SCIENCE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION: CHALLENGES, READINESS, BENEFITS, AND IMPACT ON STUDENT LEARNING

Recent developments in AI technology have the potential to affect science education. Understanding science teachers’ perceptions of AI is essential for developing strategies that support effective and morally responsible integration of AI in science learning environments. This research focuses on science teachers’ perceptions of AI in science classes by considering the challenges, preparedness, advantages, and its effect on student learning. A total of 383 science teachers participated in the study. Science teachers' perceptions of AI scale were used for data collection. The data were analysed through descriptive statistics, MANOVA, and multiple regression. Data analysis disclosed that the participants viewed lack of adequate training and data privacy concerns as the most prominent barriers for integrating AI in science classes. Familiarity significantly affects AI Readiness and AI-Supported Assessment & Feedback, while Teaching experience has a significant effect on Barriers to AI Adoption, emphasizing the significance of familiarity with AI and teaching experience on these outcomes. AI Readiness and Adoption significantly predicted AI’s Impact on Learning, while the likely Benefits of AI were the strongest predictor of AI’s Impact on Student Learning. Fostering AI readiness, emphasizing AI's educational advantages, and reducing structural barriers to AI adoption are among the recommendations. Keywords: AI adoption, science teachers’ perceptions, AI readiness, AI benefits, AI challenges