Introduction and Description

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In an era marked by rapid technological change, increasing interdisciplinarity and the growing importance of digital and creative competences, schools are challenged to provide learning environments that are both intellectually rigorous and authentically connected to real-world innovation. This course responds to these emerging educational priorities by offering teachers and school staff a research-informed and practice-oriented introduction to the STEAM paradigm, explored through the powerful medium of physical computing with Arduino.

 

STEAM education, understood as the purposeful integration of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, provides a framework for cultivating the competencies most valued in contemporary societies: creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and technological fluency. Through its combination of analytical reasoning and artistic expression, STEAM positions learners not as passive recipients of knowledge but as designers, investigators and creators capable of engaging with complex challenges. For schools seeking to align with Erasmus+ priorities—digital transformation, inclusion, learner-centred innovation and 21st-century skill development—STEAM represents a highly effective pedagogical pathway.

 

Within this course, participants explore how physical computing can serve as a catalyst for meaningful interdisciplinary learning. The Arduino platform—open-source, accessible and widely adopted in schools—enables learners to transform ideas into tangible artefacts, from simple interactive circuits to sensor-based systems and introductory IoT applications. By designing, programming and refining their own prototypes, educators gain firsthand insight into how making, tinkering and iterative experimentation promote deep conceptual understanding and learner agency.

 

Both the 5-day and 10-day versions of the programme provide a structured progression from foundational theory to hands-on project work. The shorter programme offers an intensive immersion into STEAM principles, basic electronics, Arduino programming and small-scale prototyping. The extended programme allows participants to explore advanced integrations—such as robotics, environmental monitoring, and digital collaboration tools—while dedicating additional time to reflection, curriculum alignment, and the development of sustainable STEAM practices within their institutions.

 

Throughout the training, the course emphasises practical classroom transferability, inclusive pedagogical strategies and the design of learning activities that motivate diverse groups of students. Participants also explore European platforms such as eTwinning and the European School Education Platform to support the development of cross-border STEAM projects, dissemination of outcomes and long-term institutional innovation.

By the end of the programme, teachers and school staff will be equipped with both the theoretical grounding and technical confidence necessary to integrate STEAM approaches into everyday teaching. Whether used to support digital literacy, promote creativity, strengthen inquiry skills or enhance interdisciplinary projects, STEAM education—powered by Arduino—offers schools a compelling pathway toward future-focused, engaging and transformative learning.