STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

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What is STEAM Turku?

  • STEAM Turku is a science and technology path that combines early childhood education and care, basic education and upper secondary education in the City of Turku’s Education Services and offers numerous opportunities for children and young people of different ages. There is a path to the world of science and technology for everyone.
  • STEAM Turku helps every learner in Turku find their way to the world of science, art, and technology. We inspire learners to solve creative problems and support learning outcomes through STEAM pedagogy.
  • STEAM Turku is a direct pathway to further studies and the Turku Technology Campus.
  • The vision of STEAM pedagogy is to help us prepare children and young people in Turku for such future everyday life and work that we cannot even imagine yet. Through STEAM, they learn problem-solving and cooperation skills, the utilisation of the creative process, and learning and skills through trial and error needed in building the future and solving the most wicked problems of our time, together and in a multidisciplinary manner. 

How it all started?

In April 2018, the City of Turku signed a Technology Campus agreement with the higher education institutions in the region and Turku Science Park Oy that focuses on increasing the educational offer and research in the field of technology. The objective of the cooperation based on this agreement is to support the higher education institutions in Turku in ensuring the graduation of Bachelors and Masters of Technology and Engineering as well as maritime professionals for the increasing future needs in the region. 

In this cooperation, the STEAM Turku project is part of the City of Turku’s services. The Education Services of the City of Turku is responsible for the implementation of the project, but it is linked to the industrial policy of the entire city. 

Values of STEAM Turku

  • Inclusion (every pupil, student, and teacher find their own path to the world of science and technology)
  • Openness (all information and practices are shared, allowing everyone to participate in cooperation; we are ready to learn from others)
  • Innovation (we want to seek and find new solutions and opportunities and believe that failures are also educational) 

Objectives of STEAM Turku

  • Creating a new operating education model for the City of Turku to strengthen the attractiveness of the science and technology sector.
  • Building a science and technology path that brings together early childhood education and care, basic education and upper secondary education.
  • Offering direct routes to further studies and the Turku Technology Campus.
  • Creating new forms of cooperation between education and teaching services, higher education institutions, companies and other actors.
  • Strengthening the demand for higher education in natural sciences and technology in Turku and Southwestern Finland in the long term through extensive cooperation between different levels of education.
  • Developing new digital solutions, teaching content, learning materials and learning environments.
  • Productising and sharing the results of the project.
  • Compiling all projects in Education Services that support STEAM, avoiding overlapping activities and waste, and enhancing cooperation between projects.
  • Supporting the achievement, establishment and dissemination of results and good practices and ensuring the utilisation and dissemination of the results of previous projects as part of current development activities.

STEAMit! – ideas for all educational levels

Nuori esittelee STEAMit lopputyötään opettajalle. Taustalla muita ihmisiä. (Picture: Toni Puurtinen)

STEAM Turku encourages you to try out a new and innovative way of learning. The STEAMit! experiments are aimed at the units of the City of Turku. Their purpose is to promote cooperation between different educational levels, schools, early childhood education and care, basic education, vocational institutes, upper secondary schools, higher education institutions, and companies.

Check out the new STEAMit! experiments and get inspired for your teaching! 

STEAMit! experiments

STEAM courses in upper secondary schools (in Finnish)

Opiskelijoita tutustumassa robotiikkaan. (Picture: Nanna Madetoja)

STEAM courses are organised by upper secondary schools in Turku and open to all upper secondary school students in Turku.

The STEAM courses integrate different subjects, collaborate with different educational institutions and companies, study phenomena, deepen learning, and create something new. You can register for the courses of your choice through the guidance counsellor at your school. For more information, contact the course teacher.

åppi application

Piirroshahmo Aurajoen rannalla. (Picture: Jenni Sormunen)

Did you know that there is a lot of interesting and fascinating history along the River Aurajoki? Ready to learn it in a fun way?

Developed in Turku, åppi is an augmented reality (AR) learning application that encourages students and city residents to move around the River Aurajoki. Users find AR checkpoints on the River Aurajoki and use them to learn more about Turku’s diverse history and nature. The contents of the application were created by upper secondary school and higher education students in Turku.

The application was developed in cooperation between the City of Turku and CTRL Reality. Åppi is funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education. 

åppi in a nutshell

  • Find AR checkpoints along the River Aurajoki and learn more about history and nature in Turku.
  • The AR checkpoints are marked on a map on the app.
  • At its longest, the route runs from the Cathedral to Turku Castle.
  • There are also checkpoints in Ruissalo, Vanhalinna in Lieto and on the island of Seili.

Teachers’ instructions

  • The application is well suited for teaching history, religion, geography, biology, visual arts, and languages, among other subjects.
  • The package contains ready-made assignments for different subjects.
  • The application can be used in small groups or in pairs.
  • AR checkpoints are saved in the application gallery, which you can then show to the teacher.

Safety on the River Aurajoki

  • Remember to follow traffic rules and walk on the sidewalks.
  • Be careful in traffic. Do not disturb traffic or other people.
  • Do not use the app when crossing the road, near the edge of the river, or when riding a bike or other vehicle. 
Download åppi

åppi-kohteet kartalla

Check out the STEAM learning materials

For more information about STEAM and materials for teachers, visit the STEAM blog site (in Finnish).

Check out the STEAM learning materials

Eat the Baltic Sea Clean challenge

TSYK Upper Secondary School challenges all schools and daycare centres in Finland to eat local fish from the Baltic Sea every year on Baltic Sea Day.

Domestic fish can be used to remove phosphorus from waterways, which reduces eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. By eating local fish, local fishermen are also supported.

Almost 200 daycare centres and schools are already participating in the Eat the Baltic Sea Clean challenge.  In addition to TSYK Upper Secondary School, STEAM Turku and Turku Vocational Institute, the John Nurminen Foundation, Kaarea Oy, the Baltic Sea Day, the Baltic Sea Challenge, the LUMA Centre of Southwest Finland, the Unique Archipelago Sea, the Turku Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Finnish National Agency for Education are participating in the challenge. In 2025, the challenge will be implemented for the 6th time.

 

Syödään itämeri siistiksi

See the participants on the map and join in