Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature
Abstract This paper explores the evolving landscape of informatics education in European primary and secondary schools, analysing academic and grey literature to define the state of play and open questions related to ‘high-quality informatics education’. It underlines the strategic importance of pro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Smart Learning Environments |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00366-5 |
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| author | Demetrios Sampson Panagiotis Kampylis Jesús Moreno-León Stefania Bocconi |
| author_facet | Demetrios Sampson Panagiotis Kampylis Jesús Moreno-León Stefania Bocconi |
| author_sort | Demetrios Sampson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This paper explores the evolving landscape of informatics education in European primary and secondary schools, analysing academic and grey literature to define the state of play and open questions related to ‘high-quality informatics education’. It underlines the strategic importance of promoting high-quality informatics education to prepare students for life and work in the digital era, contributing to European societies and economies’ social and economic resilience. Drawing on a review of over 180 recent academic publications, policy documents, and grey literature, it provides an overview of how informatics education is being implemented across Europe and beyond, highlighting recent curricular developments, pedagogical practices, and policy initiatives. The paper also identifies and analyses key open issues related to high-quality informatics education, organised into four clusters: student-related (e.g., equity and inclusion), teacher-related (e.g., professional development, shortage of qualified teachers), school-related (e.g., the need for whole-school approach) and curriculum- and resource-related (e.g., competing curriculum priorities, quality of teaching and learning materials). Finally, the paper offers recommendations for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners (school leaders and educators) related to the key open issues of high-quality K-12 informatics education. Overall, the paper contributes to the discussion on high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe towards identifying and addressing major challenges for equitable access to quality informatics education for all European K-12 students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dd4cc10b815848e1bbaff3e961bcf043 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2196-7091 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Smart Learning Environments |
| spelling | doaj-art-dd4cc10b815848e1bbaff3e961bcf0432025-02-09T12:59:21ZengSpringerOpenSmart Learning Environments2196-70912025-02-0112113010.1186/s40561-025-00366-5Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literatureDemetrios Sampson0Panagiotis Kampylis1Jesús Moreno-León2Stefania Bocconi3University of PiraeusUniversity of PiraeusUniversidad de SevillaInstitute for Educational Technologies, National Research CouncilAbstract This paper explores the evolving landscape of informatics education in European primary and secondary schools, analysing academic and grey literature to define the state of play and open questions related to ‘high-quality informatics education’. It underlines the strategic importance of promoting high-quality informatics education to prepare students for life and work in the digital era, contributing to European societies and economies’ social and economic resilience. Drawing on a review of over 180 recent academic publications, policy documents, and grey literature, it provides an overview of how informatics education is being implemented across Europe and beyond, highlighting recent curricular developments, pedagogical practices, and policy initiatives. The paper also identifies and analyses key open issues related to high-quality informatics education, organised into four clusters: student-related (e.g., equity and inclusion), teacher-related (e.g., professional development, shortage of qualified teachers), school-related (e.g., the need for whole-school approach) and curriculum- and resource-related (e.g., competing curriculum priorities, quality of teaching and learning materials). Finally, the paper offers recommendations for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners (school leaders and educators) related to the key open issues of high-quality K-12 informatics education. Overall, the paper contributes to the discussion on high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe towards identifying and addressing major challenges for equitable access to quality informatics education for all European K-12 students.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00366-5Informatics educationComputing educationComputer science educationComputational thinkingDigital competenceArtificial intelligence in education |
| spellingShingle | Demetrios Sampson Panagiotis Kampylis Jesús Moreno-León Stefania Bocconi Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature Smart Learning Environments Informatics education Computing education Computer science education Computational thinking Digital competence Artificial intelligence in education |
| title | Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature |
| title_full | Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature |
| title_fullStr | Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature |
| title_short | Towards high-quality informatics K-12 education in Europe: key insights from the literature |
| title_sort | towards high quality informatics k 12 education in europe key insights from the literature |
| topic | Informatics education Computing education Computer science education Computational thinking Digital competence Artificial intelligence in education |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00366-5 |
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