ChildrenWhoCode

Who (first and last name) is the Team Lead for your application and LEAP Project?

DR. SONAL KUKREJA

Describe the role the Team Lead plays in your organization. [100-200 words recommended]

As the Team Lead and Founder of ChildrenWhoCode, I play a multifaceted role. First and foremost, I am responsible for the strategic direction and operational execution of our initiative, ensuring that we stay true to our mission of providing quality tech education to children in India. I handle strategic planning, business development, partnership building, and fundraising, while also overseeing daily operations and program management. 

Secondly, I serve as the Chief Educator. In this capacity, I create and record most of the instructional content for our courses and workshops, thus directly contributing to the educational impact of our venture. 

Finally, I am actively involved in mentorship, guiding both our team members and the children we teach. My goal as a leader is to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within our organization. The holistic development of our team and our students is of paramount importance to me.

Explain how your Team Lead and supporting team members are well-positioned to effectively support the LEAP Project, given other priorities within your organization. [200-500 words - recommended]

As the Team Lead, I am deeply invested in the success of the LEAP Project, and I am well-positioned to dedicate the required time and energy to it, given my role and responsibilities in the organization. 

My day-to-day work involves creating curriculum, teaching, managing the team, and overseeing the strategic direction of our work, all of which directly align with the goals of the LEAP Project. I have the full support of my team, which includes a range of skill sets and experiences from co-educators to interns, and from IT professionals to university volunteers. Each of them has expressed commitment to support our mission and contribute to the LEAP Project. 

Moreover, my experience as a professor gives me a unique understanding of the educational landscape and the needs of our students. This understanding, combined with my technical skills, would enable me to effectively steer the project, making strategic decisions based on evidence-based research.

Further, my administrative responsibilities in the organization involve me in aspects of program design, monitoring, and evaluation, which would be crucial to implementing the recommendations arising from the LEAP Project.

Despite other organizational priorities, the alignment of the LEAP Project with our mission and strategic objectives ensures that it is high on our agenda. We recognize that strengthening our evidence base is crucial for enhancing the impact and effectiveness of our learning solution, and this provides us with an additional incentive to prioritize the LEAP Project.

In conclusion, as the Team Lead, I, along with my dedicated team, am fully committed to dedicating the necessary time and resources towards the LEAP Project. We are confident of effectively balancing this commitment with other organizational priorities, thereby ensuring the successful implementation and ultimate success of the project.

One-line solution summary: In 20 words or less, summarize your organization's product or program that is the focus of your LEAP Project.

ChildrenWhoCode: Bringing quality Computer Science education to Indian schools through well structured curriculum, preparing children for the future tech world.

Define the problem that your solution seeks to solve. [200-500 words recommended]

India, despite being a global IT hub, faces a serious gap in its early-age technical education. This gap stems from multiple issues.

1. Lack of Quality Curriculum: The current school curriculum in India does not adequately address computer science or digital literacy. Many schools do introduce basic computer skills, but these programs often lack a comprehensive, progressive structure that builds foundational skills and then advances to more complex concepts such as coding, algorithms, or data structures.

2. Inadequate Access: While affluent urban schools may offer more advanced computer science programs, schools in semi-urban and rural areas often lack these resources entirely. This disparity further widens the digital divide and prevents many children from gaining the skills they need to participate in the digital economy.

3. Unprepared Educators: Teachers often lack the training and resources to effectively teach computer science. This lack of preparedness can limit their ability to engage students or adapt to new technologies and pedagogical approaches.

4. Future Job Market Requirements: With the IT sector growing rapidly, the job market increasingly demands tech-savvy individuals. Without early-age technical education, many Indian children will be ill-prepared for these opportunities.

Our solution, ChildrenWhoCode, seeks to address these issues by delivering a structured and progressive curriculum that can be integrated into any school program. By offering quality computer science education to every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, we aim to equip them with the skills they need for the future tech world.

Describe your solution and how it works in simple terms. [200-500 words recommended]

ChildrenWhoCode is a comprehensive and structured technical education program designed for children aged 6 to 15. It aims to make computer science education accessible, engaging, and relevant for all children in India.

