Abstract:

Despite growing awareness of gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), girls remain significantly underrepresented in digital education and IT careers. The Coding Girl project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme, seeks to address this gap by inspiring young girls to engage with coding and STEAM fields through the power of digital storytelling and female role models.

This article presents the conceptual framework, implementation methodology, and outcomes of the Coding Girl initiative, which spans several European countries. The project combines innovative educational formats such as Living Libraries, where girls engage with real-life stories of successful women in STEAM, with interactive workshops and school-based activities designed to spark interest in digital skills and computational thinking.

Key outputs include the creation of a web-based Living Library platform hosting video stories of diverse female professionals, a Coding Girl Toolkit for teachers and educators, and training sessions aimed at fostering inclusive and gender-sensitive teaching practices in IT education. Through qualitative and quantitative data collected from pilot schools and participant feedback, we examine how exposure to relatable role models and creative formats can positively influence girls’ attitudes towards coding and self-efficacy in STEAM.

The article also explores how the project contributes to EU objectives on digital inclusion and gender equality, and offers recommendations for scalable practices in promoting diversity in tech education.

Keywords:

Gender Equality, STEAM Education, Coding, Digital Inclusion, Role Models, Erasmus+, Living Library, Girls in IT, Educational Innovation.