Project partners gathered to officially launch the SEED2STEM: Planting the Future of Education project, align on shared objectives, clarify roles and responsibilities, finalize the work plan and implementation timelines, and establish a strong foundation for future collaboration and communication among consortium members.

The kick-off meeting brought together 11 representatives from 5 partner organizations for a three-day program held in Curtea de Argeș, Romania, from February 5th to February 7th, 2024. During the meeting, partners discussed the overall project structure, expected results, management procedures, dissemination activities, and upcoming project milestones.

The meeting also provided an important opportunity for partners to exchange ideas, strengthen cooperation, and discuss innovative approaches for combining STEM education, agriculture, and digital tools in order to create engaging learning experiences for young people.

In addition to the working sessions, participants had the chance to connect through informal networking activities, strengthening team spirit and building a collaborative environment that will support the successful implementation of the project in the coming years.

Focus Group 1 in Croatia was organized by Association for Sustainable Development Pozitiva Samobor and held on November 8th, 11th, and 12th, 2024. The activity engaged 94 young people aged 13–25 in testing and exploring the AGRO-STEM platform and curriculum developed within the project. Participants had the opportunity to navigate the platform, review educational content, and take part in selected learning activities designed to combine STEM education with agriculture and sustainability topics.

Throughout the sessions, participants provided structured feedback focused on platform usability, clarity of educational materials, visual presentation, accessibility, and overall engagement with the content. Special attention was given to understanding how young users interact with digital educational tools and which elements contribute most to motivation and active participation.

The focus groups created an open and interactive environment where participants were encouraged to shae their opinions, suggestions, and ideas for improvement. Feedback collected during the activities will contribute to the further development and optimization of the AGRO-STEM platform and curriculum, ensuring that the final project results are user-friendly, educationally effective, and adapted to the needs of young learners.

Focus Group 1 in Bulgaria was conducted by SDRUZHENIE WALK TOGETHER on January 16th, 2025. The session brought together local youth participants who explored the AGRO-STEM digital learning platform and curriculum through practical and interactive activities. During the focus group, participants tested different educational modules, including Basics of Programming and Digital Incubator, while engaging with STEM concepts connected to agriculture, technology, and sustainability.

Participants navigated through the platform, explored learning materials, and took part in selected educational activities designed to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Throughout the session, they provided direct feedback on the structure of the modules, clarity of instructions, visual presentation, and the overall learning experience. The activity created an open environment for discussion and exchange of ideas, allowing participants to share their impressions and suggestions for improving the platform and curriculum content. Feedback collected during the focus group will support further development of the AGRO-STEM educational resources and help ensure that the platform remains engaging, accessible, and relevant for young learners.

The focus group involved a total of 16 participants.

The meeting gathered 9 representatives of partner organizations in Kocaeli, Türkiye, from November 3rd until November 5th, 2024. During the three-day meeting, partners focused on planning and coordinating the development of the IoT curriculum within Work Package 4 of the project. Discussions were dedicated to defining learning outcomes, structuring educational content, and designing activities that combine technical knowledge with practical and interactive learning approaches.

Special attention was given to integrating non-formal educational methods into the curriculum in order to make STEM and IoT topics more engaging, accessible, and adaptable for young people with different educational backgrounds and learning styles. Partners also discussed how the curriculum could connect digital technologies with sustainable agriculture concepts and real-life applications.

The meeting provided an important opportunity for partners to exchange expertise, align educational approaches, and coordinate future tasks related to curriculum development, testing activities, and implementation timelines. In addition to the working sessions, participants strengthened cooperation and collaboration between organizations, contributing to the overall quality and consistency of the project outputs.

On 17 June 2025, a focus group was organized in Türkiye by Avrasya Genclik Gelisim Dernegi with the participation of 10 young people from Kocaeli University and surrounding rural areas. The group included students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, aligning with the project’s aim of making STEM more accessible and inclusive.

The session, titled “Testing and Feedback Session on IOT and Digital Incubator,” was designed to combine practical hands-on activities with structured feedback collection..

This practical exercise was highly engaging and gave participants an opportunity to directly apply STEM knowledge in a real-life agricultural context.

The activity concluded with a focus group discussion. Participants shared their reflections on the clarity and accessibility of the curriculum, the level of engagement, and their overall experience. Their feedback highlighted both the strengths of the activity and areas where improvements could make the curriculum even more user-friendly.

