Examination of studies on artificial intelligence and chatbots in the context of secondary school science course: content analysis

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the applications of artificial intelligence and chatbots in secondary school science lessons through descriptive content analysis. Using a qualitative case study approach, 20 theses from YÖKTEZ database and 10 international articles from Google Scholar were analysed, focusing on chatbots in science education. The results of the analysis revealed a notable increase in AI and chatbot-related theses between 2012 and 2023, especially in the last two years, highlighting the growing interest in e-learning and AI in STEM fields. Positive effects on student and teacher attitudes towards STEM education have been widely reported. However, besides the limited number of international studies, the discovery of only one secondary school thesis on chatbots unrelated to Science in Turkey points to a significant research gap in AI and chatbot integration into Science education. Addressing this gap may improve the application of AI and chatbot technologies in science teaching and reveal the need for further research to explore their potential benefits and applications in educational settings.