PROmoting STEAM in primary school: partnership for disseminating good practices

STEAM education is gaining prominence and being included into school curricula in several countries as it fosters critical thinking, creativity, and other essential competencies needed to navigate a rapidly changing world. In this context promoting interdisciplinarity at the primary school level, is recommended as a way to better prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century. To this end, several projects are being implemented around the world to improve student performance and foster positive attitudes towards STEAM. However, most existing materials and activities focus primarily on one or two individual STEAM disciplines, without considering the potential of an integrated curriculum approach. In addition, many widely disseminated proposals have been developed by specialists and researchers from higher education and require adaptation to be effectively implemented by school professionals—that is, the teachers themselves. Furthermore, most activities have been implemented at local or national levels, which may not be suitable for use in different cultural contexts. Therefore, there is a need to develop activities and materials specifically designed to be implemented by primary school teachers.

With the aim of increasing achievement levels and interest in STEAM among primary school students, the project developed and rolled out a set of STEAM-related educational packages internationally. These packages include content, science kits, and implementation guidelines designed to support classroom practice. In total, 11 educational packages were produced, exceeding the 10 initially planned in the project application. Five packages were designed for 1st and 2nd grade students (ages 6–8), and six for 3rd and 4th grade students (ages 8–10). To ensure alignment with school curricula and classroom realities, STEAM education experts (including higher education teachers and researchers) collaborated closely with elementary school teachers in the development of these materials. The project involved nine partners from four countries—Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, and Serbia—including four universities, one polytechnic institute, and four schools. To support dissemination and long-term sustainability, the project also organized five multiplier events, one in each partner country, and created an online community of practice to share all project outputs and continue engagement beyond the project's duration.

A pedagogical framework and implementation plan were developed to guide and support ProSTEAM teams in the creation of educational packages for international implementation. This process was structured across three intellectual outputs (IOs), each contributing to the overall coherence and quality of the project. Under IO1, an international study was conducted to assess teachers' perceptions of their self-efficacy in applying the STEAM approach. The findings were compiled in the National Assessment Needs Report, which laid the groundwork for understanding practical needs in different educational contexts. Building on this, IO2 involved the creation of a pedagogical and theoretical framework that defined core content and guided the design of the STEAM packages developed in IO3. A transnational analysis of national curricula was also conducted to ensure curricular alignment and relevance across countries. Within IO3, twelve ProSTEAM packages were designed and implemented in their respective countries of origin. Following implementation, all packages were evaluated by project partners using previously defined criteria. Of the twelve, eleven were approved for broader use. Subsequently, a Learning, Teaching, and Training (LTT) session was organized to train all involved partners and to prepare them to train at least 20 primary school teachers in each participating country. To ensure the educational packages promoted intrinsic motivation, academic achievement, and ease of implementation, a multi-level validation study was conducted: Content validation: Educational materials and content were evaluated for pedagogical quality and relevance. Teacher feedback: Teachers assessed the usability and effectiveness of the packages in classroom contexts. Student outcomes: Student performance and affective responses—such as motivation and engagement—were measured. An inquiry-based design approach was adopted during the validation process. Packages were revised iteratively based on results from two assessment cycles. The collected data also informed the development of additional teacher guidance materials, offering practical insights into classroom application and expected outcomes. A comprehensive evaluation protocol was established to guide the validation process. Educational packages were adapted to include a teacher’s guide and a student book, ensuring usability across diverse educational contexts while maintaining core pedagogical principles and promoting meaningful learning. Beyond validation, the process revealed additional opportunities for the use of these educational resources and highlighted good practices that can be transferred to other schools across Europe and beyond. The results contribute not only to validating the current packages but also offer guidance for others aiming to develop or adapt STEAM materials at an international level. To support the sustainability and dissemination of the project, an online community of practice was created, hosting all resources as open-access materials. The dissemination strategy also included targeted outreach to the international educational community, aiming to expand partnerships and foster future collaborations.

The ProSTEAM project produced a range of concrete outputs and impactful results, contributing significantly to the promotion and implementation of STEAM education in primary schools. Throughout the project, collaborative work among team members was essential to building a solid partnership and establishing a valuable international network to ensure both the success and sustainability of the initiative. Within this framework, the team identified, developed, shared, implemented, and validated effective STEAM practices. As a core output, the project developed 11 interdisciplinary STEAM educational packages, designed to be implemented by primary school teachers across different countries with children aged 6 to 10. These packages were created through a structured and iterative process involving three testing cycles, allowing for refinement based on continuous feedback. Evaluation data confirmed that the packages effectively promoted students' interest and skills in STEAM areas, while also fostering awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The materials were complemented by a teacher guide and student handbook, compiling all the STEAM teaching and learning resources in accessible formats. To support this work, the National Evaluation Report (IO1) aimed to assess the challenges and training needs of primary school teachers in teaching STEAM subjects. As part of this process, a self-efficacy scale was developed to evaluate teachers’ confidence in delivering STEAM content and to assess the impact of the training offered through IO3. The study involved 996 teachers from the four partner countries, with Serbia contributing the largest group (608 participants). The final validated instrument comprised 52 items across 10 dimensions, addressing areas such as teaching experience, academic background, and specific STEAM training. A 30-page comparative report was produced, based on national reports (ranging from 9 to 21 pages), which provided a thorough cross-country analysis of teachers’ needs and formed the basis for defining training priorities. Based on these findings, the Pedagogical Framework (IO2) was developed to support the creation of STEAM materials aligned with various educational contexts. A curriculum mapping exercise was conducted in all partner countries to ensure relevance and coherence. This resulted in national reports (6 pages each) with pedagogical recommendations, a 33-page conceptual report published in English and partner languages, and a 17-page document outlining pedagogical guidelines for the ProSTEAM partners. The development and implementation of the educational packages (IO3) played a central role in the project. These materials were tested in classrooms in all participating countries, and assessment tools were used to measure not only student motivation and emotional engagement but also performance in STEAM subjects. Teachers also completed the self-efficacy scale to help identify the challenges they faced when implementing the curriculum. After implementation, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed to evaluate student engagement, the effectiveness of the activities, and the practical challenges encountered. Each country prepared a national evaluation report (ranging from 9 to 15 pages), which were later integrated into a comprehensive final report. The Online Community of Practice (IO6) was another major output, designed to ensure the dissemination and sustainability of the project’s results. Hosted on a MOODLE platform, it serves as a space for collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers, offering discussion forums, resource repositories, and structured modules. Analysis of participation metrics showed engagement from 75 members, including 20 teachers who completed STEAM training. A 9-page final report on the OCoP highlighted its role in facilitating the exchange of knowledge and supporting the implementation of educational resources. An additional and highly significant result of the project was the example set by ProSTEAM in building strategic partnerships between higher education institutions and primary schools. Such partnerships are rare and often difficult to establish, as primary schools typically have limited experience with international projects. ProSTEAM demonstrated that collaboration with universities and polytechnic institutions can be an effective way to support schools in taking their first steps in this area, offering clear benefits to both students and teachers. It is hoped that this experience will encourage more schools to follow the example of their peers and engage in similar initiatives. To further this goal, the project produced a set of guidelines aimed at inspiring and supporting others who wish to participate in international STEAM education projects. The ProSTEAM experience has shown the importance of schools taking an active role in collaboration, not only by using but also by sharing the knowledge and skills developed. Finally, the ongoing dissemination of the project’s achievements through the ProSTEAM Online Community of Practice is expected to strengthen existing partnerships and encourage new ones, thereby ensuring the project’s long-term sustainability and wider impact.