Exploring the Impact of K-12 Teachers’ AI Literacy on Student Learning Motivation in STEM Classrooms

Abstract

More recently, AI has evolved to support complex teaching and learning activities. AI is now reshaping coreaspects of education, including curriculum content, instructional methods, and learning assessment. Nevertheless, due to teachers’ different levels of AI literacy, the pedagogical effects in STEM education are distinct. Meanwhile, students have anxiety and weak motivation for learning language. Limited attention of study on AI literacy and AI integration into education has been given to K-12, especially middle schools. In Chinese secondary school contexts, there is a lack of validated instruments and longitudinal studies on K-12 teachers’ AI literacy. Significant empirical gaps on enhancing teachers’ AI literacy remain, particularly studies that directly link specific dimensions of teachers’ AI literacy with students’ learning motivation. To address these limitations, this project proposes a mixed-methods study that examines how a targeted teacher-education programme can develop K-12 STEM teachers’ AI literacy and, in turn, enhance students’ learning motivation.