English 
Հայերեն Yerevan, Armenia — STEMAR participated in the national teacher forum titled “The Role of Technological Innovations in Education”, organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia and held at Yerevan State University on May 27.
The annual forum brought together approximately 700 teachers from across Armenia to discuss ongoing educational reforms, technological innovation, digital tools, and the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in education.
During the event, STEMAR program lead Yelena Ghukasyan and STEMAR associate engineer Sergey Konjoryan delivered a presentation entitled “School Project-Based Learning within the Technological Education Ecosystem,” highlighting the initiative’s approach to interdisciplinary, project-based STEM learning and its role in supporting engineering-oriented education within Armenian schools.
The presentation explored several key challenges facing STEM education today. Speakers discussed how students often study mathematics, physics, programming, and other STEM disciplines separately, while having limited opportunities to combine these subjects through real-world engineering projects, experimentation, and collaborative problem-solving. STEMAR was presented as a response to this challenge, providing schools with interdisciplinary learning experiences that connect theoretical knowledge to practical application.
Participants were introduced to STEMAR’s educational model, which emphasizes systems thinking, iterative design, experimentation, documentation, and presentation skills. Through project-based learning, students are encouraged to move beyond finding correct answers and instead develop a deeper understanding of how different components interact within larger systems.
The presentation highlighted how STEMAR projects integrate multiple STEM disciplines simultaneously. Through engineering challenges, students apply mathematical modeling, scientific principles, programming, and design thinking while also developing communication and teamwork skills. This approach helps students build stronger ownership of their learning and maintain long-term engagement with STEM fields.
Another important theme of the presentation was the collaboration model between teachers and students. STEMAR supports educators through structured project frameworks and facilitation approaches, while creating opportunities for students to take on meaningful responsibilities within project teams. This collaborative environment helps strengthen initiative, confidence, and active participation among learners.
The presentation also addressed the broader educational impact of STEMAR. Speakers emphasized the development of systems-oriented thinking, technical confidence, communication skills, and clearer pathways toward future engineering and technology careers. As an example of this long-term impact, the student presenter reflected on how years of involvement with STEMAR contributed to his academic development and preparation for engineering studies at Virginia Tech.
Looking beyond individual outcomes, STEMAR representatives emphasized the importance of building sustainable educational ecosystems. They described the initiative’s ongoing efforts to expand interdisciplinary STEM opportunities, support teachers, strengthen regional collaboration, organize STEM events and project showcases, and develop educational infrastructure that can serve future generations of students.
The presentation concluded with a shared vision for the future of STEM education in Armenia: creating learning environments where students see themselves not only as learners, but also as active contributors capable of designing, building, experimenting, collaborating, and solving meaningful problems.
Through its participation in the forum, STEMAR contributed to the national conversation on educational innovation and shared practical insights into how engineering-oriented, project-based l