2nd Day of Portugal Mobility

Day 2 – Experimental Learning, Digital Technology, VR and STEAM in Portugal

The second day of our Erasmus+ mobility in Portugal was a truly hands-on learning experience, giving students the opportunity to explore how science, technology, art, creativity and digital tools can come together through STEAM education. Bringing together students from Türkiye, Greece, Poland and Portugal, the day encouraged international cooperation, experimentation and learning through direct experience.

Rather than learning only through traditional classroom activities, students were divided into three international groups and took part in a variety of artistic, technological and experimental workshops. Each activity offered a different perspective on how knowledge can be created, explored and shared through practical work.

Exploring Photography, Science and Creativity through Cyanotype

One of the groups discovered the fascinating world of cyanotype, one of the oldest photographic printing techniques. Students were introduced to the basic principles behind the process and then had the opportunity to create their own compositions using plants and recycled materials.

By arranging natural objects and other materials and observing how they reacted during the photographic process, students could see scientific principles taking place directly before their eyes. The activity was not only an artistic experience but also a small scientific experiment, allowing participants to observe chemical changes and the effect of light while creating unique visual compositions.

The cyanotype workshop beautifully connected science, visual arts, creativity and environmental awareness. Working with natural and recycled materials also encouraged students to think about the relationship between art and the environment and to appreciate how everyday materials can be transformed into something creative and meaningful.

Discovering the Coast through Digital Technology and VR

Another group explored the Portuguese coastline through an innovative interactive digital panorama of the Torres Vedras coastline. Using ThingLink, students worked with panoramic images that could also be experienced through virtual reality (VR).

Their task was to transform the panoramic views into an interactive learning environment. Students created digital hotspots, identified and described fossils and added information about the geological characteristics and history of the area. Instead of simply looking at photographs of a landscape, participants were able to turn the location itself into an interactive educational resource.

The final ThingLink product connects three panoramic scenes into a single interactive learning path, allowing users to explore the different locations and move between the various parts of the students' work. In this way, the students became not only learners but also creators of digital educational content.

An especially interesting aspect of this workshop was the introduction of AI-supported tools. Students explored how artificial intelligence can assist with creative and technological tasks, including coding a simple game. One of the students, Jan, contributed to this part of the activity, demonstrating how students can use emerging technologies to extend their ideas and develop new digital skills.

This workshop was a particularly strong example of the Erasmus mobility's STEAM approach. Geology and science were combined with digital technology, creativity, virtual reality, AI and communication skills. Students had to investigate, select information, describe scientific observations and then transform their knowledge into an interactive experience that could be shared with others.

Creating a Marine-Inspired Mural

The third group approached STEAM learning from a more artistic perspective. Students worked with clay to create sections of a mural for the host school, taking inspiration from the extraordinary marine life of the Atlantic Ocean.

The activity encouraged students to observe and learn about the natural environment surrounding them and then transform that knowledge into artistic creations. Working with clay also gave participants the opportunity to experiment with shape, texture and three-dimensional forms while contributing to a permanent piece of artwork for the school community.

The mural therefore became more than an art activity. It represented a creative interpretation of the natural world and provided a way for the international group of students to leave a shared artistic contribution to their host school.

Through this experience, the connection between art, science and environmental education became particularly visible. The Atlantic Ocean and its biodiversity provided the inspiration, while the students' creativity transformed their observations and knowledge into a collaborative work of art.

FAB LAB: Technology as a Tool for Inclusion

Another important part of the programme was the introduction to the FAB LAB environment and the possibilities offered by digital fabrication and modern educational technologies.

Students and participants explored how digital tools, creative technologies and fabrication techniques can be used to design and produce materials, objects and teaching aids adapted to learners with different educational needs.

This was especially meaningful in relation to the central idea of AI for Inclusion. Technology was presented not simply as something innovative or attractive to use in the classroom, but as a powerful tool for removing barriers to learning and increasing participation.

The experience demonstrated that digital technologies can help teachers and students create more personalised learning environments. Tools such as digital fabrication, VR, interactive resources and AI can support learners in different ways and make educational experiences more accessible, engaging and responsive to individual needs.

The FAB LAB experience therefore expanded the students' understanding of what technology can mean in education. Instead of seeing technology only as computers, applications or digital entertainment, participants explored its potential as a means of designing solutions to real educational challenges.

Learning Beyond the Classroom in Santa Cruz

The day continued with a visit to Santa Cruz, where learning moved outside the school environment and into the real world. Participants had the opportunity to discover the palaeontological work carried out in the laboratories of the Natural History Society.

Students were able to examine fossils and learn more about how palaeontological research is conducted. One of the most memorable experiences was the opportunity to clean a piece of rock containing dinosaur bones, giving participants a direct and practical connection with the scientific work they had been learning about.

The visit also included an exploration of coastal locations where fossils can be found. Being able to see the geological environment in which these discoveries are made helped students understand that science is not something limited to textbooks or laboratories. Scientific knowledge is connected to the places we live, the landscapes we explore and the evidence we can discover in the natural world.

The experience in Santa Cruz was therefore an excellent example of learning beyond the classroom. Students could connect scientific theory with real geological formations, fossils and professional scientific practices.

A Day of Creativity, Science and Collaboration

The second day of the mobility brought together many different forms of learning. From creating cyanotype photographs and shaping clay to exploring fossils, designing VR experiences and experimenting with AI and digital fabrication, students were constantly encouraged to learn by doing.

The activities also strengthened the international dimension of the Erasmus+ experience. Students from Türkiye, Greece, Poland and Portugal worked together, exchanged ideas and approached challenges from different perspectives. Collaboration became an essential part of the learning process, just as important as the technologies and materials being used.

What connected all of the activities was the idea that STEAM education is most powerful when different disciplines are allowed to interact. Science could become art, technology could become a tool for inclusion, a coastline could become an interactive VR classroom, and a piece of rock could become an opportunity to discover the history of life on Earth.

Most importantly, the day showed students that technology and innovation should serve a purpose. Whether through AI, VR, digital fabrication or interactive learning tools, technology can help make education more creative, accessible, inclusive and connected to the real world.

The second day of our Portuguese mobility was therefore much more than a series of workshops and visits. It was an opportunity for students to become researchers, artists, designers, digital creators and explorers, while working together across cultures and disciplines. Through experimentation, creativity and collaboration, they experienced first-hand how the principles of STEAM and AI for Inclusion can transform the way we learn and understand the world around us.