Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF BALTIC SCIENCE EDUCATION, cilt.24, sa.3, ss.552-566, 2025 (SSCI)
This study investigates the perspectives of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) educators in T & uuml;rkiye regarding the integration of Artificial Intelligence Tools (AITs) into STEM education (STEM-e). The research was conducted to address the lack of comprehensive studies exploring educators' experiences, challenges, and the perceived impact of AITs on student outcomes. Adopting a phenomenological research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 STEM educators who actively use AITs in their teaching practices. Purposive sampling was used to select STEM educators who actively and consistently integrate AITs into their instructional practices, ensuring firsthand experience with AI-based tools in the classroom. The findings revealed that educators perceive AITs as beneficial forsaving time, personalizing instructional content, and enhancing student motivation. However, challenges such as limited pedagogical alignment, accessibility issues, inaccurate feedback, and technical infrastructure deficiencies were also reported. Furthermore, while the mindful use of AITs was found to support students'cognitive and emotional development, excessive or uncritical use may hinder their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The results underscore the need for educational policymakers and institutions to strengthen technological infrastructure, provide support and training for educators, and implement pilot programs. Additionally, policymakers are encouraged to prioritize user-friendly design and data security to increase the accessibility and effectiveness of AITs in education.