Assessing Computational Literacy in Language Education: A Nordic Perspective on Pedagogy Sustainable Literacy Practices

In this presentation connects to the literacy research network. We wish to address the assessment of computational literacy (CL) in first language (L1) education (Hachmann & Slot, 2024), emphasising how computational approaches in language learning can create opportunities for creativity, inclusion, and sustainability in education in Nordic contexts. The central aim of our work is to develop assessment frameworks that situate computational skills within broader pedagogical goals, supporting democratic and sustainable education. The study we use as an offset reflects on the ongoing Nordic educational reforms to integrate computational literacy and computational thinking (Sundtjønn et al., 2024). We use the study as an offset to discussions on sustainable educational practices and underscore computational practices’ potential for learning within the Nordic context.

Our research draws on computational literacy (diSessa, 2001; Hachmann, 2024), which integrates cognitive, social, and material aspects of learning within specific subject domains. Building on Papert’s (1980) vision of computers as tools for engaging with “powerful ideas”, we critique the computational thinking framework and the idea of the application of generic cognitive skills across disciplines (Wing, 2011), advocating for a literacy-based, context-specific approach to CL. DiSessa’s ecological model frames CL as way to develop explorative, critical and creative engagement, reflecting Nordic values of democratic, contextually grounded education.

Using a design-based research approach, the study employs data from three design interventions in Danish primary schools. These interventions involved collaborative, creative projects where students engaged in computational tasks using digital and tangible tools, such as Twine and custom-designed wooden artefacts. Assessment data include observational records, student interviews, and digital artefacts, with formative assessment criteria informed by Jølle and Skar’s (2021) model, aligning CL assessment with Nordic priorities on dialogic, democratic learning.

Our results contribute with suggestions of principles for CL integration in L1 fronting students’ interdisciplinary skills, empathy, and critical awareness. Students demonstrated increased competency in navigating complex texts and computational tasks, with material and cognitive tools promoting inclusivity and sustainability in learning. Collaborative storytelling in Twine, for example, revealed how computational tools encourage interdisciplinary thinking and bridge language arts with computational methods.