Effectiveness of AI-based Instructional Tools in Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the attention of students, educators, and administrators, alike. However, a clear, comprehensive understanding of how AI can be leveraged to improve student learning remains uncertain. Further, the effectiveness of AI in the classroom varies based on factors such as education level, subject matter, institution type, and specific AI-tool.
This project aims to shed light on this issue by exploring the effectiveness of AI-based instructional tools within the context of undergraduate biology education. This is necessary given that the biomedical workforce has been expanding at a rapid rate and is expected to continue growing over the next decade. Unfortunately, failure rates in biology gateway courses are high (25-50%), limiting access to such careers. Further, these failure rates are amplified in institutions that directly support workforce entry, such as community colleges. This makes the use of educational supports, including those that may be AI-based, paramount in such settings.
This project is a first-of-its-kind synthesis study investigating the use of AI-based instructional tools in the undergraduate biology setting. I look forward to identifying key variables that moderate the effectiveness of such tools while also taking part in training opportunities that will allow for successful study completion.
- Bruce Maki, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Many studies have investigated the use of AI-based instructional tools in the undergraduate biology setting. However, these studies have produced conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of such tools in improving student learning.
Therefore, this project involves:
- Performing a systematic review exploring the effectiveness of AI-based instructional tools in improving undergraduate biology student learning;
- Completing a meta-analysis that will identify any moderating variables; and
- Generating an evidence gap map that will elucidate contexts in which the use of such tools in the undergraduate biology setting has not been fully explored.
As such, this project aims to generate findings that will directly inform educators on instructional approaches that will be most effective in their courses. Simultaneously, we hope to identify areas in which further research surrounding this topic is needed.
The activities in this project are supported by the National Science Foundation ECR’s Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (NSF ECR: BCSER) program. In addition to supporting direct project activity, this program supports career development and training designed to enhance the principal investigator’s ability to conduct rigorous investigations pertaining to STEM Education Research.