Here's how it works:

• Curriculum: We have developed a progressive curriculum that starts with basic digital literacy and progresses to more advanced concepts like coding, algorithms, data structures, and even emerging technologies like AI and machine learning. This allows children to build foundational skills and then grow their knowledge at a pace and level that suits them.
• Teaching Methodology: Our pedagogical approach embraces learning variability. We understand that every child learns differently and our curriculum reflects that. We use a blend of instruction, hands-on activities, project-based learning, and personalized mentoring to cater to different learning styles and paces. Our lessons are designed to be interactive and engaging, fostering a fun and supportive learning environment.
• Live Online Classes: We conduct live online classes and workshops for students, making it possible for us to reach children across geographical boundaries, thus, bridging the digital divide. These interactive sessions allow students to engage with the curriculum in a flexible and personalized learning environment.
• Teacher Training: To address the issue of unprepared educators, we offer teacher training programs that equip teachers with the skills, knowledge, and resources to deliver our curriculum effectively.
• Community Engagement: We organize workshops and coding camps in schools, including those in semi-urban and rural areas, to foster a culture of digital literacy and innovation.
• Digital Platform: We're in the process of developing an online learning platform that will host interactive, self-paced courses from our curriculum. This will feature an integrated coding editor and AI-assistance to facilitate learning. The aim is to increase accessibility and personalize the learning process, helping to bridge the digital divide and cater to various learning styles.

Overall, ChildrenWhoCode is more than just a computer science education program. It's a movement to democratize tech education in India, making it accessible and enjoyable for all children, and preparing them for the digital world of the future.

Select the key characteristics of your target population. Select all that apply.

• Primary school children (ages 5-12)
• Rural
• Peri-Urban
• Low-Income
• Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons

In which country or countries does your solution currently operate?

India

Upload your solution's Theory of Change or Logic Model.

Where would you place your solution on Nesta's Standards of Evidence?

To date, what research/studies has your organization conducted that have helped demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution? [200-500 words recommended]

Our organization has conducted a range of research and studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution. Here is an overview of the research/studies we have conducted in different categories:

1. Foundational Research: We have conducted comprehensive literature reviews and desktop research to establish the theoretical foundations of our solution. These reviews have helped us understand the existing body of knowledge related to computer science education, digital literacy, and the impact of technology on learning outcomes. By synthesizing the findings from various studies, we have developed a strong theoretical framework for our solution.

2. Formative Research: To inform the development and implementation of our solution, we have conducted usability studies, feasibility studies, and case studies. These studies involved collecting feedback from students, teachers, and other stakeholders to understand their experiences, challenges, and preferences related to computer science education. User interviews and implementation studies have provided valuable insights into the usability of our platform and the effectiveness of our teaching methodologies.

3. Summative Research: Our organization has also conducted correlational studies and quasi-experimental studies to evaluate the impact of our solution on learning outcomes. By comparing the performance of students who have participated in our coding programs with those who have not, we have been able to demonstrate the positive effects of our solution on digital literacy, computational thinking skills, and coding proficiency. These studies have provided empirical evidence of the effectiveness of our approach.

Through these research and studies, we have been able to gather valuable data and insights that have helped us refine and enhance our solution. The findings have guided us in making evidence-based decisions, such as modifying our curriculum, improving instructional methods, and incorporating feedback from users. We have also used the research findings to communicate the impact of our solution to stakeholders, including schools, parents, and policymakers.

While our research efforts have provided valuable evidence of the effectiveness of our solution, we recognize the need for ongoing research and evaluation to continuously improve our programs. We are committed to conducting further research to measure long-term outcomes, explore the impact of our solution on different student populations, and gather insights that can inform future iterations of our curriculum and teaching practices.

By leveraging both foundational and empirical research, we are building a strong evidence base that demonstrates the effectiveness of our solution in preparing students for the future tech world and bridging the digital divide. This research-driven approach allows us to continuously improve and adapt our programs to meet the evolving needs of students and ensure their success in the digital age.

