The Potential of Using AI to Improve Student Learning in STEM: Now and in the Future - Brief

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

This brief examines how artificial intelligence can improve student learning in STEM, drawing on current and emerging capabilities of AI and generative AI. It presents theoretical foundations and explains concepts such as knowledge-in-use and integrated understanding, then explores AI as a learning partner for personalized support across cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, emotional, collaboration, and discourse needs. It outlines future directions, highlights the roles of teachers, and calls for additional research while balancing promise and risk, including bias impacts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Introduction

Theoretical Foundations of Using AI in STEM Education

Goals of STEM Education

What Is Knowledge-in-Use?

What Is Integrated Understanding?

AI as a Learning Partner

AI as a Learning Partner to Support Personalized Learning

Support Provided by AI as a Learning Partner: Types, Strategies, and Examples

Future Directions: Using AI as a Learning Partner

The Potential of Using AI to Improve Student Learning in STEM: Now and in the Future FEBRUARY 2025 Acknowledgments This brief is a product of the Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE) Committee on AI in STEM Education and Education Research. CADRE connects STEM education researchers funded by the National Science Foundation’s Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program to share their methods, findings, results, and products with the research and development community and the greater public, to better inform and impact policy, research and education. Steering Committee: Christopher J. Harris, WestEd Eric Wiebe, North Carolina State University Shuchi Grover, Looking Glass Ventures Reviewer: Roy Pea, Stanford University Authors: Namsoo Shin, Michigan State University Kevin Haudek, Michigan State University Joseph Krajcik, Michigan State University Suggested Citation: Shin, N., Haudek, K., & Krajcik, J. (2025) . The potential of using AI to improve student learning in STEM: Now and in the future. Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE) . Education Development Center, Inc. Copyright 2025 by the Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE). This publication is available from CADRE at Education Development Center, Inc, 300 5thAve Waltham MA 02451. [https://cadrek12.org](https://cadrek12.org) The activity was funded by the National Science Foundation, Grant \# 2100823. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Generative AI was not used to create [this brief. Photos from Pexels.com. Credits: Marta Wave](this brief. Photos from Pexels.com. Credits: Marta Wave), Bertellifot Ografia, Shkrabaanthony, and Nicola Barts. 2 | The Potential of Using AI to Improve Student Learning in STEM: Now and in the Future Table of Contents Foreword..........................................................................................................5 Introduction....................................................................................................7 Theoretical Foundations of Using AI in STEM Educat..........................8 Goals of STEM Education............................................................................8 What Is Knowledge-in-Use?.......................................................................9 What Is Integrated Understanding?.........................................................9 Fostering Integrated Understanding.......................................................9 AI as a Learning Partner..............................................................................12 AI as a Learning Partner to Support Personalized Learning...............14 Learning Partners to Create Personalized Learning..........................15 Support Provided by AI as a Learning Partner: Types, Strategies, and Examples.................................................................................................17 AI as a Learning Partner for Cognitive Support....................................17 AI as a Learning Partner for Metacognitive Support......................... 20 AI as a Learning Partner for Motivational and Emotional Support ..............................................................................................................21 AI as a Learning Partner for Collaboration and Discourse Support ............................................................................................................. 24 Future Directions: Using AI as a Learning Partner................................26 Supporting a Broad Range of Learners ..................................................26 The Role of Teachers in AI-Enhanced Learning Environments .... 28 Need for Future Research .....................................

FAQs

What is the main goal of this brief on AI in STEM education?

It assesses how AI, including generative AI, can improve student learning in STEM now and in the future, while considering both benefits and risks such as bias effects.

Which key learning concepts does the brief introduce?

It discusses knowledge-in-use and integrated understanding, and it explains how to foster integrated understanding in STEM learning contexts.

How does the brief describe AI’s role for personalized learning?

It frames AI as a learning partner that provides support for cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and emotional needs, as well as collaboration and discourse to enable personalized learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum