Addressing the gender gap in computer programming through the design and development of serious games

The gap between male and female participation in computer science education and careers is a worldwide issue that must be addressed by introducing early methodological learning interventions that make computer science attractive to all, that is by answering the following issues: a) misperception among educators, learners, parents and youngsters on the suitability of computer science careers to girls and b) a wrong assumption of an insufficient preparedness to do it successfully. This article presents a European initiative - CODING4GIRLS - that proposes to teach coding through a game design and development process based on a design thinking methodological approach that is linked to creativity and human-centered solutions. In this methodology, students address increasingly complex real-life challenges by designing and developing awareness raising serious games for which they need to learn specific coding concepts.