What has the research/studies you have conducted revealed about your solution and how did it inform your work moving forward? [200-500 words recommended]

Some Statistics

• According to Department of School Education and
  Literacy, more than 83% of the total schools are located in rural India.
• In terms of digital literacy in schools, a study by the
  National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) found that only 28% of teachers in government schools and 53% of teachers in private schools in India were proficient in using computers.
• While the overall literacy rate in the country has to bridge a
  gap of 25-30%, digital literacy is almost non-existent among more than 90% of India's population.

Why computer science education for children?

• According to the World Economic Forum, 65% of Generation Alpha children
  starting elementary school now will eventually work in a whole new career in tech-savvy categories.
• Coding skills are highly in demand in today's job market, and learning to code at a young age can give children a head start in their future careers.
• Coding involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts, which can help kids develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• In today's digital world, it is important for kids to have a basic understanding of how technology works. Learning to code can help them become more digitally literate and better prepared for the future.
• Successfully coding a project can be a great confidence booster for kids, especially if they struggle in other areas of their education. It can help them develop a growth mindset and a can-do attitude towards challenges.

Why is it important to provide technical education to rural India?

• As 65% of the population of India is situated in rural areas, emphasizing on rural education will help boost the overall economy. 
• It will also help in reduce migration of people from rural areas to cites of
  employment and create new opportunities.
• Agriculture is one of the most important sectors in India. In 2020-21, it
  contributed to 20.2% of the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA). As per the census 2011, about 54.6% of the country’s population was engaged in agriculture and allied activities. Out of these, about 70% of the total rural households were involved in agricultural activities; 82% of them were small and marginal farmers making it the largest source of livelihood in India. Thus, by improving rural technical education, the agriculture sector can grow a lot with new technologies and knowledge. 
• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is a huge contributor to the Indian economy making up about 30% of the country’s GDP. The share of MSMErelated products in total exports from India was 48% during 2018-19. Out of about 63.4 million MSMEs in India, 51.25% i.e. 32.5 million MSME’s are in rural areas. With the sector employing about 50 million people in rural India, it is one of the most important sectors in the rural economy. Hence, technical learning is important for the growth of the MSME sector, as technology helps to outstand remarkably.

Describe your organization's need to strengthen the evidence base of your solution. [200-500 words recommended]

At ChildrenWhoCode, we recognize the importance of evidence-based practices in the field of education. Strengthening the evidence base of our solution is crucial to validate the effectiveness of our program and ensure that we are delivering the best possible learning outcomes for our students. 

The need to strengthen the evidence base of our solution arises from several factors. Firstly, as an organization committed to providing quality technical education, we want to ensure that our program is backed by rigorous research and evaluation. This not only adds credibility to our work but also allows us to continuously improve and refine our approach based on empirical evidence.

Secondly, the field of education is constantly evolving, with new pedagogical approaches, technologies, and learning theories emerging. By engaging in research and building a robust evidence base, we can stay at the forefront of educational practices and incorporate the latest findings into our program design. This will enable us to effectively address the unique needs of our students and adapt our curriculum to meet changing educational landscapes.

Furthermore, with the increasing demand for technical skills in the job market, it is imperative that our program equips students with the necessary knowledge and competencies. By strengthening the evidence base of our solution, we can demonstrate the impact of our program on students' learning outcomes, such as increased digital literacy, computational thinking skills, and coding proficiency. This evidence will not only attract more students to our program but also foster partnerships with schools, organizations, and policymakers who are invested in promoting STEM education.

Now is the right time to engage in a LEAP Project because it provides us with a unique opportunity to collaborate with expert researchers and social entrepreneurs who can guide us in strengthening our evidence base. The LEAP Challenge's focus on evidence-based learning solutions aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering high-quality education. By participating in the LEAP Project, we can access valuable research recommendations, connect with a global cohort of like-minded organizations, and receive support in implementing and evaluating our program.

