the elements of the curriculum as intended.

    In their feedback, many teachers expressed a need for further regular training and support, and some reported additional challenges, such as other demands on their time and access to equipment.

    A master teacher is delivering a training session to a group of teachers.

    When we observed training sessions master teachers delivered to teachers, we saw that, in some cases, information was lost within the training cascade (from our trainers, to master teachers, to teachers), including details about the intended pedagogical approach. It can be difficult to introduce experienced teachers to new pedagogical methods within a short training session, and teachers’ lack of computing knowledge also presents a challenge.

    We will use all this data to shape how we support teachers going forward. Some teachers didn’t share feedback, and so in our further evaluation work, we will focus on making sure we hear a broad and representative range of teachers’ views and experiences.

    What’s new this year?

    In the current academic year, we are rolling out more advanced curriculum content for grade 10 students, including AI literacy resources developed at the Foundation. We’re currently training master teachers on this content, and they will pass on their knowledge to other teachers in the coming months. Based on teachers’ feedback, the grade 10 curriculum and the training also include a recap of some key points from the grade 9 curriculum.

    Two master teachers are delivering a presentation to teachers.

    A State Resource Group (SRG) has also been set up, consisting of 30 teachers who will support us with planning and providing ongoing support to master teachers and other teachers in Odisha. We have already trained the SRG members on the new curriculum content to enable them to best support teachers across the state. In addition to this, our local team in Odisha plans to conduct more visits and reach out directly to teachers more often. 

    Our plans for the future

    The long-term vision for our work in India is to enable any school in India to teach students about computing and creating with digital technologies. A critical part of achieving this vision is the development of a comprehensive computing curriculum for grade 6 to 12, specifically tailored for government schools in India. Thanks to our work in Odisha, we are in a better position to understand the unique challenges and limitations of government schools. We’re designing our curriculum to address these challenges and ensure that every Indian student has the opportunity to thrive in the 21st century. If you would like to know more about our work and impact in India, please reach out to us via india@raspberrypi.org.

    We take evaluation of our work seriously and are always looking to understand how we can improve and increase the impact we have on the lives of young people. To find out more about our approach to impact, you can read about our recently updated theory of change, which supports how we evaluate what we do.

    Website: LINK

  • Gaining skills and confidence: The impact of Code Club and CoderDojo

    Gaining skills and confidence: The impact of Code Club and CoderDojo

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Through Code Club and CoderDojo we support the world’s largest network of free informal computing clubs for young people.

    • Code Club is a global network of after-school coding clubs for learners aged 9 to 13, where educators and other volunteers help young people learn about coding and digital making
    • CoderDojo is a worldwide network of free, open, and community-based programming clubs for young people aged 7 to 17, where they get the opportunity to learn how to create fantastic new things with technology

    The clubs network reaches young people in 126 countries across the globe, and we estimate that the 4,557 Code Clubs and 771 CoderDojos are attended by more than 200,000 young people globally. 

    Two children code on laptops while an adult supports them.

    All these clubs are run by incredible volunteers and educators who help young people to learn computing and coding. Every year, we ask the volunteers to tell us about their experiences in our annual clubs survey. Below we share some highlights from this year’s survey results.

    About the survey

    We want to know more about volunteers in the network, how they run their clubs, and what impact the club sessions have for young people. Understanding this better helps us to improve the support we give to volunteers and young people around the world. This year we received over 300 responses, which has given us valuable insights and feedback.

    What are the clubs like?

    Improving gender balance in computing is part of our work to ensure equitable learning opportunities for all young people. Girls’ participation in the CodeDojo community has risen from 30% to 35% between 2023 and 2024, while 40% of Code Club attendees are girls.

    Three learners working at laptops.

    Clubs are using a wide variety of technologies and tools to support young people with their coding. According to the survey, the most popular coding tool was Scratch, which nearly all of the volunteers said they used in their club. Over 60% of volunteers reported using micro:bits, and over 50% mentioned Python.

    What impact is the clubs network having?

