STEAM and Computational Thinking in Technology-Enhanced Education: A Systematic Review of Learning Design

Abstract

This systematic literature review examines how STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) and computational thinking (CT) activities are conceptualized and implemented in technology-enhanced learning environments in primary and lower secondary education. Guided by PRISMA 2020 procedures, 34 empirical studies were analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify recurring pedagogical structures. Seven categories emerged: problem-based, inquiry-based, and project-based pedagogical forms; a social dimension of collaborative learning; and modal formats including role-playing, game-based, and experiential learning. These categories reflect patterns of pedagogical organization rather than disciplinary content alone. Interpreted through the lens of active learning, the findings indicate that STEAM and CT activities are predominantly structured as activity-centered, interdisciplinary, and iterative learning processes. CT appears not as an isolated technological skill but as a structuring principle for organizing reasoning, problem decomposition, and solution refinement across subject domains. Overall, the reviewed studies suggest that STEAM–CT integration increasingly functions as a model of learning design and orchestration: CT organizes sequences of cognitive actions, while active learning formats cultivate epistemic practices (investigating, designing, testing, and refining) realized through the interaction of tools, artifacts, and collaborative structures. This positioning highlights STEAM and CT as integral to contemporary science, mathematics, and technology education.