PEDAGOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE INNOVATIVE STEAM APPROACH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

<doi>10.24250/jpe/2/2025/DFT/</doi>

Abstract

STEAM education in early childhood represents a paradigm
shift that goes beyond the traditional transmission of
knowledge, directing the educational process toward the
integrated development of the child as an active agent of
their own learning. This article examines the pedagogical
foundations of the STEAM approach in preschool
education and highlights the way in which they can become
a catalyst for the professional development of future early
childhood educators. Grounded in socio-constructivism
(Vygotsky), experiential learning (Kolb), and project-based
pedagogy (Kilpatrick), STEAM education emerges as a
transdisciplinary learning framework that fosters
exploration, investigation, and guided reflection. The
second part of the article emphasizes the role of students’
active participation in STEAM-based projects and
workshops as a strategy for developing 21st-century
pedagogical competences critical thinking, creativity,
adaptability, intelligent use of technology, and inclusive
pedagogical practices. Through examples from a university
workshop, the article illustrates how initial teacher
training can evolve into a reflective and applicationoriented
process in which the student transitions from the
role of passive recipient to that of designer of educational
experiences. The conclusions suggest that STEAM
education has the potential to shape a new professional
profile of the educator innovative, reflective, and capable
of mediating complex learning within a constantly
changing world.