    We asked volunteers to tell us what changes they had seen in young people as a result of being part of a club. Volunteers fed back to us about the positive community created by clubs where young people felt safe and included. This was evidenced by the way young people felt able to share their ideas and support other young people:

    A young person shows off their Scratch code projected onto a wall.

    “The more experienced members are both capable and competent to demonstrate their skills to less experienced children. For example, they recently ran a full-day session for the whole school to complete the Astro Pi Mission Zero project.” – Code Club volunteer

    Volunteers reported increases in young people’s skills and confidence in digital making and engaging with technology (see graph below). They also agreed that young people developed other skills, with nearly 90% noting improvements in problem solving, personal confidence, and creative thinking.

    A graph indicating that more than 90% of survey respondents reported that young people improve their skills and confidence through attending Code Club or CoderDojo.

    How are we supporting volunteers?

    These positive outcomes are the result of the hard work and dedication of the club volunteers. Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time of the survey, there were over 6000 Code Club leaders and almost 3000 CoderDojo champions around the world. Many of the volunteers are motivated to volunteer by a love of teaching and a desire to pass on their skills.

    A group of young people and educators smiling while engaging with a computer.

    These volunteers are part of a global network, and 80% of volunteers said that belonging to this global community of clubs was motivating for them. Volunteers particularly valued the access to resources and information being part of a global community offered, as well as opportunities to share ideas and problem solve.

    The majority of Code Clubs are mostly or always using our digital making pathways and projects as part of their clubs. Volunteers value the projects’ step-by-step structure and how easy they are to follow.

    “Great structure to allow the kids to self-learn whilst keeping a good amount of creativity for them.” – Code Club volunteer

    We plan to do more to ensure that clubs around the world find these projects and pathways accessible and useful for their sessions with young people.

    What’s next

    The survey has helped us to identify a number of areas where we can support club volunteers even better. Volunteers identified help getting equipment and funding as the main things they needed support with, as well as recruitment of volunteers and young people. We are looking at the best ways we can lend a hand to the clubs network in these areas.

    You can read the survey report to dive deeper into the findings.

    We take impact seriously and are always looking to understand how we can improve and increase the impact we have on the lives of children and young people. To find out more about our approach to impact, you can read about our recently updated theory of change, which supports how we evaluate what we do. 

    Website: LINK

  • Our new theory of change

    Our new theory of change

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    One of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s core values is our focus on impact. This means that we are committed to learning from the best available evidence, and to being rigorous and transparent about the difference we’re making.

    A smiling girl holding a robot buggy in her lap

    Like many charities, an important part of our approach to achieving and measuring our impact is our theory of change. We are excited to launch a newly refreshed theory of change that reflects our mission and strategy to ensure that young people can realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies.

    What is a theory of change?

    A theory of change describes the difference an organisation aims to make in the world, the actions it takes to achieve this, and the underlying assumptions about how its actions will create change.

    Two learners sharing a laptop in a coding session.

    It’s like a good cake recipe. It describes the ingredients and tools that are required, how these are combined, and what the results should be. But a theory of change goes further: it also addresses why you need the cake in the first place, and the reasons why the recipe will produce such a good cake if you follow it correctly!

    What is the change we want to make?

    Our theory of change begins with a statement of the problem that needs solving: too many young people are missing out on the enormous opportunities from digital technologies, and access to opportunities to learn depends too much on who you are and where you were born.

    We want to see a world where young people can take advantage of the opportunities that computers and digital technologies offer to transform their own lives and communities, to contribute to society, and to help address the world’s challenges.

    Learners in a computing classroom.

    To help us empower young people to do this, we have identified three broad sets of outcomes that we should target, measure, and hold ourselves accountable for. These map roughly to the COM-B model of behaviour change. This model suggests that for change to be achieved, people need a combination of capabilities, opportunities, and motivation.

    Our identified outcomes are that we support young people to:

    1. Build knowledge and skills in computing
    2. Understand the opportunities and risks associated with new technologies
    3. Develop the mindsets to confidently engage with technological change

    How do we make a difference?

