Empower Girls Creativity Through Use of Digital Technologies (SparkDigiGirls) project aims to encourage girls to explore digital technologies such as AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), AI (Artificial Intelligence), IoT (Internet of things) and come up with new and exciting ideas by utilizing their newly acquired digital knowledge to chart the waters of the male-dominated STEM industry with fresh, different, and creative viewpoints.
Two years duration project is implemented in Lithuania, Greece, Slovenia, Portugal and funded by the Erasmus+ strategic partnership in the youth field.
Over the course of the project the consortium of partners will aim to tackle stereotypes and societal beliefs on gender and technology, strengthen girls’ digital literacy skills, open up new opportunities for creativity, and encourage girls to pursue IT or STEM studies. An online training program tailored to girls' needs will also be set up. Finally, the project will run a campaign of success stories of women in technology, and will invite girls and youth workers to join the project activities.
The main target groups that will be impacted by the project:
Concrete project results:
A twofold analysis of ways how innovative and new technologies may develop creativity of girls.
The prepared Report presents key findings of completed two-fold analysis: round table discussions and case studies. The Report specifically focuses on what technologies may impact 13 to 18 years old girls’ creativity and suggests ways of how to increase girls' interest in computer science and technology. Moreover, the report clearly sets the learning scenarios and crucially provides a way to help girls build better, more interesting learning experiences through exploring digital technologies and finding creative solutions to given real life situations.
Link to the Report SparkDigiGirls Report
A curriculum development
As a result of this activity, it is expected that the curriculum will attract more attention of girls set to engage in the online course and will serve as a support document on how they could navigate independently through online training materials. The programme topics will be chosen based on real life problems/situations of interest to the girls. It is also believed that youth workers from formal and non-formal education organisations could use the curriculum to attract girls to the online course.
Link to the IO2 - A1 Curriculum
Link to the O2 - A2 methidological guildeliness
An online course development
Set of online training materials will be developed during the course. The training programme focus on innovative learning and thus differ from prior courses. This includes: i) use practical experimental learning model and real-life tasks for promoting creativity and improving digital skills; ii) innovative means choosing new and interesting digital applications and tools for youth, specifically for girls; iii) exploration of technologies in a way to allow girls to come up with new and exciting ideas and solutions for given problems. The online course will be focused mostly on practical tasks with the focus on mastering basic knowledge and skills in innovative technologies.
Digital female role model campaign
The project partners decided to develop a digital Female Role Model Campaign addressed at countering negative stereotypes on computer science and technology among girls. The campaign will address participant girls and then youth workers.
Guidebook empower youth workers as mentors to pursue girls’ creativity through usage of digital applications
The guidebook will provide information on how to activate and support youth workers as mentors to pursue girls’ creativity through the use of digital applications. Guidelines will include best practices, toolkits and other useful information for youth workers from formal and non-formal education institutions like schools, youth NGOs, public libraries, community centres, various education providers and other stakeholders.
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