Summary of the meeting in Porto
04.12.2025
The international project meeting (WP 1) took place at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Porto on December 4 and 5, and served as a valuable forum for academic exchange and collaboration. The event was led by Thiago Freires, who is responsible for Work Package 1.
The meeting began on Thursday afternoon with opening remarks by two representatives from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. This was followed by presentations on new methods for artificial intelligence in elementary schools and a roundtable discussion focusing on digital experiences at the elementary school level. The day concluded with a guided tour of Porto and a group dinner, which provided further opportunities for informal exchange.
On Friday, the host university presented the initial results from Work Package 1. Subsequently, all project groups shared updates on progress, current status, and future plans for Work Packages 2 through 8. An open discussion on common goals concluded the sessions. The meeting ended with a presentation on the educational use of artificial intelligence in elementary school, which provided further insight and inspiration for the ongoing project work.
Many thanks to Thiago and his team for the excellent organization of the conference in Porto!
Highlights from the presentation:
AI Policy and Practice in Portugal In his presentation, Alexandre Torres from the Institute of Education – University of Minho introduced the SMART Education Ecosystem, a comprehensive framework developed to support experienced teachers in adapting to the digital transformation in mathematics education. The model is based on four interconnected pillars—space, technology, teaching, and pedagogy —which together promote flexible learning environments, effective integration of AI and digital tools, student-centered teaching methods, and innovative pedagogical models such as flipped learning and project-based learning.
The presentation highlighted how the SMART Education Ecosystem aligns with the EU’s Action Plan for Digital Education (2021–2027) and emphasized the need for targeted professional development, as many experienced teachers are still unfamiliar with Smart Education concepts. A phased implementation strategy was proposed, based on pilot schools and continuous feedback from teachers, students, and decision-makers.
Overall, the framework aims to strengthen teachers’ digital competence, increase student engagement, and support a long-term, sustainable transformation of mathematics education through technology-driven innovation.