Exploring Teachers’ Awareness and Perceptions of ChatGPT in K–12 STEM Education

Despite AI’s potential as an effective educational tool, there are still unresolved questions about teachers’ awareness of and perception regarding the impact of AI tools such as ChatGPT for teaching STEM content in a meaningful, ethical, and effective manner. This study explored teachers’ awareness and perceived impact of ChatGPT on teaching STEM content in K-12 and how these factors are related to their years of teaching experience. The study used secondary data sourced from a reputable online database. After the cleaning and selection process, only data from fifty-seven K-12 educators who met the inclusion criteria were identified and drawn from the larger dataset comprising 321 educators at all levels. The study revealed that most STEM teachers are aware of ChatGPT, but only a few use it extensively. They perceived ChatGPT’s impact and support for teaching STEM content as minimal. Additionally, the study showed that there was no significant relationship between teachers’ years of teaching experience and their awareness and perception of the impact of ChatGPT for teaching STEM content. The study recommends the need for professional development to strengthen teachers’ ethical and pedagogical use of ChatGPT, thereby supporting more positive perceptions of its impact in STEM education.