STEAM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Art and Design, and Mathematics subjects in school and adult education. Our project is a 3-year programme of research and development into STEAM education and training carried out by a partnership of six primary and secondary education providers in Ireland, Croatia, Norway, Portugal, and Greece. We have called our project “STEAMing” - short for "STEAM: International Guidance to best practice."

European and National policy statements for 2020 and beyond see increased knowledge and competence in STEAM subjects as essential to foster innovation and creativity.  We address this need through the identification and analysis of best practices in STEAM primary and secondary education in 5 countries in different socio-economic, demographic, and educational contexts. We address the particular needs of children from migrant and itinerant communities; children with special educational needs; and ethnic and linguistic minorities. We also address the uneven but persistent under-engagement of girls in STEAM subjects.

We aim to explore the crucial questions of "what works, where, why, and for whom" in STEAM education.  Our findings and conclusions will be used to produce an innovative range of practical products and resources for the training and support of all members of our target groups in any European country - teachers, school leaders, educational advisors, administrators, and policymakers. Through the wider dissemination and exploitation of our outputs, we hope to facilitate an enhancement of STEAM teaching and learning that will ultimately make a significant positive impact on the educational engagement and attainment of school students across the whole European area.

Our major products will include:

(a)  "State of the Art" reports from each partner on key issues of implementing STEAM education in their own countries, regions and institutions;

(b)  detailed case-studies by each partner of best practice in STEAM education in their own institutions and local educational networks;

(c)  Films and other presentations made by the partners to illustrate the findings and conclusions from their case-studies and demonstrate "best practice" in operation.

(d)  a substantial handbook of STEAM education and innovation to accompany our training courses (see below) or as a stand-alone product

(e)  a 5-day residential training course for members of our target groups in all European areas, piloted twice during the project’s lifetime.

(f)   6 x 5-day residential training courses in STEAM education and innovation delivered at each of our partner institutions to members of all our partner institutions' own staff.