STEAM strategy for teaching geometry through interdisciplinary projects: a critical documentary analysis in the Honduran context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i4.456Keywords:
Mathematics education, Geometry didactics, STEAM approach, Project-Based Learning, Ethno-mathematical contextualizationAbstract
This study carries out a critical-documentary analysis of recent scientific literature (2023-2026) on the implementation of the STEAM approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in the teaching of geometry through Project-Based Learning (PBL). The goal examines the pedagogical foundations, technological resources, assessment dynamics, and operational barriers of this strategy, deriving feasible contextualization guidelines for the Honduran education system. The qualitative methodology included a systematic review aimed at thematic analysis and constant comparison of empirical evidence. The findings confirm that PBL acts as an ideal vehicle to transform abstract geometric concepts into tools for phenomenological modeling, showing positive effects on math performance. However, tensions are identified between authentic interdisciplinary integration and mere juxtaposition instrument, Subject tools. It is also evident that teacher-led didactic mediation and process-based formative assessment prevail over the technological bias, showing that dynamic or analog tools enhance spatial visualization only under a structured pedagogical design. In short, given the connectivity and infrastructure gaps in Honduras, the feasibility of a low-cost ethno-STEAM model is concluded. This proposal links geometry with local materials, local architecture, and cultural heritage (such as Lenca, Garífuna, and Maya traditions), offering a sustainable, inclusive, and socially relevant epistemic framework for regional mathematics teaching.
Downloads
References
Abad-Peña, G., Fernández-Rodríguez, K. L., Castro-Muñoz, J. A., Briones-Franco, J. G., & Ayoví-Vanegas, M. (2026). Geometría en movimiento: exploraciones didácticas con GeoGebra. Tomo 1. Sophia Editions.
Akbar, A., Fatimah, Asnita, A. U., Sulestry, A. I., & Sahriyanti, A. (2026). Dari budaya menuju berpikir kritis matematika: Integrasi etnomatematika pada learning trajectory geometri. Pendas: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.23969/jp.v11i02.53782
Arias Ortiz, E., & Giambruno Michelini, C. (2026). Cómo la inteligencia artificial está transformando la educación en América Latina y el Caribe: Aprendizajes a partir de 193 soluciones. Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. https://www.iadb.org/es/blog/educacion/como-la-inteligencia-artificial-esta-transformando-la-educacion-en-america-latina-y-el-caribe
Ayari, M. A., Sellami, A., Santhosh, M. E., Khalid, K. N., Abdulla, A.-A., & Saleh, M. A.-H. (2025). From problems to performance: A systematic review of problem-based learning in primary and secondary mathematics. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1731307. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1731307
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. (2025). Hacia una educación más inclusiva: Transformando la Escuela Rural (HO-L1251). https://www.iadb.org/es/proyecto/HO-L1251
Banco Mundial. (2025). Digital progress and trends report 2025: Strengthening AI foundations. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099112525160593874/pdf/P505350-d12bf50c-2e65-4863-822b-8fb9e69bda4b.pdf
García-Pérez, S. A., Bravo-Gallardo, M. A., & Bautista-Martínez, B. (2024). Experiencia de práctica docente con el enfoque STEAM en educación preescolar. Sophia Research Review, 1(1), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.64092/2sqm9484
Hanafi, N. H., Zakaria, M. I., Ismail, N., & Nurul, R. A. (2025). Trends and patterns in project-based learning for mathematics education: A global bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 13(14), 974. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.4876
León González, J. L., & Gil Álvarez, J. L. (2018). Propuesta de acciones y operaciones para el desarrollo de las habilidades geométricas en el primer ciclo de la educación primaria. Revista Metropolitana de Ciencias Aplicadas, 1(3), 33–37. https://doi.org/10.62452/c8kkgd85
León-González, J. L., & Barcia-Martínez, R. (2025). Didáctica de la geometría para la escuela primaria. Sophia Editions.
Martín-Cudero, D., Cid-Cid, A. I., & Guede-Cid, R. (2024). Analysis of mathematics education from a STEAM approach at secondary and pre-universitary educational levels: A systematic review. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 14(2), 507–528. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.2349
Nguyen, H. T., Nguyen, G. T., Thai, L. T., Dung, T. T., & Nguyen, B. N. (2024). Teaching mathematics through project-based learning in K-12 schools: A systematic review of current practices, barriers, and future developments. TEM Journal, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM133-33
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). PISA 2022 assessment and analytical framework: Mathematics, reading, science and financial literacy. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/dfe0bf9c-en
Shi, P., Tang, Y., Zhang, Z., Feng, X., & Li, C. (2022). Effect of physical exercise in real-world settings on executive function of typical children and adolescents: A systematic review. Brain Sciences, 12(12), 1734. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121734
Sudirman, S., Martadiputra, B. A., Faizah, S., Rodríguez, N. C., Soeharto, S., Lavicza, Z., & Runisah, S. R. (2026). Integrating a STEAM-based MOOC as a didactic and pedagogical supplement in school mathematics: A design-based research study. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 16(1), 136. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.3633
Voulgari, N., Panagopoulos, M., & Garneli, V. (2025). A systematic review of augmented reality in mathematics education: Fostering learning through art integration. Arts & Communication, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.4446
Yim, I. H. Y., Su, J., & Wegerif, R. (2025). STEAM in practice and research in primary schools: A systematic literature review. Research in Science & Technological Education, 43(4), 1065–1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2024.2440424
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Claudia Patricia Brito-Rodríguez, Lázaro Salomón Dibut-Toledo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in Revista Mexicana de Investigación e Intervención Educativa (RMIIE), of Universidad Pablo Latapí Sarre agree to the following terms:
1. Copyright
Authors retain unrestricted copyright to their work. Authors grant the journal the right of first publication. To this end, they assign the journal non-exclusive exploitation rights (reproduction, distribution, public communication, and transformation). Authors may enter into additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal, provided that acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal is given.
© The authors.
2. License
The articles are published in the journal under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). The terms can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en
This license allows:
- Sharing: Copying and redistributing the material in any medium or format.
- Adapting: Remixing, transforming, and building upon the material.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. You may do this in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses or sponsors your use.
- NonCommercial: You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
- ShareAlike: If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your creation under the same license as the original work.
There are no additional restrictions. You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
