INTEGRATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN STEAM EDUCATION IN BULGARIA: AN ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIC VISION, PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE, AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES

Abstract

In the context of globalization and digitalization of public and social life, education is tasked with cultivating integrated practical knowledge and skills in adolescents. This creates the need to develop a STEM educational approach in combination with the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI).
The aim of this study is to analyze the multifaceted integration of AI in STEAM education in Bulgaria by comparing the ambitious national strategic vision with the realities of pedagogical practice and institutional readiness.
The methodology used is a systematic synthesis and critical analysis of scientific literature and empirical data. The methodology is built on a triangulation of diverse sources, in order to achieve a holistic and objective view of the research problem. The analysis covers international and national strategies and documents, quantitative empirical data and academic and research literature. A synthesis of Bulgarian and international peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings and research reports were carried out. These sources provide the theoretical framework for the pedagogical applications, transformational potential and ethical challenges associated with AI in STEAM education, allowing the Bulgarian case to be considered in a broader international context.
The results reveal a significant gap between this strategic vision and the on-the-ground reality. On the one hand, a national “top-down” strategy promotes the integration of AI, exemplified by the MES-INSAIT flagship project for sovereign educational AI and the foundational program for STEM centers. On the other hand, empirical data show widespread skepticism among teachers, low levels of adoption (41% have never used AI), a deep geographical digital divide, and a critical lack of support at the school level (82% of schools do not have a digitalization strategy). The results also identify a “three-speed” education system in which an elite academic ecosystem (INSAIT, leading universities) operates at a global standard, largely disconnected from the mainstream school system. The conclusions argue that the successful integration of AI in Bulgarian STEAM education depends not only on technological development, but on bridging the gap between policy and practice. The main obstacles are not technological, but systemic and pedagogical.
The research results in strategic recommendations that focus on a human-centered approach, focused on a large-scale national teacher training program that addresses the practical and ethical application of AI in the classroom, the development of robust mechanisms for knowledge transfer from academia to schools, and a pedagogical shift from perceiving AI as a tool for teacher effectiveness to a tool for student inquiry and creativity. The need for a change in curricula and assessment methods that prioritizes the development of critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration is highlighted.