A Different Model In InterdIscIplInary TeachIng PhysIcal EducatIon and STEAM (PE-STEAM)

The PE-STEAM project explores how Physical Education can serve as a gateway to interdisciplinary STEM learning, particularly in mathematics, science, and digital technologies. By combining movement, sports, and game-based learning, the project transforms traditional teaching approaches and makes STEM subjects more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for students.

Basic information

Research information

Teacher information

Description

PE-STEAM focuses on raising awareness of games, gamification, and digital technologies as powerful STEM learning resources. Through this approach, teachers and students discover how physical and digital games can be integrated into classroom practices to increase motivation, participation, and deeper understanding of scientific and mathematical concepts. Integrating Physical Education with mathematics and science helps students experience abstract STEM concepts in a concrete and practical way.

The project implements a variety of collaborative activities carried out by mixed teams of students and teachers. These include poster design, presentations, workshops, and interactive learning activities. Teachers participate in specialized workshops where they learn how to design gamified lesson plans, interdisciplinary activities, and assessment tools (rubrics) that integrate Physical Education with STEM subjects such as mathematics, science, and ICT.

A key innovation of the project is the development of an educational game called PESTATLON, collaboratively designed by students and teachers. This game integrates sports activities with STEM concepts and serves as a practical learning tool that encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and creative thinking.

The project also organizes introductory seminars in each partner country, where participants explore digital gamification tools and innovative teaching strategies. During these events, the PESTATLON game is introduced and tested as a model for interdisciplinary learning. Through the eTwinning platform, students contribute creatively by producing cartoons, posters, logos, and infographics relatedto the project themes.

Overall, the PE-STEAM project promotes STEM education through movement, creativity, and collaboration, while strengthening students’ digital literacy, problem-solving skills, and motivation to learn. It demonstrates how Physical Education can play a significant role in making STEM learning more interactive, inclusive, and relevant to real life.

This project is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The content reflects the views of the authors only.

Basic information

Coordinator

Liceo Scientifico Statale Raffaele Lombardi Satriani Petilia Policastro - Italy, https://www.liceopetilia.it/

Partners

Denge Eğitim Bilim ve Gençlik Derneği, Izmir, Türkiye – www.dengegenclik.com
Goce Delcev State University, Stip, North Macedonia – www.ugd.edu.mk
Osnovno uchilishte Hristo Smirnenski, Bulgaria – www.smirnenski.com

Programme

Erasmus+ (programme-erasmus-plus)

Project Acronym

Target groups

education authorities, parents, researchers, secondary school students, teachers, university lecturers, youth clubs

Topic

Biology, Maths, Physics, Education, Other

Start year

2024

End year

2026

Url

https://www.pe-steam.com

Contact person

Nagehan Baykan Afşar, nagehanbaykan@gmail.com

The PE-STEAM project included not only practical educational activities but also research and evaluation components aimed at analysing the impact of interdisciplinary learning that integrates Physical Education with STEM subjects. Throughout the project, data were collected to better understand how gamification, physical activity, and digital tools influence students’ motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes.

Different data collection methods were used during the implementation of the project. These included questionnaires, feedback forms, observation notes, workshop outputs, and participant reflections. Particular attention was given to analysing the role of gamification components such as points, badges, challenges, and level systems in increasing student motivation and participation in STEM-related learning activities.

Within the project, a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was applied to measure students’ attitudes towards gamification elements used in the activities. The collected data allowed researchers and teachers to evaluate how students perceived different gamification components and which elements were most effective in supporting learning.

The findings indicated that integrating Physical Education with STEM education through game-based and activity-based learning positively contributed to students’ motivation, teamwork skills, problem-solving abilities, and digital literacy. The results also highlighted that interdisciplinary approaches helped students better understand abstract concepts in mathematics and science by experiencing them through movement and practical activities.

As part of the research and dissemination process, the project produced several educational and research-oriented outputs, including:

Interdisciplinary lesson plans integrating Physical Education and STEM subjects
Gamified learning scenarios and assessment rubrics
The educational collaborative game PESTATLON
Digital learning materials and e-magazines
STEM-themed comics, posters, and infographics

These outputs serve both as educational resources and research references for teachers, educators, and researchers interested in innovative STEM teaching approaches. The project contributes to the growing body of knowledge on game-based learning, interdisciplinary teaching, and the integration of physical activity in STEM education.

The results and reports of the project have been shared through European educational platforms, including Scientix, in order to support knowledge exchange and encourage further research on innovative teaching practices.

A Different Model In InterdIscIplInary TeachIng PhysIcal EducatIon and STEAM (PE-STEAM)

Description

Basic information

Papers

Teaching materials