The BuildYourRobot project aimed to address the digital transformation gap in European schools, aiming to enhance digital readiness, resilience, and capacity. The project's primary objectives included designing a replicable 3-day Hackathon for students, establishing a supportive network with schools and local administrations, and executing the event. The project targeted the improvement of digital skills for both teachers and students alike, fostering interest in STEAM, and enhancing post-pandemic skills such as problem-solving, creativity, leadership, and teamwork. Another key objective was to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability and environmentally responsible action and so we focused the topic of our Hackathon challenges on this. The ultimate goal was to provide a unique, engaging and motivating approach for schools and teachers to work on digitalization and STEAM, contributing to a resilient educational community. Our objective was to empower students with practical digital skills, promote environmental consciousness through the ecological challenges, and establish a lasting network for continued collaboration in advancing digital education, STEAM and robotics across Europe.
We applied for the project to address critical gaps in digital education as highlighted by the Digital Education at School in Europe, Eurydice Report 2019. It identified a disconnect between students' digital proficiency in non-school settings and their limited engagement with technology for educational purposes. Teachers lacked digital competences and training, hindering effective integration into the curriculum. Both partners recognised the pivotal roles of digitalization and robotics in the future. The project aligned with our belief that society's dependence on digital tools necessitates comprehensive digital skills development. Our focus on sustainability reflected the growing societal awareness of environmental preservation. Motivation is paramount in learning and we used this project and its activities to bridge the gap between education and students' immediate social and environmental realities. This project aimed to enhance digital skills, foster interest in STEAM, and motivate students and teachers to improve their skills. It unified the educational community's interests, offering a holistic approach to address the evolving needs of students and teachers in today's digital society.