Journals / Journal of Continuous Vocational Education and Training / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1

Evaluating the Educational Outcomes of the Erasmus+ Paint the World Green with AI and STEAM Project: AI-Supported Recycling Robotics for Sustainability and STEAM Learning

Paint the World Green with AI and STEAM İsimli Erasmus+ Projesinin Sonuçlarının Değerlendirilmesi: Sürdürülebilirlik ve STEAM Öğrenimi için Yapay Zeka Destekli Geri Dönüşüm Robotları

Nurullah Akbulut(Tekkeköy Ali-Emine Kahvecioğlu Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi)0009-0009-8408-8989
Maria Isabel Moreira(Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Manuel Laranjeira)0009-0005-0123-5754
Pages
90–106
Publication Date
2026-06-30
DOI
—
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in artificial intelligence knowledge and attitudes, digital competences, STEAM skills and problem solving, and environmental citizenship and future actions, while environmental awareness and sustainability scores remained stable.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings has created new opportunities for addressing global sustainability challenges through innovative learning approaches.
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Key Findings & Data:This study evaluated the educational outcomes of the Erasmus+ EcoSTEAM+ project, which integrated AI-supported recycling robotics, sustainability education, digital competence development, and STEAM learning in an international school collaboration context.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in artificial intelligence knowledge and attitudes, digital competences, STEAM skills and problem solving, and environmental citizenship and future actions, while environmental awareness and sustainability scores remained stable.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2025 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Yapay zekâ · Geri dönüşüm robotları · Sürdürülebilirlik eğitimi

Abstract

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings has created new opportunities for addressing global sustainability challenges through innovative learning approaches. AIsupported recycling robotics activities offer a promising way to combine sustainability education, digital competence development, and STEAM learning. This study evaluated the educational outcomes of the Erasmus+ EcoSTEAM+ project, which integrated AI-supported recycling robotics, sustainability education, digital competence development, and STEAM learning in an international school collaboration context. A one-group pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design was employed within the framework of the Erasmus+ KA210-SCH project “Paint the World Green with AI and STEAM” (EcoSTEAM+). The participants consisted of 45 students aged 15–18 from partner schools in Türkiye, Poland, and Portugal. Data were collected using a 25-item project-specific questionnaire consisting of five dimensions. The intervention included AI model training, recycling robot coding workshops, international mobility experiences, environmental awareness initiatives, and collaborative eTwinning activities implemented between May 2025 and June 2026. The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in artificial intelligence knowledge and attitudes, digital competences, STEAM skills and problem solving, and environmental citizenship and future actions, while environmental awareness and sustainability scores remained stable. The strongest gain was observed in artificial intelligence knowledge and attitudes, followed by STEAM skills and problem solving. The results suggest that AI-supported recycling robotics can enhance students’ understanding of sustainability while simultaneously developing technological and interdisciplinary competencies. The study concludes that AI-supported recycling robotics appear to be a promising educational approach for integrating sustainability education, AI literacy and STEAM learning in secondary education

Özet

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Erasmus+ KA210-SCH “Paint the World Green with AI and STEAM (EcoSTEAM+)” projesi kapsamında gerçekleştirilen yapay zekâ destekli geri dönüşüm robotu etkinlikleri sonrasında ortaöğretim öğrencilerinin çevresel farkındalık ve sürdürülebilirlik, yapay zekâ bilgi ve tutumları, dijital yeterlikler, STEAM becerileri ve problem çözme ile çevresel vatandaşlık ve geleceğe yönelik eylemlerinde gözlenen değişimleri incelemektir. Araştırmada tek gruplu ön test-son test yarı deneysel desen kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu Türkiye, Polonya ve Portekiz’den 15–18 yaş aralığında toplam 45 öğrenci oluşturmuştur. Veriler, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen ve beş alt boyuttan oluşan 25 maddelik 5’li Likert tipi ölçek aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Mayıs 2025 ile Haziran 2026 arasında gerçekleştirilen eğitim süreci kapsamında öğrenciler yapay zekâ modeli eğitimi, geri dönüşüm robotu kodlama çalışmaları, sürdürülebilirlik etkinlikleri, eTwinning faaliyetleri ve uluslararası hareketlilik çalışmalarına katılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları, yapay zeka konusundaki bilgi ve tutumlarda, dijital yeterliliklerde, STEAM becerileri ve problem çözmede, çevre vatandaşlığı ve gelecekteki eylemlerde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı iyileşmeler ortaya koyarken, çevre bilinci ve sürdürülebilirlik puanları sabit kalmıştır. En güçlü gelişim yapay zekâ bilgi ve tutumları boyutunda görülmüştür. Sonuçlar, yapay zekâ destekli geri dönüşüm robotlarının sürdürülebilirlik eğitimi, yapay zekâ okuryazarlığı ve STEAM öğrenmesini bütünleştiren potansiyel olarak etkili bir eğitim yaklaşımı olduğunu göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Akbulut, N., Moreira, M. I. (2026). Evaluating the Educational Outcomes of the Erasmus+ Paint the World Green with AI and STEAM Project: AI-Supported Recycling Robotics for Sustainability and STEAM Learning. Journal of Continuous Vocational Education and Training, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1, 90–106. https://ajindex.com/articles/1506930

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