On 18 July 2025, within the framework of the SEED2STEM project, a focus group session was conducted under Work Package 4 – IoT Curriculum at ARYAS’s office in Mustățești, Argeș County. The event brought together twelve youngsters from Curtea de Argeș with the purpose of testing and further developing the IoT Curriculum. Participants were introduced to the AGRO STEM platform and engaged in practical activities that included Arduino kit construction, TinkerCAD system simulation, and code analysis. 

The session provided an opportunity to collect feedback on the curriculum’s usability and accessibility, with participants offering valuable insights regarding clarity, navigation, and applicability. These contributions will be used to refine and finalize the IoT Curriculum, ensuring that it is user-friendly, relevant to the needs of young learners, and effective in stimulating long-term interest in STEM subjects and sustainable agriculture. 

From January 24th, 2026, the AGRO STEM Game Console was tested in Turkey within the activity Side of Intelligence 2.0, organized by ARYAS. This testing activity brought together 24 youth workers, marking an important step in validating the practical use and educational value of the AGRO STEM Game Console in real youth work settings.

Through a hands-on testing session, participants were divided into two teams, working simultaneously on two AGRO STEM game consoles. The teams actively played the game, explored its mechanics, and engaged with the STEM and sustainable agriculture challenges embedded in the gameplay.

Following the testing phase, participants shared structured feedback and reflections, focusing on game dynamics, learning outcomes, usability, and its potential application in educational and non-formal learning contexts. Their insights contributed valuable input for further refinement and improvement of the AGRO STEM Game Console, ensuring it effectively supports STEM learning, sustainability awareness, and game-based methodologies in youth work.

On February 12th, 2026, a focus group for testing the AGRO STEM game with children was organized at the Public Library in Albeștii de Argeș, Romania. The activity involved 12 children aged 6–12 and was facilitated by 2 team members.

Due to having only one game prototype available, participants played in groups of four while facilitators provided support when needed. Children initially required a short period to understand the controls and gameplay mechanics, but after a few rounds they became confident and actively engaged in the game. The session generated a very positive response, with participants enthusiastically sharing their experiences and expressing a strong desire to play again after completing their turn. Through gameplay, children demonstrated understanding of agricultural planning, crop diversity, and the influence of weather conditions on outcomes. Participants also explored different strategies and decision-making approaches during the game.

The activity revealed strong social interaction and cooperation among participants, especially among younger children who frequently helped one another during gameplay. A few minor technical issues with LED indicators were observed but did not significantly affect the testing session.

The AGRO STEM Game was tested on April 22nd, 2026, during the final day of the “The Best ECO is Umberto Eco” Training Course. The activity gathered 25 youth workers and youth leaders from 6 countries — Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Poland, Türkiye, and Greece.

Participants had the opportunity to explore and test both the board game and console-based versions of the AGRO STEM Game, experiencing its educational and interactive elements in an international learning environment. Through gameplay, participants engaged with concepts related to sustainable agriculture, strategic planning, teamwork, and STEM-based problem-solving.

The testing session also served as an opportunity to collect feedback regarding gameplay mechanics, educational value, user engagement, and overall learning experience. Participants shared suggestions and impressions that will contribute to the further improvement and development of the game.

The activity demonstrated the potential of gamified educational tools to support non-formal learning and encourage young people to engage with sustainability and STEM topics through interactive and practical experiences.

On May 6th, 2026, the latest version of the AGRO STEM board game was successfully tested with Mechatronics students at the University of Applied Sciences Zagreb as part of the Erasmus+ project SEED2STEM: Planting the Future of Education.

Through an interactive and engaging gameplay experience, students developed their own planting strategies and made decisions within a simulated agricultural environment. The activity encouraged critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving while connecting STEM knowledge with sustainable agriculture concepts. In addition to the farming mechanics of the game, participants also explored the complete technical system behind its development. Students had the opportunity to see how knowledge gained through their studies — including microcontroller systems, PCB design, and 3D modeling and printing — can be applied in a real educational product.

The workshop was conducted by the project partner University of Applied Sciences Zagreb as part of the development and testing activities within the SEED2STEM: Planting the Future of Education project, which promotes innovative STEM-based approaches in agriculture and youth education. The AGRO STEM game represents one of the key project outputs aimed at making STEM learning more accessible, practical, and engaging for young people through hands-on and gamified learning experiences.