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VMU STEAM Didactics Centre

A unit of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, where science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics become something school students actually do — activities in the classroom, professional development for their teachers, and learning games that run in a browser.

School students working in groups in a classroom at the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre
The centre's classroom in Akademija, where visiting classes work.

What the centre does

Activities for school students. Hands-on STEAM sessions for grades 1–12: from a DNA detective investigation to a smart-home model built with micro:bit. Teams design, measure and rebuild — at the centre, at your school, or online.

Didactics, not just events. The centre works on how STEAM is taught, so that it is within reach of every student, not only those who already find it easy. Every activity has a learning goal and feedback built into it.

Professional development for teachers. Accredited in-service training programmes for teachers at every level, from pre-primary to upper secondary, delivered by university specialists.

Free digital tools. A platform of thirteen educational games, a library of long-term lesson plans following the Lithuanian national curriculum, and a school management system. All of it is free of charge for schools, with no advertising and no student accounts.

The learning-game platform

„STEAM Nuotykiai" (STEAM Adventures) is a Lithuanian-language platform of browser games covering mathematics, natural sciences, informatics, engineering and media. A teacher gives the class a code, the student types it in, and the game runs — nothing to install, no student sign-up, no personal data required beyond a nickname. Progress is assessed against the achievement levels of the national curriculum rather than points or stars, so a teacher can see what the class actually understood.

The games themselves are in Lithuanian, as they are made for Lithuanian schools. See the games (in Lithuanian) →

The Cubes workshop: a structure built from cubes and its three technical drawings
The Cubes workshop: you build with cubes and the drawings appear by themselves.
The Research Laboratory game with measuring instruments on screen
The Research Laboratory: the student states a hypothesis and then tests it.
A room at the centre: VR headsets on a table, an anatomical model and shelves of equipment
Equipment for activities: VR headsets, models and instruments.

Who works here

Biologists, engineers, media and educational technology specialists, and teachers who still teach. Activities are designed by the people who then run them with a class — which is why they change after almost every session. The team (in Lithuanian) →

Key facts

Name
VMU STEAM Didactics Centre — a unit of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Lithuania.
Where
Universiteto g. 10, Akademija, Kaunas district, LT-53361, Lithuania — about 7 km from Kaunas city centre.
Who it is for
School students in grades 1–12, their teachers, and schools across Lithuania.
What it offers
STEAM activities for classes, accredited teacher training, a free game platform, a lesson-plan library and a school management system.
Cost
Games and lesson plans are free for educational institutions. Activities and teacher training are charged; the price depends on the activity, group size and location.
Languages
Activities and games are delivered in Lithuanian. Correspondence and visits in English are welcome — write to us.
Data
Stored on EU servers; a student's name may be a nickname; no third-party tracking.
Contact
steam@vdu.lt

Frequently asked questions

What is the VMU STEAM Didactics Centre?
It is a unit of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, working on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education. The centre runs practical activities for students in grades 1–12, provides accredited professional development for teachers, and builds free digital tools: a learning-game platform, a national-curriculum lesson-plan library and a school management system.
Where is the centre and can we visit?
The centre is at Universiteto g. 10, Akademija, Kaunas district, Lithuania, on the university's agriculture academy campus about 7 km from central Kaunas. Classes usually come by school transport; there is parking at the building. If you cannot travel, the same activity can be delivered at your school or online.
Are the games really free?
Yes. The game platform and the lesson-plan library are free for educational institutions, with no advertising and no student accounts. Activities for classes and teacher training courses are paid services; we quote them individually.
Are the materials available in English?
The games and lesson plans are in Lithuanian, because they follow the Lithuanian national curriculum and are made for Lithuanian schools. This page and correspondence are in English, and we are happy to host international visitors, partners and researchers in English.
How do we get in touch?
Write to steam@vdu.lt. For school bookings in Lithuania, the fastest route is the Lithuanian booking form on this site.
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