Almost There is a vocational higher education provider operating in Sweden. It is located in Gothenburg but active in the northern part of the country. It offers courses in the cultural sector and in the sustainable development area.
1. Hello Francesca and Per. Thank you for the opportunity to meet you and discuss HER TECH project. Let us begin with a brief introduction. To begin, could you briefly introduce Almost There and your role within the institution?
Hello!
Almost There is a Swedish provider of higher vocational education. We offer courses in cultural and tourism studies. We believe that local sustainable development is closely linked to education. Per is one of the founders and head of development, while Francesca is the EU project leader.
2. What motivated your organisation to join the HER TECH project?
Almost There founded and owned Futuregames, a higher vocational school specialising in game development. At the time we started working on the HerTech project, we realised that there was a huge gender imbalance in our programming and coding classes. We saw this as an issue because the gaming industry was trying to diversify its workforce and because mixed classes work best.
3. We are now approaching the end of the first year of HER TECH. How would you describe the project so far from your perspective?
From our perspective, it has been an enriching process. Not only has the research and reports provided us with food for thought, but we have also had the opportunity to expand our network and connect with individuals who are genuinely committed to empowering women in the tech sector.
4. Almost There leads the work on engagement strategies and teaching approaches used in informatics and computer science. Could you tell us more about your main activities and progress so far?
The ultimate objective of this activity is to develop a framework that teachers at different levels of education can use to stimulate girls’ interest in computer science. We began by identifying the issues that girls encounter at school that limit their career choices in ICT by reviewing the available research literature in the seven partner countries. The outcome was evident: engagement is fostered through learning experiences that boost confidence, facilitate meaningful participation, and recognise and value girls’ competence. When learning environments provide supportive teaching practices, fair access to technical tasks and a positive classroom climate, girls are more likely to participate actively and persist over time.
Once we had understood the issues girls face in education, we researched the school systems in the partner countries and when and how pupils encounter informatics.
We are now in the advanced phase of our research, interviewing school principals, teachers, and external stakeholders to gather information on effective best practices for engaging girls in informatics.
5. From your perspective, what are the key challenges in making ICT teaching more engaging and inclusive for girls?
From our research we got 4 takeaways:
- Prioritizing design and collaboration over abstract coding. When tech feels creative, barriers come down.
- Make it mandatory. Elective programs attract the same crowd. Mandatory participation ensures every girl gets a chance before social stereotypes kick in.
- Role models must be relatable. The female teacher leading today’s lesson matters as much as a CEO. When mothers engage on family nights, their daughters follow.
- Build a “red thread”. Early interest needs sustaining. Both initiatives design for continuity to prevent the confidence dip girls often face in high school.
6. Based on your work so far, what early insights about gender-inclusive ICT teaching are emerging?
From the interviews with teachers and coding centers, it emerges that there are a couple of areas for improvement in the Swedish school system. On one hand, primary school teachers primary school teachers are not always sufficiently equipped to teach programming. The national school curriculum changed recently, incorporating coding into the math programme. The issue is that not all teachers who are qualified to teach math have sufficient knowledge of programming. On the other hand, the myth that “tech is not for girls” persists. This leads to fewer girls choosing tech programmes. And, as we know, friendship plays a significant role at this age — 16-year-olds tend to choose their secondary school based on what their friends do.
7. HER TECH brings together partners from several European countries and different sectors. How has the collaboration been so far?
I think the collaboration itself is going very well. All the partners are equally committed and engaged. We experienced some challenges during the definition of the research phase, caused by the differences between school systems across Europe. This led us to add one activity that had not been originally planned. Each organisation had to analyse its country’s specific school system in order to understand how computing is taught in schools (especially in primary and secondary schools) and how teachers are trained to teach it. Even more particular is the case of Germany, where each region has its own school system. We resolved this by deciding to focus only on the Bavarian school system, where Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences operates.
8. Why is it important to rethink how ICT is taught today?
Our research shows how important it is to teach computing as a means to solve problems. Perhaps the way computing is currently taught is still too theoretical rather than practical. Adopting a more practical approach could help capture the interest of girls, who tend to prefer real-life applications over abstract concepts. Today, technology is deeply embedded in our lives and has the potential to solve everyday problems.
9. What are you most looking forward to in the next phase of the project?
Our next challenge is to define a teaching framework to help teachers increase girls’ interest in pursuing a career in ICT. This will not be easy, but I am looking forward to seeing the results.
10. What would you say to teachers who would like to make their ICT classes more inclusive and engaging?
First of all, use the right devices. Our research shows that girls tend to be less experienced with PCs and more comfortable with tablets and mobile phones. It is therefore better to start with familiar devices in order to catch their interest, and introduce computers only at a later stage.
Second, prioritize design and creativity over abstract coding. When technology feels creative and connected to real life, barriers come down — and this is especially true for girls.
Third, recognise their abilities and avoid putting girls in direct competition with boys. Competition can be discouraging for those who feel less experienced, and it risks reinforcing the very stereotypes we are trying to break down.
Forth, be a role model yourself. You don’t need to be a CEO or a famous figure in tech — the female teacher leading the class today matters just as much. If you can also involve mothers in school activities, their daughters are likely to follow their example.
Finally, think about continuity. Early interest is not enough if it is not sustained over time. Girls often face a confidence dip when they transition to high school, so it is important to design learning experiences that accompany them through that phase and keep their interest alive.
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