The Government of Aragon will roll out the educational innovation program Code School 4.0 this academic year in all publicly funded centers that offer the second cycle of early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education. The Counselor of Education, Culture, and Sports, Tomasa Hernández, visited the STEAM classroom at the María de Ávila Teacher Training Center to learn about the training materials intended for Aragonese teachers.
Investment Details and Objectives
The project involves an investment of over 9 million euros, distributed over two main areas. The provision of programming and robotics equipment for educational centers requires more than 6 million euros, while support for teacher training amounts to nearly 3 million euros.
The program aims for students to acquire skills in programming, robotics, and computational thinking «in a transversal way and from any area or subject.» According to Hernández, these are «key pillars for developing essential skills for students such as analysis, organization, problem-solving, and creativity.» The counselor emphasized that «Aragon is committed to innovative, inclusive, and equitable education that prepares students for the digital challenges of the 21st century.»
Specific Kits by Educational Stage
Early Childhood Education: The materials focus on the early exploration of computational thinking through manipulative activities, mats, and simple-to-use robots that work on spatial orientation, step sequencing, and symbolic play.
Primary Education: Two differentiated kits are proposed based on age. For 1st and 2nd grades, the resources maintain a focus similar to early childhood kits, with manipulative materials and simple construction robots. In later grades, the kits incorporate programmable cards and more advanced systems, introducing block programming and expanding knowledge in computational thinking with interdisciplinary challenges following a STEAM approach.
Secondary Education: The proposal evolves towards greater technical complexity but remains accessible in all areas of knowledge. Computational thinking continues to be developed with programmable cards and building robots, incorporating more sensors and mounting possibilities. Furthermore, concepts of Artificial Intelligence are introduced, along with a progressive shift from block programming to code programming, paving the way for prototype design, STEAM projects, and practical applications in real contexts.
Adaptations for Educational Diversity
All kits include devices suitable for universal design for learning, providing multiple forms of representation, action, and expression. Special Education classrooms, preferred classrooms for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and special education centers will receive a kit specifically designed to improve physical, sensory, cognitive, and emotional accessibility.
The Grouped Rural Centers (CRA) will have specific kits adapted to their reality and geographical dispersion, ensuring that educational robotics reaches all classrooms. The Rural Centers for Educational Innovation in Aragon (CRIEs) will receive equipment to create maker classrooms with materials complementary to those of reference centers.
Teacher Training and Support
Last academic year, an expert team was formed to promote the program from the Aragonese Center for Technologies in Education (CATEDU), coordinators were appointed in each teacher training center, and a network of 47 expert mentorships was established to provide technical and pedagogical support in the classroom for teachers.
The current training plan is aimed at all teachers and includes practical workshops, technical and methodological training, face-to-face sessions in Teacher Training Centers and direct classroom support, as well as online training through Aularagon. In addition, a repository of Open Educational Resources, adapted to the Aragonese curriculum and organized by stages and subjects, will be made available to teachers.
The centralized purchase of devices will be tendered soon, and it is expected that they will arrive at the centers in the second term of the academic year.
