Review of the Porto Meeting
04.12.2025
The international project meeting (WP 1) took place at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the Universidade do Porto on December 4th/5th and provided a valuable setting for professional exchange and collaboration. The event was hosted by Thiago Freires, who is responsible for Work Package 1.
The meeting began on Thursday afternoon with a welcome address by two representatives of the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. This was followed by presentations on new practices of artificial intelligence in elementary education and a round-table discussion focusing on digital experiences at the primary school level. The day concluded with a guided tour through Porto and a joint dinner, offering further opportunities for informal exchange.
On Friday, the host university presented the first results of Work Package 1. Subsequently, all project teams shared updates on their progress, current status, and future plans for Work Packages 2 through 8. An open discussion on shared goals brought the sessions together. The meeting concluded with a presentation on AI pedagogical practices in primary education, providing additional insights and inspiration for the ongoing project work.
Many thanks to Thiago and his team for the excellent organisation of the conference in Porto!
Presentation Highlight:
AI Policies and Practices in PortugalIn his presentation, Alexandre Torres from the Instituto de Educação – Universidade do Minho introduced the SMART Education Ecosystem, a holistic framework designed to support veteran teachers in adapting to digital transformation in mathematics education. The model is built on four interconnected pillars — Space, Technology, Teaching, and Pedagogy —which together promote flexible learning environments, the effective integration of AI and digital tools, student-centered teaching approaches, and innovative pedagogical models such as flipped classrooms and project-based learning.
The presentation highlighted how the SMART Education Ecosystem aligns with the EU Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) and emphasized the need for targeted professional development, as many experienced teachers are still unfamiliar with Smart Education concepts. A phased implementation approach, starting with pilot schools and continuous feedback from educators, students, and policymakers, was proposed.
Overall, the framework aims to empower teachers with digital competencies, enhance student engagement, and support the long-term, sustainable transformation of mathematics education through technology-driven innovation.