The “Kodkuporna” programme started in Flemingsberg in May, a project that gives children and young people the opportunity to try their hand at programming. Students from KTH and Södertörn University mentor middle school students from Vistaskolan in play-based learning.

The idea of starting a course in programming for children and young people first emerged in 2019 within the framework of the Flemingsberg Science campus group.
“We’ve started at last! The whole project had to be put on ice during the pandemic and then we decided to start with a pilot round of ten children this semester,” says Frida Lindberg, KTH project co-ordinator for Kodkupan Flemingsberg.

A broader understanding
During the sessions, children create games in the Scratch programme. The goal is to show children how they can influence digital environments and give them a broader understanding of digital services.
“The sessions are led by student volunteers from KTH and Södertörn University and include work on screens and with games that build logical thinking in a variety of ways,” Lindberg says.
Kodkupan follows a teaching plan from partner organization Kodcentrum, a non-profit that organizes digital creation activities.

Sebastiaan Meijer is deputy headteacher and head of department at KTH.

Kodkupan Flemingsberg has several aims, including building collaboration in the campus area, as well as contributing to broadened recruitment to the university. Sebastiaan Meijer is deputy headteacher and head of department at KTH in Flemingsberg and works primarily on broadening recruitment. He also participated in the first Kodkupan in May.
“It was such fun to see how the childrens’ shyness quickly changed to excitement once they got into it. Participation builds self-confidence and it’s important to do this in a playful way,” says Meijer.

The fact that KTH and Södertörn University are organizing Kodkupan together with Huddinge and Botkyrka municipality makes it easier to reach out, he says.
“We want to reach all those who for one reason or another opt out of higher education, even though they may have a talent for a subject. The broader the cross-section of people that participate in finding solutions to the societal problems of the future, the better the solutions will be. All perspectives need to be part of that journey,” Meijer adds.

Middle school students from Vistaskolan in Huddinge participated in the first session of Kodkupan Flemingsberg. Next term, the initiative will be made available to more participants and there are plans for a collaboration with Widerströmska Gymnasiet.