In summary, strengthening the evidence base of our solution is essential for the growth and impact of ChildrenWhoCode. Engaging in a LEAP Project will enable us to enhance our program's effectiveness, stay at the forefront of educational practices, and demonstrate the value of our work to stakeholders. We are excited about the opportunity to contribute to the field of education and make a lasting impact on the lives of children through evidence-based learning solutions.

What are 2-3 research questions that you would like your LEAP Project to help you answer? [100 words recommended]

1. How does the implementation of our coding curriculum impact students' computational thinking and problem-solving skills?
2. What are the key factors that contribute to the successful integration of coding education into school curricula?
3. How does access to quality technical education, such as our program, contribute to reducing the digital divide and improving educational outcomes for students in low-income communities?

These research questions will help us evaluate the effectiveness of our solution, understand the best practices for implementing coding education in schools, and measure the impact on students' skills and opportunities.

What type of research/studies do you think will help answer your stated questions? Select all that apply.

• Formative research (e.g. usability studies; feasibility studies; case studies; user interviews; implementation studies; pre-post or multi-measure research; correlational studies)
• Summative research (e.g. correlational studies; quasi-experimental studies; randomized control studies)

Please elaborate on your selection above by describing your desired outputs of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint. [200 - 500 words recommended]

During the 12-week LEAP Project sprint, our desired outputs include a range of research recommendations, guidance, and strategies that can significantly contribute to strengthening the evidence base of our solution. These outputs will be produced by the LEAP Fellows and will provide valuable insights and actionable steps for us to enhance the effectiveness and impact of our solution.

The research recommendations and guidance will cover various aspects of our solution, including curriculum development, pedagogical approaches, assessment methods, and implementation strategies. We anticipate receiving comprehensive literature reviews and desktop research that will inform our understanding of best practices and emerging trends in computer science education for children aged 6-15. These research outputs will help us ensure that our curriculum aligns with the latest advancements in the field and incorporates innovative teaching methodologies.

Additionally, we seek formative research outputs such as usability studies, feasibility studies, and user interviews. These outputs will shed light on the usability and effectiveness of our platform, learning materials, and teaching methods. By gathering feedback from students, educators, and other stakeholders, we can identify areas for improvement and make informed adjustments to enhance the learning experience.

Furthermore, we anticipate receiving implementation studies and pre-post or multi-measure research outputs that evaluate the impact of our solution on students' learning outcomes. These outputs will provide valuable evidence of the effectiveness of our curriculum and teaching approaches. We aim to measure the progress of students in terms of their coding skills, computational thinking abilities, problem-solving capabilities, and overall engagement with computer science education.

The outputs will not only focus on the immediate impact of our solution but also provide recommendations for long-term sustainability and scalability. We envision receiving guidance on effective strategies for scaling our solution to reach a larger number of students and schools, as well as insights into potential partnerships and collaborations that can further strengthen our impact.

Overall, our desired outputs from the 12-week LEAP Project sprint are research-based recommendations, guidance, and strategies that will empower us to enhance our curriculum, teaching methods, and overall approach. By leveraging the expertise of the LEAP Fellows, we aim to build a robust evidence base for our solution and ensure its continuous improvement to effectively serve the needs of children and schools.

How will your organization put these outputs into action? [200-500 words recommended]

Following the conclusion of the LEAP Project sprint, our organization is committed to putting the outputs into action in order to strengthen the evidence base of our solution. We recognize the value of the research recommendations, guidance, and strategies produced by the LEAP Fellows and aim to leverage them effectively to drive meaningful impact. Here is how we plan to put these outputs into action:

1. Implementation of Research Recommendations: We will carefully review and analyze the research recommendations provided by the LEAP Fellows. These recommendations will serve as a roadmap for enhancing the evidence base of our solution. We will prioritize the identified areas for improvement and integrate the recommended strategies into our curriculum and instructional practices.

2. Curriculum Refinement: The research recommendations will guide us in refining and optimizing our curriculum to ensure that it aligns with best practices in technical education. We will update and enhance the content, pedagogy, and learning resources based on the insights provided by the LEAP Fellows. This iterative process will enable us to continually improve the effectiveness and relevance of our curriculum.