    We work at multiple levels throughout education systems and society, which together will achieve deep and long-lasting change for young people. We design learning experiences and initiatives that are fun and engaging, including hundreds of free coding and computing projects, the Coolest Projects showcase for young tech creators, and the European Astro Pi Challenge, which gives young people the chance to run their computer programs in space.

    Three learners working at laptops.

    We also support teachers, youth workers, volunteers, and parents to develop their skills and knowledge, and equip them to inspire young people and help them learn. For example, The Computing Curriculum provides a complete bank of free lesson plans and other resources, and Experience AI is our educational programme that includes everything teachers need to deliver lessons on artificial intelligence and machine learning in secondary schools.

    Finally, we aim to elevate the state of computing education globally by advocating for policy and systems change, and undertaking our own original research to deepen our understanding of how young people learn about computing.

    How will we use our theory of change?

    Our theory of change is an important part of our approach to evaluating the impact of our resources and programmes, and it informs all our monitoring and evaluation plans. These plans identify the questions we want to answer, key metrics to monitor, and the data sources we use to understand the impact we’re having and to gather feedback to improve our impact in future.

    An educator teaches students to create with technology.

    The theory of change also informs a shared outcomes framework that we are applying consistently across all of our products. This framework supports planning and helps keep us focused as we consider new opportunities to further our mission.

    A final role our theory of change plays is to help communicate our mission to other stakeholders, and explain how we can work with our partners and communities to achieve change.

    You can read our new theory of change here and if you have any questions or feedback on it, please do get in touch.

    Website: LINK

  • What is the impact of attending a Code Club or CoderDojo?

    What is the impact of attending a Code Club or CoderDojo?

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    We support two networks of coding clubs where young people around the world discover the countless possibilities of creating with digital technologies.

    Three learners working at laptops.
    Young people in a CoderDojo in India.
    • Code Club is a global network of after-school coding clubs for learners aged 9 to 13, where educators and other volunteers help young people learn about coding and digital making
    • CoderDojo is a worldwide network of free, open, and community-based programming clubs for young people aged 7 to 17, where they get the opportunity to learn how to create fantastic new things with technology

    Every year, we send out a survey to volunteers at all the clubs we support. Today we share some highlights from the findings and what we’re planning next.

    An educator teaches students to create with technology.
    A Code Club session in the USA.

    Why do we do an annual survey for clubs?

    The simple answer is: to help make clubs even better for everyone involved! Educators and volunteers are doing a remarkable job in helping young people learn about computing and coding, so we want to know more about them, about how they run their clubs, and what impact the club sessions have for young people.

    A group of children and an adult have fun using Raspberry Pi hardware.
    A CoderDojo session in the UK.

    By knowing more about clubs — how frequently club leaders run them, what resources they use, what they would like more of — we can continue to improve the learning experience for educators, volunteers, and young people involved in our clubs.

    This year in March we sent out our survey to all Code Clubs and CoderDojos around the world, and we heard back from almost 500. As always, the results were very positive, and they also gave us a lot of useful information on how we can continue to improve our support for clubs all over the world.

    Who is involved in clubs?

    Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time, the network of over 4200 Code Clubs and 700 CoderDojos was reaching almost 139,000 young people globally. The global community of clubs has continued to grow since then, with a now even larger network of volunteers supporting ever more young people.

    Three learners laughing at a laptop in a Code Club.
    Participants in a Code Club in the UK.

    According to the survey, the majority of young people attending clubs are aged between 8 and 13, but clubs host young people as young as 6 and as old as 18. It was great to hear about the participation of girls, and we’d love to see this rise even higher: respondents told us that 42% of their Code Club attendees and 30% of their CoderDojo attendees are female.

    Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ interest and engagement in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing.

    None of these young people would be able to attend clubs without the great work of teams of educators and volunteers. Based on the survey, we estimate that at the time of the survey, there were over 10,300 Code Club leaders and almost 4000 CoderDojo champions around the world. Many survey respondents said that they were motivated to start volunteering after attending a club themselves.

