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Artificial intelligence in STEM education: Perceived operational effectiveness and critical ethical awareness

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in education. Yet, evidence remains limited on how educators’ perceptions of its practical value relate to their awareness of ethical risks, particularly among educators in Semarang Regency, Indonesia. This quantitative survey examined prior AI use, self-reported confidence in understanding basic AI principles, perceived operational effectiveness, and critical ethical awareness among 218 certified educators in Semarang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product–moment correlation. Sixty-four percent of respondents reported prior use of AI-based tools, whereas 27% reported confidence in understanding basic AI principles. These separate aggregate indicators show that AI exposure was more prevalent than conceptual confidence in this sample, although they do not establish an individual-level gap. Respondents reported favorable perceptions of AI’s operational effectiveness (M = 4.18, SD = 0.63) and critical ethical awareness above the scale midpoint (M = 3.42, SD = 0.57). The two constructs were moderately and positively associated, r(216) = 0.49, 95% CI [0.38, 0.59], p < 0.001, indicating that stronger perceived operational effectiveness co-occurred with greater reported attention to accuracy, privacy, bias, transparency, accountability, and human oversight. These findings indicate that perceived operational effectiveness and critical ethical awareness were positively related dimensions of educators’ reported engagement with AI.

Source: European Journal of STEM Education

DOI: 10.20897/ejsteme/19457

Authors: Ela Suryani, Kartika Yuni Purwanti, Mochamad Rizqi Adhi Pratama, Wulan Aulia Azizah

Institutions: Yogyakarta State University, State University of Semarang

Language: English

Topic: Artificial Intelligence in Education

Subfield: Information Systems

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan