AI Literacy, ICT and pedagogical innovation
AI & STEM — Coding, Robotics and Digital Tools in Education
6 days
AI is reshaping STEM education: from AI-assisted coding environments to data science in the classroom, from robotics to computational thinking for non-programmers. This course equips teachers to bring it all into their practice — regardless of their technical starting point.
Set in Madeira, where the island's dramatic geology and extraordinary ecosystems provide real-world data for scientific inquiry, participants connect outdoor STEM investigation with AI tools and coding resources to build 21st century STEM classrooms.
Learning Outcomes
Participants to the course will learn to:
Use AI coding assistants (GitHub Copilot, Cursor, ChatGPT) to support student programming
Introduce computational thinking and block-based coding with AI scaffolding
Apply AI for data collection, analysis and visualisation in science and mathematics
Design STEM projects integrating AI tools with real-world inquiry
Use robotics simulation and AI tools for non-specialist STEM teachers
Build a school STEM and AI integration roadmap
Programme
AI & STEM — Coding, Robotics and Digital Tools in Education
Monday
Madeira as a STEM Laboratory
• Curral das Freiras: geological formation — data collection and scientific observation.
• Pico do Areeiro: altitude, ecosystems and climate data — real-world STEM inquiry.
• Ribeiro Frio trout farm: biology, ecology and AI species identification tools.
• Evening reflection: the island as a data source — designing inquiry-based STEM lessons.
Tuesday
AI for Coding & Computational Thinking
• Computational thinking without code: algorithms, decomposition and pattern recognition.
• Block-based coding with Scratch: AI tools for scaffolding student programming.
• AI coding assistants: using GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT to support student coders.
• Workshop: design a coding lesson for your subject using AI as the scaffold.
Wednesday
AI for Science, Data & Mathematical Thinking
• AI-powered data analysis tools for the classroom: Desmos AI, Wolfram Alpha, GeoGebra.
• Data literacy with AI: collecting, cleaning, visualising and interpreting real datasets.
• Citizen science and AI: iNaturalist, air quality monitoring and school data projects.
• Workshop: a complete data investigation unit using AI tools for your subject.
Thursday
Robotics, Simulation & AI Engineering
• Accessible robotics: micro:bit, Arduino and Tinkercad simulation with AI assistance.
• AI in engineering design: using generative AI for prototyping and problem-solving.
• AI ethics in STEM: bias in algorithms, fairness in automated systems.
• Workshop: a STEM challenge day using robotics and AI for your school context.
Friday
🌊 PLAN A — SPRING / SUMMER (March – September)
STEM at Sea — Ocean Data & Scientific Thinking
• Catamaran excursion: marine data collection — temperature, depth, cetacean observation.
• Onboard scientific inquiry: using AI to analyse field data in real time.
• Group challenge: design a school STEM Ocean Data project for Erasmus+ collaboration.
• Discussion: how AI changes what is possible in school-based scientific investigation.
🏫 PLAN B — AUTUMN / WINTER (October – February)
STEM & AI Integration Workshop
• Showcase: participants present their AI-enhanced STEM unit or investigation.
• Peer review: is this genuinely inquiry-based or just AI-generated content?
• School STEM strategy: building a coding and AI literacy roadmap for your school.
• Action planning: one STEM and AI initiative to launch next term.
Saturday
Certificate Ceremony & Closing
• Presentation of each participant's final project or action plan.
• Peer feedback and recognition of the week's collaborative work.
• Formal certificate ceremony in the Jardim Municipal do Funchal.
• Networking, group photo, and exchange of contacts for future Erasmus+ collaboration
Materials, digital tools & other learning resources
Course participants will receive training and engage in exercises designed to develop their skills as trainers. The provision of additional materials or resources will be determined based on the course structure and the instructor’s approach to meeting the learning objectives
Course package content:
Services and activities included in the course package are those described above. Please note that accommodation, transport, and meals are not provided.
Cancellation & changes:
Common sense prevails when it comes to cancellations, which are analyzed on a case-by-case basis.