#836: From Acronym to Practice: How Brazilian Teachers Reimagine STEAM in Public Education

This study maps 222 teacher-led STEAM projects across 23 Brazilian states to understand how educators contextualize the approach in public middle schools. Findings reveal a culturally grounded “tropicalized” STEAM that fosters student authorship and belonging, while exposing gaps in technology use and systemic barriers to scaling innovation. This research underscores the potential of culturally grounded practices while identifying systemic barriers to scaling innovation in Brazil.