Beginning The Journey: Artificial Intelligence Use in Elementary Science Methods

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Advanced Research in Education

Year: 2026

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Beginning The Journey: Artificial Intelligence Use in Elementary Science Methods

Prof Dr. David Cline

ABSTRACT:

University students are especially facile with various text, research, and graphical AI tools. The question for educators is how to teach proper and ethical use of these tools and how educators can safeguard the integrity of materials submitted by students for evaluation. The author is somewhat late in adopting AI tools but has revised his science methods for elementary teachers’ course to allow the use of AI in some instances. This paper outlines how the course was revised and in what instances artificial intelligence tools are allowed. For example, for lesson planning AI is allowed since the author’s philosophy is a lesson plan should be personal and not standardized. It is a guide for the teacher to best translate knowledge the teacher candidate understands into language and experiences children can understand. In this situation it is perfectly acceptable for the teacher candidate to use AI tools to organize thoughts, activities, and suggest evaluation measures. An instance where AI is not allowed is in an in-class activity in which the teacher candidates work in groups to complete a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) task. After completion of the task the teacher candidates are to critique their product, process, and evaluation of the task as a group in writing using pen and paper. The presentation will review the syllabus, activities where AI is allowed, activities where AI tools are not allowed, and the author’s critique of necessary changes to the format in terms to come.

Keywords: AI; STEM; Learning; Teaching; Undergraduate