    Students in a Code Club run by CSEd Botswana.
    A Code Club session in Botswana.

    Community is at the heart of clubs and the clubs networks: over 80% of respondents said that belonging to a global community of clubs helps motivates them to volunteer at their own club.

    What is the impact of clubs?

    Clubs focus on a wide range of topics and programming languages. Scratch is overwhelmingly popular, with over 95% of respondents telling us that they used Scratch in club sessions in the previous year. Micro:bit projects and Python-based programming were also very popular. Club leaders told us that in future they would like to offer more activities around AI applications, as well as around games and mobile apps. 

    A bar chart.

    Club leaders told us that being part of a Code Club or CoderDojo affects young people positively. Respondents feel that attending club sessions improves young peoples’ skills and interest in computing and programming, and increases their understanding of the usefulness of computing. Almost 90% of club leaders also agree that after attending a club, young people are interested in additional experiences of learning about computing and programming.

    Attending also positively affects young people’s wider skills and attitudes, with club leaders stating that young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking. 

    Young people who attend improve their personal confidence, independence in learning, and creative thinking.

    We were pleased to find out that most Code Club leaders, who run their sessions in schools, think that their clubs increase the visibility of computing within their school. Many also said that the attendees’ parents and guardians value their clubs as opportunities for their children.

    What’s next?

    We want to keep providing clubs with support to increase their positive impact on young people. Thanks to the survey results, we know to focus our work on providing training opportunities for club volunteers, as well as supporting club leaders to recruit volunteers and advertise their clubs to more young people.

    You can read the survey report to dive deeper into our findings.

    As we take an impact-focused approach to our work, we are currently partnering with Durham University on an evaluation of Code Clubs in UK schools. The evaluation will provide further insights for how we can best support people around the world to run clubs that provide welcoming spaces where all kids can learn to create with digital technologies.

    Website: LINK

  • Introducing Code Clubs in eastern India: 32,000 more young digital makers

    Introducing Code Clubs in eastern India: 32,000 more young digital makers

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, our mission is to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. One way we achieve this is through supporting a global network of school-based Code Clubs for young people, in partnership with organisations that share our mission.

    For the past couple of years we have been working with Mo School Abhiyan, a citizen–government partnership that aims to help people to connect, collaborate, and contribute to revamping the government schools and government-aided schools in the Indian state of Odisha. Together with Mo School Abhiyan we have established many more Code Clubs to increase access to computer science education, which is an important priority in Odisha.

    Learners in a computing classroom.

    We evaluate all of our projects to understand their impact, and this was no exception. We found that our training improved teachers’ skills, and we learned some valuable lessons — read on to find out more.

    Background and aims of the project

    After some successful small-scale trials with 5 and then 30 schools, our main project with Mo School Abhiyan began in August 2021. In the first phase, between August 2021 and January 2022, we aimed to train 1000 teachers from 1000 schools.

    Teachers in Code Club training in Odisha, India.

    For a number of reasons, including coronavirus-related school closures, not all teachers were able to complete their training during this phase. Therefore we revised the programme, splitting the teachers in two groups depending on how far they had progressed with their initial training. We also added more teachers, so our overall aim became to support 1075 teachers to complete their training and start running clubs in 2022.

    Our training and ongoing support for the teachers

    We trained the teachers using a hybrid approach through online courses and in-person training by our team based in India. As we went along and learned more about what worked for the teachers, we adapted the training. This included making some of the content, such as the Prepare to run a Code Club online course, more suitable for an Indian context.

    Teachers in Code Club training in Odisha, India.

    As most of the teachers were not computing specialists but more often teachers of other STEM subjects, we decided to focus the training on the basics of using Scratch programming in a Code Club.

    We continue to provide support to the teachers now that they’ve completed their training. For instance, each Friday we run ‘Coding pe Charcha’ (translating to ‘Discussion on Coding’) sessions online. In these sessions, teachers come together, get answers to their questions about Scratch, take part in codealongs, and find out on how their students can take part in our global technology showcase Coolest Projects.

