STOP Digital exclusion

This article series presents cases of innovations built here in Espoo that strive for a better tomorrow for all.

Digital exclusion in schools occurs when students or institutions lack access to essential digital tools, resources, or skills. This can severely affect students' learning and the quality of education. To address this issue Espoo initiated the "Stop Digital Exclusion! Towards Strong Digital Competence" program. A 2,000 page Idea Bank was developed which supports a seamless learning pathway from early childhood to secondary education in digital skills and promotes equal opportunities in digital competence for pre-primary and basic education. It focuses on three main themes of digital competence: digital skills, media literacy, and programming skills.

The platform, which has been tested by over 2,000 students, is now used annually by more than 130 pre-primary units and over 3,000 basic education teachers and 33,000 students in Espoo. Showcased at national education events and published in the Finnish National Agency for Education's open resources library, the Idea Bank is accessible to educators nationwide.