FIRST STEPS STEAM

Objectives: What did you want to achieve by implementing the project? The main objective of the project was to support preschool and primary school teachers in developing their competencies in imp...

Objectives: What did you want to achieve by implementing the project? The main objective of the project was to support preschool and primary school teachers in developing their competencies in implementing STEAM-based education in early childhood settings. The project aimed to encourage the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics into daily classroom practices through playful and age-appropriate methods. We sought to create a common understanding of STEAM among participating institutions, promote interdisciplinary thinking, and foster children's creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. Another important goal was to promote international cooperation between educators and to co-create practical teaching tools and materials that support STEAM learning for young children. The project also aimed to strengthen the European dimension of education by building strong partnerships and sharing good practices among institutions from Estonia, Türkiye, Greece, Portugal, and Bulgaria.

The project was implemented through five transnational mobility meetings and a range of local STEAM-based activities carried out in all partner countries.Each transnational meeting focused on one specific component of STEAM education: – Türkiye (April 2024): Science, with a focus on early science education; – Estonia (October 2024): Technology, including the use of digital tools and educational robotics; – Greece (February 2025): Engineering, with an emphasis on design thinking and construction activities; – Portugal (May 2025): Arts, integrating visual and performing arts into STEAM learning; – Bulgaria (June 2025): Mathematics, focusing on early numeracy and logical thinking. In addition to international mobilities, partners implemented local STEAM activities with children, developed teaching materials, tested lesson plans in practice and prepared implementation and evaluation reports.Some meeting dates were adjusted due to school calendars and organisational reasons; however, all planned activities and content were successfully delivered.Project partners cooperated regularly through online meetings and shared digital tools.Dissemination activities included updates on the project website and social media.

The project resulted in significant professional development for teachers in the field of STEAM education. In each partner country, national-level activities with children were implemented following the focus of the transnational meetings: Science (Türkiye), Technology (Estonia), Engineering (Greece), Arts (Portugal) and Mathematics (Bulgaria). These activities supported the practical use of inquiry-based and hands-on STEAM methods. The main outputs included five national reports on local STEAM practices, innovative educational materials such as games, worksheets, robotics activities and lesson plans, as well as a joint final report compiling good practices from all partner countries. Partners also produced presentations, photos and short videos documenting the project. The project strengthened cooperation between partner institutions, improved teachers’ English communication skills and increased their confidence in STEAM teaching. Children were actively engaged in meaningful learning, while dissemination reached teachers, parents and communities through websites, social media and events.