    Measuring the impact of the training

    To understand the impact of our partnership with Mo School Abhiyan and learn lessons we can apply in future work, we evaluated the impact of the teacher training using a mixed-methods approach. This included surveys at the start and end of the main training programme, shorter feedback forms after some elements of the training, and follow-up surveys to understand teachers’ progress with establishing clubs. We used Likert-style questions to measure impact quantitatively, and free-text questions for teachers to provide qualitative feedback.

    Teachers in Code Club training in Odisha, India.

    One key lesson early on was that the teachers were using email infrequently. We adapted by setting up Whatsapp groups to keep in touch with them and send out the evaluation surveys.

    Gathering feedback from teachers

    Supported by our team in India, teachers progressed well through the training, with nine out of every ten teachers completing each element of the training.

    Teachers’ feedback about the training was positive. The teachers who filled in the feedback survey reported increases in knowledge of coding concepts that were statistically significant. Following the training, nine out of every ten teachers agreed that they felt confident to teach children about coding. They appeared to particularly value the in-person training and the approach taken to supporting them: eight out of every ten teachers rated the trainer as “extremely engaging”.

    Teachers in Code Club training in Odisha, India.

    The teachers’ feedback helped us identify possible future improvements. Some teachers indicated they would have liked more training with opportunities to practise their skills. We also learned how important it is that we tailor Code Club to suit the equipment and internet connectivity available in schools, and that we take into account that Code Clubs need to fit with school timetables and teachers’ other commitments. This feedback will inform our ongoing work.

    The project’s impact for young people

    In our follow-up surveys, 443 teachers have confirmed they have already started running Code Club sessions, with an estimated reach to at least 32,000 young people. And this reach has the potential to be even greater, as through our partnership with Mo School Abhiyan, teachers have registered more than 950 Code Clubs to date.

    An educator helps two young people at a computer.

    Supported by the teachers we’ve trained, each of the young people attending these Code Clubs will get the opportunity to learn to code and create with technology through our digital making projects. The projects enable young people to be creative and to share their creations with each other. Our team in India has started visiting Code Clubs to better understand how the clubs are benefiting young people.

    What’s next for our work in India

    The experience we’ve gained through the partnership with Mo School Abhiyan and the findings from the evaluation are helping to inform our growing work with communities in India and around the world that lack access to computing education. 

    In India we will continue to work with state governments and agencies to build on our experience with Mo School Abhiyan. We are also exploring opportunities to develop a computing education curriculum for governments and schools in India to adopt.

    If you would like to know more about our work and impact in India, please reach out to us via india@raspberrypi.org.

    Website: LINK

  • Help us understand UK students’ attitudes to coding

    Help us understand UK students’ attitudes to coding

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    Non-formal learning initiatives are a popular way to engage children in computing from a young age and introduce them to the fun, creative world of coding and digital making. As part of our commitment to an evidence-based approach, we are partnering with Durham University on an exciting evaluation project to study the impact non-formal activities like Code Club have on young people in UK schools. Your school is invited to take part in the project.

    A girl codes at a laptop while a woman looks on during a Code Club session.

    We’re inviting UK schools to take part

    The project will explore students’ attitudes to learning coding, and to learning generally. We hope to understand more about how extracurricular activities affect students’ confidence and skills. If you’re a teacher at a UK school, we would love for you to register your interest in taking part — your school doesn’t need to have a Code Club to participate. Taking part is easy: simply have some of your students fill in a few short surveys.

    Two young people working together on a tech project.

    As a token of our appreciation for your school’s involvement, you will receive some cool swag and an exclusive invitation to an online, educator-focused workshop where you will explore digital making with us. We’ll even provide you with all the kit you need to make something great, including a Raspberry Pi Pico. Your involvement will contribute to better computing education for UK students.

