Abstract:

Digital literacy, computational thinking and socio-emotional skills have become essential learning goals in basic education. In Portugal, however, many schools still struggle to provide consistent and meaningful opportunities for younger learners to develop these competencies. The Happy Code programme seeks to address these gaps by offering project-based, game-based and collaborative learning experiences in coding, robotics and digital creation in primary education.

This study examines the educational and social effects of the programme on 1st cycle students (grades 1–4). A mixed-methods, ex-post design was adopted, guided by a stakeholder-informed Theory of Change. Data sources included 182 valid student questionnaires and two semi-structured focus groups with ten teachers. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis.

The results indicate positive self-reported changes in students’ digital literacy, technological confidence and problem-solving skills. High levels of engagement were observed, with 91% of students reporting that they enjoyed participating in the programme, and 78% reporting increased confidence in using computers. Improvements were also reported in core technological skills, with nearly 80% of students indicating that they learned to program better. Teacher insights reinforced these findings, highlighting increased autonomy, persistence, teamwork and awareness of digital citizenship.

Overall, the Happy Code programme appears to support learning-related cognitive and socio-emotional skills and aligns closely with current STEAM and computational-thinking approaches in primary education. The study also offers practical implications for curriculum design, teacher training and the implementation of digital-learning initiatives in the early years of schooling.

Keywords:

Digital Literacy, STEAM Education, Coding, Soft Skills, Computational Thinking.