CECE's Map of Informatics in European Schools
A joint project by
and
The Committee on European Computing Education (CECE) established by ACM Europe and Informatics Europe has undertaken the major task of mapping out Informatics education in schools, for curricula and teaching training and methodologies, across Europe.
This interactive map visualises the data collected over the past year, providing an unprecedented level of detail and coverage, as well as a wealth of fundamental information on the status of Informatics (and Digital Literacy) teaching in Europe. The map currently presents advanced results and allows for contributions and verification by invited academics and other stakeholders. Its development and findings were also presented in the paper "The CECE Report: Creating a Map of Informatics in European Schools".
The data presented was gathered by sending detailed questionnaires to relevant contacts in all European countries. The questionnaires were broadly divided into two main sections: one collecting information about the status of Digital Literacy teaching and another about the status of Informatics teaching. Digital Literacy is defined here as the skills to use IT and its devices intelligently. Informatics is defined here as the scientific discipline enabling IT, with its own concepts, methods, body of knowledge and open issues, parallel to other fundamental scientific disciplines such as Mathematics and Physics. Note that in some European countries Informatics is known as Computer Science or Computing.
We have relied on, and are grateful for, community contribution. In the absence of official governmental sources in many countries, we have relied on input from academics, researchers, practitioners and teachers who are at the forefront of a slow, but irreversible, movement across Europe to promote the teaching of high quality Informatics to the young. The educational, social and economic future of Europe relies on the success of this movement.
Below you can access all data gathered in this study and learn more about the status of Informatics education in Europe.
Data Availability
Which countries have provided data? How well are we covering Europe?
Informatics
First Contact
When do European pupils have their first contact with Informatics? When does the road to mastering the science that makes the digital world possible start?Availability of Courses
Is Informatics offered as a subject in secondary schools? If so, do all students have access to Informatics courses? Is Informatics a compulsory or an elective subject?Curriculum Consistency
Have European countries implemented a nationally consistent Informatics curriculum? Is it uniform across different schools in the country?Enrolment
What percentage of students are enrolled in Informatics courses at secondary schools in different European countries?
Digital Literacy
First Contact
When do European pupils have their first contact with computers? When does the road to Digital Literacy start?A Separate Subject?
Are students in Europe learning how to use computers in specialised school classes or is Digital Literacy integrated with other (scientific) subjects?Curriculum Consistency
Have European countries implemented a nationally consistent Digital Literacy curriculum? Is it uniform across different schools in the country?Enrolment
What percentage of students are enrolled in Digital Literacy courses during the first two years of secondary education?
Teacher Training
Special Qualifications
Are special qualifications required for teaching Informatics in secondary schools in different European countries?Number of Subjects
Are secondary school teachers (in any area) qualified in more than one subject?Entry Requirement
Do teachers at secondary schools need a degree to teach? What are the requirements in each European country? Where do teachers need a university degree, a specialisation, or even a Master degree?In-Service Length
Is practical experience required for secondary school teachers? How long is this stage of training in different European countries?Stand-alone Digital Literacy Curriculum
Which countries have a established and adopted a stand-alone Digital Literacy curriculum in teacher training?Stand-alone Informatics Curriculum
Which countries have a established a stand-alone Informatics curriculum in teacher training?Typical Path Availability
Is the typical training path for a secondary school teacher also available in Informatics?Professionals as Teachers
Can a professional (e.g. a Software Engineer) with working experience but no educational degree be a teacher of Informatics in secondary school?Professional Experience
Can professional experience can be used to waive the formal subject qualifications typically required?Mathematics Teachers
Can Informatics be taught by Mathematics teachers at secondary school in the different European countries?Physics Teachers
Can Informatics be taught by Physics teachers at secondary school in the different European countries?Business Teachers
Can Informatics be taught by Business teachers at secondary school in the different European countries?Engineering Teachers
Can Informatics be taught by Engineering teachers at secondary school in the different European countries?Teachers from other Disciplines
Can Informatics be taught by teachers of other disciplines at secondary school in the different European countries?Security of Employment
Do secondary school teachers have permanent or tenured jobs? See the differences across Europe.