    Computing in UK classrooms and in Code Clubs

    In the UK, computing is taught at school, providing children with the opportunity to learn the importance of the subject and its many applications from a young age. In addition, non-formal education can play a pivotal role in fostering a positive learning experience, particularly in computing. Research on computing education indicates that non-formal settings are linked to improvement in students’ self-efficacy and interest in computing. Through participation in non-formal computing education, learners can gain valuable hands-on experience and develop problem-solving, collaboration, and presentation skills.

    A child codes a Spiderman project at a laptop during a Code Club session.

    That’s the thinking behind Code Clubs, which offer students a relaxed environment that encourages creativity, teamwork, and self-paced learning. By providing students with project-based learning opportunities and access to resources and mentors, Code Clubs help foster a passion for computing while also strengthening their understanding of key concepts.

    A previous evaluation showed that students who participated in Code Clubs reported improvement in their coding skills and a positive perception about their coding abilities. Code Clubs have already made a significant impact on learners worldwide, with over 3500 Code Clubs around the world currently reaching tens of thousands of young people and inspiring a new generation of digital makers.

    Help us with this project

    Your school’s participation in this project will help increase our understanding of what works in computing education. Together we can ensure that young people are equipped with the skills and confidence to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. 

    To register your interest in joining the project, simply fill out our short form and we’ll be in touch soon.

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrate Pi Day by supporting the Raspberry Pi Foundation

    Celebrate Pi Day by supporting the Raspberry Pi Foundation

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    Today is officially Pi Day. 

    While 14 March is an opportunity for our American friends to celebrate the mathematical constant Pi, we are also very happy to make this day a chance to say a massive thank you to everyone who supports the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s work through their generous donations.

    More than computers

    You may know that the Raspberry Pi story started in Cambridge, UK, in 2008 when a group of engineers-cum-entrepreneurs set out to improve computing education by inventing a programmable computer for the price of a textbook.

    A group of young people investigate computer hardware together.

    Fast forward 15 years and there are almost 50 million Raspberry Pi computers in the wild, being used to revolutionise education and industry alike. Removing price as a barrier for anyone to own a powerful, general-purpose computer will always be an important part of our mission to democratise access to computing.

    What we’ve learned over the years is that access to low-cost, high-quality hardware is essential, but not sufficient. 

    If we want all young people to be able to take advantage of the potential offered by technological innovation, then we also need to support teachers to introduce computing in schools, find ways to inspire young people to learn outside of their formal education, and make sure that everything we do is informed by rigorous research.

    Kenyan educators work on a physical computing project.

    That’s the focus of our educational mission at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and we couldn’t do this work without your support. 

    What we achieve for young people thanks to your support 

    We are fortunate that a large and growing community of people, corporations, trusts, and foundations makes very generous donations to support our educational mission. It’s thanks to you that we are able to achieve what we do for young people and educators: 

    • In 2022 alone, over 3.54m people engaged with our free online learning resources for young people, including brand-new pathways of projects for HTML/CSS, Python, and Raspberry Pi Pico
    • Supported by us, more than 4500 Code Club and CoderDojos are running in 103 countries, and an additional 2891 clubs that were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic tell us that they are actively planning to start running sessions for young people again soon. 
    • We engaged over 30,000 young people in challenges such as Astro Pi and Coolest Projects, enabling them to showcase their skills, think about how to solve problems using technology, and connect with like-minded peers.
    A young coder shows off her tech project Five young coders show off their robotic garden tech project for Coolest Projects to two other young tech creators.
    • We have supported tens of thousands of computing teachers through our curriculum, resources, and online training. For example, The Computing Curriculum, which we developed as part of the National Centre for Computing Education in England, is now being used by educators all over the world, with 1.7m global downloads in 2022. 
    • We completed and published the findings of the world’s largest-ever research programme testing how to improve the gender balance in computing. We are now working on integrating the insights from the programme into our own work and making them accessible and actionable for practitioners.

    Trust me when I say this is just a small selection of highlights, all of which are made possible by our amazing supporters. Thank you, and I hope that we made you proud. 

    Get involved today

    If you haven’t yet made a donation to our Pi Day campaign, it’s not too late to get involved. Your donation will help inspire the next generation of digital makers.

    Website: LINK