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Middle school students in Romania need fundamental critical, creative, and computational thinking skills (CCC) to increase their ability to participate meaningfully in the digital society and economy. These skills must be developed early and equitably, regardless of students’ socioeconomic background or geographic location.

 

CONTEXT

 

According to the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2023, only 29% of Romanian 8th‑grade students reached at least a functional level of computer and information literacy (CIL), placing Romania well below the international average of 51%.
ICILS 2023 found that Romanian students had limited exposure to teaching practices focused on the active use of ICT—such as data analysis or problem-solving using software. Only 21% of Romanian ICT teachers regularly engaged students in collaborative ICT projects, compared to an international average of 47%.
Furthermore, only 12% of students demonstrated independent and effective use of technology, compared to 25% internationally.

 

STRATEGY

 

International research shows that Scratch is an appropriate coding program to support computer science learning starting at young ages.

The “Teaching the Future” program is structured around five strategic pillars:

Pillar 1: Learning – content and pedagogical knowledge
Content and pedagogy will be delivered through the online “Predau Viitor” platform in a hybrid format combining asynchronous materials with live and interactive sessions. Learning focuses on Scratch, Scratch Jr., and unplugged computational thinking activities (activities that can be conducted without technology).

Pillar 2: Connection – building communities of practice
Pilot teaching communities will be developed both online and face‑to‑face as peer‑to‑peer learning environments.

Pillar 3: Practice – curricular and extracurricular implementation
Teachers will have opportunities to practice both in curricular contexts (through lesson sets aligned with the current curriculum) and extracurricular activities.

Pillar 4: Modeling – cultivating leadership
The project supports the development of a new generation of teacher‑leaders in middle‑school computer science, including large‑scale online events that expose teachers to innovative approaches.

Pillar 5: Assessment – generating learning that supports change
The main evaluation goal is to test and improve lesson sets designed to support teaching in rural areas.

 

EXPECTED RESULTS 

  • 400 ICT teachers trained in computer science pedagogy and Scratch‑based programming
  • 100 teachers implementing Scratch Day lesson sets in class
  • 9 teachers becoming exemplary practitioners of CCC‑focused informatics instruction and facilitators of professional community meetings
  • 2,500 students improving their knowledge and skills in informatics

Testimonials

RESULTS