The Senior Coding Club (SCC) was designed to teach Python programming to students aged 13 to 16, in the National College of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland, aiming to enhance their skills and confidence in STEM fields. Raspberry Pis were used as the platform for teaching. The comprehensive framework included a pre-programme phase to assess readiness, a structured delivery phase with a balanced focus on theoretical and practical learning, and a postprogramme phase for impact analysis. Core activities included hands-on coding labs, daily assessments, and a culminating hackathon to showcase student projects, with active parental involvement throughout. For students, the program led to significant gains in confidence and interest in STEM subjects. More inclusive attitudes toward STEM was observed. Parents reported enhanced confidence in supporting their children's STEM education. They became more aware of local STEM opportunities and displayed greater positivity about their children's abilities and interests. The SCC boosted students' confidence, with 82 % feeling “Quite confident” or “Very confident” in computer skills (up from 29%) and 71 % in coding (up from almost none). Among parents, 100 % agreed it improved STEM skills, and 78.95 % noted increased interest in STEM, underscoring SCC's broad success.

Early learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is a predictor of future academic and career success in these subjects. However, while parents play a critical role in motivating children to learn these subjects and building self-efficacy, many parents in disadvantaged communities have low levels of knowledge and self-efficacy themselves. Programmes targeting these competencies are effective, but more evidence-based knowledge is needed to better understand how parents think and feel about these subjects during a time of rapid change due to advances in artificial intelligence. This Work in Progress paper presents ongoing participatory research on parental attitudes and awareness of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, using a survey distributed to 157 parents (of 200), and semi-structured interviews with three parents (of 13). Initial results suggest parents are intimidated by these subjects but recognise their importance. This research will help us design new programmes to improve access to learning STEM subjects.

This innovative practice full paper describes a home-based summer family learning programme, STEM Play & Learn, designed to support kindergarten-aged children and their families by engaging them in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities. 'Summer Learning Loss' is the phenomenon where children experience a decrease in academic knowledge and skills when they take an extended break from education, particularly during the summer holidays. Children from lower socio-economic status backgrounds are disproportionately affected by summer learning loss. This research investigates the efficacy of a novel STEM Summer Family Learning Programme for 4-6-year-old children in a socio-economically disadvantaged community. The novelty of our programme centres around the practice and pedagogy delivered in the child's home with parental engagement at its core. The programme is delivered once a week over six weeks by Home Visitors. Child-directed open-ended play-based STEM activities are modelled to encourage children to develop higher-order thinking skills. Parents and children are encouraged to explore these educational STEM Play and Learn activities further between visits. Through a community action research methodology, this research employs a cyclical process of observing, reflecting, acting, evaluating, and modifying. Results of parent and child evaluation data show promise in improving the children's developmental skills and positively influencing the home learning environment. Results also indicate there was an increase in the parents' confidence in teaching their children STEM at home. The findings contribute insights into how an innovative STEM family learning programme for early years educators and parents enhances educational outcomes for kindergarten-aged children and mitigates summer learning loss.

Educational robots allow students deepen their knowledge of mathematics and scientific concepts. Educational Robotic coding clubs provide a learning environment for K-6 students that promotes coding through STEM digital literacy. Students in educationally disadvantaged families may not have the educational and financial capital to engage in STEM learning. Closures of schools and afterschool services during the COVID-19 pandemic increased this digital divide. This research proposes a framework for delivering a virtual robotic coding club in an educationally disadvantaged community. The framework develops young people's emotional engagement in STEM through robotic coding. Synchronous online classes were delivered into family homes using Zoom. Results demonstrate that children achieved emotional engagement as reported through high levels of enjoyment and increased interest after participating in the programme. The research shows promise in increasing children's STEM skills and knowledge, and in improving positive attitudes towards STEM for children and parents.

STEM family e-learning involves increasing the engagement in STEM home learning activities. STEM home learning activities range from exploring subjects such as science technology, engineering, and maths through a fun play based K-6 STEM curriculum.

Learning networks are a critical element of ethos of the community action research approach taken by the Early Learning Initiative at the National College of Ireland, a community-based educational initiative in the Dublin Docklands. Key criteria for networking, whether at local, national or international level, are the individual's and organisation's commitment to improving the quality of the service they provide to children and their families along with their ability to work in partnership with others. Having reflected on our learning through these networks, our action research processes are used to generate new knowledge and arrive at satisfactory solutions to local and national issues. In this way, we test theory, policy and practice in real-life conditions and produce regular and systematic evidence for what does and does not work. Our capacity to work together to produce results we truly care about and to dialogue effectively with external stakeholders like government bodies, policy-makers and funders has been enhanced. This article begins by outlining the criteria used before engaging with a learning network, along with the types of networks we are currently involved with and our action research processes. Finally, the benefits and challenges in engaging with these local, national and international learning networks are considered. This article highlights how dynamic conversations with these networks enable us to improve outcomes for children and their families, maintain key local values and ways of working, and yet meet external requirements for evidenced-based programmes.

Virtue, according to Aristotle, is doing the right things at the right time with the right people for the right end and in the right way. This concept is central to the work of the Early Learning Initiative, an Irish community-based educational initiative. This paper describes how a community of parents, early childhood care and education practitioners and a third-level institution used action research to develop a three-year numeracy programme for children aged zero to six years. The Early Numeracy Project was one of 11 national projects that aimed to influence early years practice, provision and policy in Ireland. Remaining true to our local values and virtuous practice while implementing a national project was challenging, particularly when robust evidence of the impact of the programme on the children and parents in our community was required at national level. Approximately 860 children (zero to six years old) and their families took part in the Early Numeracy Programme each year, with national and local evaluations indicating that the outcomes for children in the programme had improved. The programme is an example of how a local community can use action research and virtuous practices to implement a national programme and improve outcomes for children.

This article contributes to the debate on early years professionalism. It explores the impact of a continuous professional development (CPD) programme, in particular a module on professional practice, on early childhood care and education (ECCE) practitioners' identity as early years professionals. Action research informed the development of the programme and ensured that everyone had a 'voice'. Support in developing the participants' pedagogical knowledge in the learning and teaching domains was also provided. Analysis of the data collected revealed, how through reflective practice and action planning, ECCE practitioners' perception of themselves changed. Through actively evaluating their own practice and measuring it against the theory and official discourse of early years quality and curriculum frameworks, the participants gained new knowledge about themselves and their teaching. They also acquired the professional language required to discuss children's learning and their practice with others.

This article examines the effectiveness of action research as a continuous professional development (CPD) tool. The aim of the CPD programme was to support 14 community-based Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres in Ireland to improve quality in their settings through the implementation of the national quality and curriculum frameworks for early childhood education. A community action research approach informed the development of the programme and ensured that plans were implemented. Learning communities, reflective practice and professional dialogue were key elements. Participants found the programme easy to understand and useful to their practice. The combination of purposeful peer interaction and learning through action helped improve the quality of teaching and learning in the settings. Action research supported the implementation of change by helping participants develop the skills needed, both individually and collectively, to deliver outcomes they really cared about.

This paper examines how a community action research approach supported the implementation of an educational support programme for children, parents and local educators. The aim was the creation of a learning community that acknowledged, valued and used the expertise and experience of all involved. The action reflection cycle informed the development of our programmes. It gave direction and meaning to the project and ensured that plans were implemented. Purposeful, inclusive, and regular interactions, where everyone's voice was heard, were central to the process. Five years of working together on action research projects has increased the educational capital in the community and has developed a sense of ownership and responsibility for the educational welfare of children from all involved.