Integrating AI for teaching human major functions to secondary school students: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing science education by providing powerful tools to transform teaching, assist educators, personalize learning, and make complex concepts more accessible, particularly in terms of comprehension and assimilation. While AI cannot replace the teacher, it can act as an assistant, enabling a better understanding of individual student needs and the adaptation of content accordingly. However, the successful integration of this new technology faces significant challenges.This study explores the perceptions of Life and Earth Sciences (LES) teachers in Morocco regarding AI integration into the teaching and learning of biological concepts related to human major functions. We adopted a mixed-methods approach with a large sample of 361 LES teachers (N=na+nb+nc). The study unfolded in two phases. The first involved a quantitative survey conducted with 333 teachers (na) to understand their perceptions. A preliminary survey with 30 experts (including 20 experienced teachers forming the nb group) validated our questionnaire before its deployment. The second phase, qualitative, employed the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) with a reasoned sample of 8 expert teachers (nc) to gather concrete proposals and deepen the understanding of the challenges. Our study's results reveal widespread optimism about AI's potential to enhance learning and teaching practices. This positive outlook aligns with global trends. However, the survey highlights major challenges: a clear lack of AI-specific training for LES, concerns about the reduction of experimentation and practical work, potential biases in tools, their reliability, their contextualization to the Moroccan curriculum, and the risk of dehumanization. These fears are largely corroborated by literature. To overcome these obstacles, we propose key actions: developing and adapting AI resources specific to the local LES context or similar (involving local experts, pedagogical guides), strengthening human capacities through teacher training and fostering critical thinking in students, and adjusting the institutional framework. This research, by confirming and complementing previous studies, offers concrete and contextualized avenues for the ethical and effective integration of AI in LES education, thereby enriching our understanding of on-the-ground needs.