New research led by Dr Celeste Tipple, in collaboration with Professor Therese Keane, Dr Milorad Cerovac and Dr Tianchong Wang (Flinders University), examines how teachers are using generative AI to support gender-inclusive STEM education.
“As AI tools become more embedded in classrooms, there is limited evidence about how educators interpret and apply them in ways that support girls’ engagement and participation in STEM,” Professor Keane explains.
Based on interviews with Australian teachers, the study found that using generative AI is not a straightforward process of adoption, but one of professional sense-making.
“Teachers described GenAI as both enabling and risky. Their decisions were shaped by their experience as well as practical barriers such as infrastructure, policy and pedagogical readiness.”
“Many teachers were cautious about using AI to support gender inclusion, and this was shaped by concerns about bias, stereotyping and ethical responsibility.”
Professor Keane says the study is one of the first empirically grounded models explaining how teachers interpret and use generative AI in the pursuit of gender-inclusive practice.
“The findings show that advancing gender-inclusive STEM depends on strengthening teachers’ ability to critically evaluate AI tools and navigate ethical concerns, alongside targeted professional learning and system-level support.”
The next step will involve testing, extending and translating the findings into practice and policy.
“The research opens a broader agenda for interdisciplinary work examining the ethical, social, and equity implications of AI in education, positioning teachers as central actors in shaping how emerging technologies contribute to more inclusive STEM participation.”
The study was supported by a Google Award for Inclusion Research (AIR) grant.
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