Exploring the use of artificial intelligent systems in STEM classrooms

Abstract

Human beings by nature have a predisposition towards learning and exploration of natural world. We are intrinsically intellectual and social beings knitted with adaptive cognitive architectures. As Foot (2014) succinctly sums it up: humans act collectively, learn by doing, and in and via their actions and they ... make, employ, and adapt tools of all kinds to learn and communicate and community is central to process of making and interpreting meaning-and thus to all forms of learning, communicating, and acting (p.3). Education remains pivotal in transmission of social values including language, knowledge, science, technology, and an avalanche of others. Indeed, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) have been significant to advancement of social cultures transcending every epoch to contemporary times. As Jasanoff (2004) poignantly observed, the ways in which we know and represent world (both nature and society) are inseparable from ways in which we choose to live in it. [...] Scientific knowledge [..] both embeds and is embedded in social practices, identities, norms, conventions, discourses, instruments, and institutions (p.2-3). In essence, science remains both a tacit and an explicit cultural activity through which human beings explore their own world, discover nature, create knowledge and technology towards their progress and existence. This has been possible through interaction and applications of artifacts, tools, and technologies within purviews of their environments. The applications of technologies are found across almost every luster of organizational learning especially teacher education, STEM, architecture, manufacturing, and a flurry of others. Thus, human evolution and development are inexplicably linked with education either formally or informally. The 21st century has however seen a surge in use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in education. The proliferation of artificial intelligence and associated technologies are creating new overtures of digital multiculturalism with distinct worldviews of significance to education. For example, learners are demonstrating digital literacy skills and are knowledgeable about AI technologies across every specter of their lives (Bennett et al., 2008). It is also opening new artesian well-springs of educational opportunities and pedagogical applications. This includes mapping new methodological pathways, content creation and curriculum design, career preparations and indeed a seemingly new paradigm shift in teaching STEM.There is growing scholarly evidence about use and diffusion of these technologies in K-12 and higher education (Bonk & Graham, 2012;Hew & Brush, 2007;Langer, 2018;Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Some of these include Sphero robots, Micro Bit, Jill Watson, BrickPi3 Classroom kit, Engino STEM Mechanic, Lego Education WeDo Core Set and Spike. Both educators and learners are using these in STEM programs as well as other education related activities. Just as human activities and interactions with artifacts and tools shaped and redefined scientific-technological feat of previous generations, so contemporary digital technological era seems to be on a similar trajectory. However, there is sparsity of empirical scholarship on pedagogical prospects and effectiveness of artificial intelligence in STEM classrooms. Also, it should be noted that scholarship on how AI impacts pedagogical content knowledge of STEM educators and how learners perceive these technologies are just emerging. In addition, recent COVID-19 pandemic (Ghandhi et al., 2020;Rasmussen et al., 2020) has unexpectedly created a renewed synergy towards applications of digital technologies in teaching STEM. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)