The “Code for SDGs” initiative was developed as a response to the urgent need to connect global sustainability goals with practical classroom practice. Its central feature is the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into coding and computational thinking activities for teachers and students. The project started in 2021 with support from the EU Civil Society program Sivil Düşün and was designed around the belief that SDG 4 – Quality Education is a gateway for addressing broader environmental and social challenges.
The methodology is based on a three-stage teacher professional development cycle: awareness, co-creation, and application. First, teachers received training on the SDGs, coding concepts, and how to link both in a meaningful way. Second, in collaborative workshops, teachers designed learning scenarios where coding projects explicitly addressed sustainability challenges such as waste reduction, renewable energy, or clean water access. These scenarios were then tested, refined, and compiled into a published booklet. In addition, selected projects were transformed into short videos to inspire wider audiences.
What makes the practice unique is its applied and situated learning approach. Teachers were not only trained theoretically but also guided to create classroom-ready resources. Over the past four years, participating teachers have continuously implemented the booklet’s scenarios in their lessons and generated new ones, creating a growing repository of innovative content. Coding here is not taught as an isolated technical skill but as a tool for empowerment and problem solving, allowing students to see the connection between digital skills and real-world sustainability issues.
Over the four years of implementation, the “Code for SDGs” practice has demonstrated several important outcomes. Firstly, it has significantly increased teachers’ ability to connect curriculum content with sustainability challenges, empowering them to use coding as a meaningful pedagogical tool. Many teachers reported that their students not only improved their digital skills but also developed a deeper sense of responsibility towards the environment and society.
A second lesson learned is the power of peer learning and continuity. Because teachers continue to apply and adapt the booklet’s scenarios, new ideas constantly emerge, showing that sustainability-focused coding can be a dynamic and evolving practice rather than a one-time project. Finally, the initiative highlighted the importance of teacher motivation and ownership: when teachers are given both the knowledge and the creative freedom to design their own learning materials, they produce solutions that are innovative, relevant, and highly engaging for students.
Innovator: Selçuk Yusuf Arslan, Teacher-Atatürk Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi
I think that the teachers involved in the Code for SDGs may be interested in joining our ECO-DIGITHON!