3. Teacher Training and Professional Development: We will utilize the guidance and strategies offered by the LEAP Fellows to develop comprehensive teacher training programs. These programs will empower educators to effectively deliver our curriculum, incorporating evidence-based instructional methods and innovative teaching techniques. By providing ongoing professional development opportunities, we will support teachers in their continuous growth as facilitators of quality technical education.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: We recognize the importance of rigorous monitoring and evaluation to measure the impact of our solution. The outputs from the LEAP Project will inform the development of a robust framework for assessing the effectiveness of our program. We will establish data collection mechanisms, performance indicators, and evaluation protocols to track student outcomes and gauge the success of our initiatives.

5. Dissemination and Collaboration: We are committed to sharing our findings and insights with the broader education community. The outputs from the LEAP Project will be disseminated through research publications, presentations at conferences, and engagement with relevant stakeholders. We will actively seek opportunities for collaboration with other organizations and researchers in the field to contribute to the collective knowledge and advancement of technical education.

By actively implementing the outputs from the LEAP Project, we aim to continuously enhance the quality and impact of our solution. We view this as an ongoing process, and we are dedicated to staying informed by research, incorporating best practices, and adapting to the evolving needs of learners in order to achieve our mission of providing quality technical education to every child.

Describe your desired short-term and long-term outcomes of the 12-week LEAP Project sprint for both your organization and solution. [200-500 words recommended]

The 12-week LEAP Project sprint holds the potential for significant short-term and long-term outcomes for both our organization and solution. These outcomes will contribute to the strengthening of our evidence base and the overall impact of our solution. Here are our desired short-term and long-term outcomes:

Short-term Outcomes:

1. Enhanced Evidence Base: The LEAP Project will provide us with research recommendations, guidance, and strategies that will directly inform our approach to strengthening the evidence base of our solution. These insights will allow us to make immediate improvements to our curriculum, instructional methods, and program design.

2. Improved Program Effectiveness: By implementing the recommendations and strategies generated through the LEAP Project, we anticipate an immediate improvement in the effectiveness of our solution. This could manifest as increased student engagement, improved learning outcomes, and enhanced participant satisfaction with our offerings.

3. Increased Stakeholder Confidence: The evidence-based approach and research-informed practices resulting from the LEAP Project will help build trust and confidence among our stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, and partners. This increased confidence will further support the adoption and scalability of our solution.

4. Expanded Network and Collaborations: Engaging with the LEAP Fellows and other stakeholders during the project will provide valuable networking opportunities. These connections may lead to collaborations, partnerships, and knowledge-sharing initiatives that can amplify the reach and impact of our solution.

Long-term Outcomes:

1. Sustainable Growth and Scalability: The insights gained from the LEAP Project will contribute to the long-term growth and scalability of our solution. With a strengthened evidence base, we can confidently expand our reach to more schools and students, ensuring that every child in India has access to quality technical education.

2. Positive Impact on Learners: Ultimately, our goal is to positively impact the lives of learners by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed for the future tech world. We envision long-term outcomes such as increased digital literacy, improved employability, and enhanced opportunities for personal and professional growth for the students who engage with our solution.

3. Recognition and Influence: Through the evidence-based practices and research-driven approach developed during the LEAP Project, we aspire to gain recognition and influence in the field of technical education. We aim to be seen as a leading organization that drives innovation, sets standards, and influences policies in the realm of digital literacy and computer science education.

4. Sustainable Partnerships: The LEAP Project can facilitate the establishment of sustainable partnerships with academic institutions, industry experts, and government entities. These collaborations will enable us to leverage resources, expertise, and support to further strengthen and expand our solution.

By focusing on these short-term and long-term outcomes, we aim to create lasting and transformative change in the technical education landscape. The LEAP Project provides a crucial opportunity to accelerate our progress, improve our practices, and maximize our impact for the benefit of learners and society as a whole.