The GenSTEAMers project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting in Dublin on January 26–27, bringing together partners from across Europe to align on the project’s vision, structure, and next steps.
Hosted by the Irish partners, the meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to support teachers in integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into STEAM education in ways that are practical, inclusive, and pedagogically meaningful.
Building a Shared Vision for GenAI in Education
The first day of the meeting focused on the foundations of the project, particularly the work of WP2 – Research & GenAI Tools Selection. Partners discussed how early research findings will guide the development of the GenSTEAMers Action Plan Kit (APK), ensuring it aligns with curriculum requirements and is directly usable by teachers in real classroom settings.
A key emphasis throughout discussions was maintaining a user-centred approach, focusing on student impact, equity, and personalisation. Partners highlighted the importance of designing solutions that are not only innovative, but also accessible and adaptable across different educational contexts.
Designing Practical Tools for Teachers
The development of the Action Plan Kit under WP3 was a central topic, with partners exploring how to structure classroom projects that teachers can realistically implement. Discussions addressed how many projects should be developed, how they should be phased across pilot stages, and how to ensure they remain flexible enough to suit different national contexts.
A strong consensus emerged around the need for:
- Practical, ready-to-use guidance for teachers
- Tool-agnostic approaches, focusing on transferable skills rather than specific AI tools
- Iterative refinement, allowing improvements based on real classroom experience
The concept of a Teacher Hub as a digital community of practice was also introduced, aiming to support teachers throughout the implementation phase.
Grounding Innovation in Classroom Reality
On the second day, discussions shifted to WP4 – School Piloting, with partners reflecting on the realities teachers face in classrooms. These included large class sizes, limited support structures, and the additional workload associated with professional development.
Partners emphasised that successful implementation will depend on:
- Sustainable and realistic approaches
- Strong teacher support systems, including peer-to-peer learning
- Careful alignment between training and actual classroom practice
The piloting process will follow a phased approach, beginning with small-scale validation and gradually expanding to additional schools, ensuring that solutions are tested and refined before scaling.
Impact, Dissemination, and Scaling
The meeting also included a dedicated session on WP5 – Impact, Evaluation, Dissemination & Scaling.
WP5 outlines a comprehensive approach to:
- Measuring project impact at multiple levels
- Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews
- Supporting dissemination and communication across partner countries
- Developing scaling strategies to extend project results beyond pilot schools
Particular attention was given to ensuring that evaluation is meaningful and aligned with project priorities, as well as to the creation of a Community of AI Teaching Practice, which will support long-term sustainability of project outcomes.
Looking Ahead
The Dublin meeting concluded with clear next steps, including:
- Finalising the structure of the Action Plan Kit and project-based learning scenarios
- Scheduling upcoming workshops and teacher training activities
- Developing a dissemination tracking system to support WP5 indicators
- Gathering input from teachers on preferred communication platforms for the future community
As the project moves forward, partners will continue working closely to ensure that GenSTEAMers delivers practical, evidence-based solutions that empower teachers and enhance learning experiences for students across Europe.