STEAM in practice and research in primary schools: a systematic literature review

Background STEAM education, which involves integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with the arts, has gained popularity in recent years. While the arts in STEAM education promote 21st-century skills such as creativity and offer new ways of thinking and knowing, there is currently a lack of empirical guidelines for primary schools to formulate STEAM-based learning content and assessment. This makes it challenging for educators to implement STEAM-based integrated disciplines in practice and evaluate their educational potential.Purposes This study aims to provide an up-to-date overview of STEAM primary education to promote its effective implementation. A thematic analysis of 19 studies was conducted to examine STEAM’s purpose, learning content, theoretical orientations, pedagogical strategies, research methodologies, and assessments of educational outcomes.Methods A literature search was conducted using electronic databases such as Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 19 articles published between 2016 and 2023 that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed.Results and Conclusion This review revealed that studies of STEAM in primary schools employed a variety of theories, such as the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) theory and experiential learning theory. Most of these studies adopted mixed methods, and their assessment methods included questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The studies found that STEAM in primary education was effective at enhancing students’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills. This review also calls for educators to use the arts in STEAM learning and other transdisciplinary or interdisciplinary education to empower students to reach their full learning potential and exercise greater agency in such learning. The review contributes to the literature by providing guidelines for promoting the effective implementation of STEAM education in primary school contexts. Finally, the review identifies important research gaps and discusses future research directions.