Predicting the future role of artificial intelligence in redefining the landscape of secondary school STEM education
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Date
2024-11-11
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UMT Lahore
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is permeating various sectors and is actively changing the educational landscape. STEM education is a significant feature of the twenty-first century. The role of AI in STEM is crucial as AI can improve teaching and learning with its personalized responses. The effective implementation of AI in STEM classrooms can be realized only by considering the perspective of educators as educators play a pivotal role in realizing the proper ways of implementation. A qualitative research approach and phenomenological research design were employed in the study. The sample of the study was secondary school STEM teachers, from Lahore, Pakistan. Data were gathered by using a semi-structured interview protocol and a criterion sampling technique was employed to select the potential participants for the study and a sample size of 25 participants was selected. Validation of the instrument was ensured through face validation and content validation. The initial draft underwent validation by three experts and changes were made as per the suggestions. A pilot study was conducted with the same criteria as for the major study to ensure the reliability of the instrument. Data Analysis was performed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and themes were identified. The analysis revealed that most interviewees understand AI as a technology that imitates human intelligence. The findings highlight that AI can serve as the best tool for teaching and learning due to its transformative abilities such as personalized responses, real-time feedback, adaptive learning, and automated assessment. It further showed that different interviewees had varying levels of expertise in AI. The study also highlighted that AI can provide various benefits for STEM education as it can augment creative and problem-solving abilities, make the classroom more engaging, and prepare students for the technology-oriented future that demands proficiency in practical skills. Findings also highlighted some challenges in the implementation of AI including a lack of teacher training, lack of resources and infrastructure, and a traditional mindset of teachers and parents. The study highlighted that almost all participants appreciated the role AI can play in STEM education; however, concerns related to data privacy, AI bias, job security, and ethical considerations prevailed. While AI holds transformative potential for educational practices, ensuring effective integration, addressing ethical concerns, and preparing students for future technological challenges is crucial for maximizing its benefits. Understanding educators’ perspectives is essential for policymakers and educational stakeholders to develop informed strategies for harnessing AI’s power to enhance STEM education. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the role of AI in education and provides recommendations for future research and practice in the Pakistani context. Recommendations suggest that AI must be made part of the curriculum in alignment with national standards of education. Teacher training programs must be conducted and resources must be allocated to support the incorporation of AI in STEM. The curriculum should be updated with more interdisciplinary approaches should be adopted and assessment practices must be updated to focus on project-based learning. Ethical considerations must be blended into AI and STEM labs should be established and an ethical framework must be developed for AI use in STEM education.