Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Changes in University-Level Science Education

Main Article Content

Konstantinos T. Kotsis

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is widely seen not just as a technological advancement in education, but as a catalyst for rethinking the epistemological, pedagogical, and institutional foundations of university-level science instruction. This article is a theoretical and literature-based study that does not present empirical data but instead synthesizes existing research and conceptual frameworks to explore AI’s transformative potential. It examines how AI can redefine university-level science education across five interconnected dimensions: cognition, epistemology, pedagogy, institutional de-sign, and ethics. Utilizing recent studies in science education, educational technology, and artificial intelligence, the paper contends that intelligent systems – such as adaptive tutors, learning analytics platforms, and generative models – can facilitate inquiry-based, student-centered learning environments that are congruent with genuine scientific practices. Nonetheless, their integration presents significant issues related to teacher autonomy, algorithmic bias, and institutional equity. The article contextualizes AI within extensive dialogues on knowledge creation and educational reform, promoting a values-oriented strategy that harmonizes technological advancement with humanistic objectives. This work reframes AI as a philosophical lens rather than merely a tool, contributing to the redefinition of science education’s future in a swiftly changing digital environment.

Article Details

Section

Literature review

Author Biography

Konstantinos T. Kotsis, Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

Konstantinos T. Kotsis studied Physics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. In 1985, he was an assistant researcher at Brooklyn University of New York. From September 1987 to September 2000, he served as Lecturer and Assistant Professor specializing in Solid State Physics and X-ray Diffraction at the University of Ioannina Physics Department. Since 2000, he has served as a Faculty Member at the Department of Primary Education at the University of Ioannina. He has been a Full Professor since 2012, specializing in the Didactics of Physics at the Department of Primary Education of the University of Ioannina in Greece. He was the Head of the Department of Primary Education and the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Ioannina. Now he is the Head of the Lab of Physics Education and Teaching at the Department of Primary Education. His research interests are Didactics of Physics, Science Education, Physics Teaching and Learning, Teacher Training, and Education Research and AI in Science Education.

How to Cite

Kotsis, K. T. (2025). Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Changes in University-Level Science Education. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.59652/jetm.v3i3.618

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