American Journal of STEM Education: Issues and Perspectives is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that publishes empirical research, reviews, and practitioner opinions related to issues and perspectives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Published by the Star Scholars Press, the journal undergoes peer review through a blind process, utilizing a national and international editorial board and peer reviewers.
Copyright (c) [year] [author] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Institutional fit and persistence among traditional and non-traditional African American men in community colleges
This study examined differences in perceptions of the collegiate environment between traditional and non-traditional African American male community college students, using secondary data from the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ). The analytic sample (N = 156) was drawn from a national dataset of respondents across eight institutions. A non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test assessed group differences on eight environment items, while an independent-samples t-test compared standardized scale means. Results indicated a significant difference on one item: traditional students reported a higher willingness to reenroll if given the chance to start over compared to their non-traditional peers. Scale-level analyses confirmed that traditional students perceived the overall environment more favorably than non-traditional students.
African American males, community college, CCSEQ, persistence, retention, student perceptions, student success
Copyright (c) 2026 William M. Johnson, Sr. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
An ethical AI framework for STEM education
This study introduces a novel ethical AI framework for undergraduate STEM education that prioritizes privacy, transparency, and accountability. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this study engaged 412 undergraduate STEM students, 15 faculty members, and 10 administrators across three universities over two semesters. Data collection integrated quantitative learning analytics with qualitative stakeholder interviews and focus groups to capture both measurable outcomes and lived experiences. The results demonstrate that responsible AI design significantly improves student engagement (35%), instructor acceptance (78%), and reduces performance gaps between student groups by 40%, all while maintaining the model's predictive accuracy at 89%. This research demonstrates that AI can be designed to be both technically robust and ethically committed.
Copyright (c) 2026 Meysam Abedi, Ismaila Temitayo Sanusi, Markku Tukiainen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of literacy in STEM classroom instruction by implementation of project-based lessons
This study examines how project-based learning (PBL) supports pre-service STEM teachers (PSTs) in understanding and applying disciplinary literacy in classroom instruction. Conducted in a semester-long PBL course at a mid-sized public university, the research explores PSTs’ shifting perceptions of literacy in STEM and the challenges and successes they experience. Using qualitative methods grounded in student voice and case study frameworks, data were collected through focus groups, reflections, and lesson plan analyses. Findings show PSTs initially held narrow views of literacy but developed more nuanced understandings through PBL. Key successes included increased confidence and use of inquiry-based strategies; challenges involved time constraints and students’ unfamiliarity with active learning. The study highlights PBL’s value in fostering authentic, inquiry-driven STEM instruction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sarah Ferguson, Mary Enderson, Jamie Colwell https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STEM education is crucial for nations aiming to develop knowledge-based economies and enhance global competitiveness. To effectively leverage 21st-century technological advancements, safeguard national security, and address global challenges such as climate change and food insecurity, a significant improvement in the quality of STEM education policies and practices is essential. Successful implementation requires a thorough understanding of STEM’s core principles, philosophical foundations, practical applications, and relevant policy frameworks. This critique paper examines the status of key strengths and weakness of the diverse STEM education policies and practices implemented across developed nations. It intends to address the global knowledge and awareness deficit and improve understanding, about the importance of strategically investing in high-quality STEM education, particularly among developing countries.
Copyright (c) 2025 American Journal of STEM Education https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Evaluating the performance of 3 large language models in higher education essay-like assessments in 2024 and 2026
Recent advances in artificial intelligence, especially generative large language models (LLMs), have transformed the higher education sector, raising concerns with academic integrity. The current literature lacks direct comparative analyses between LLMs. In the current study, we evaluated and compared the performance of ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot (free versions) in 2024 and 2026, following prompts related to coursework essay assessments in computer science education or biomedical science. Our results indicate that LLMs struggle to abide by the word count beyond 1000 words, with Gemini presenting greater deviations. Copilot presented the lowest frequency of reference hallucinations. Overall performance of the 3 LLMs did not reveal any statistically significant differences. Quality assessments of the outputs revealed issues with content and criticality for all the LLMs. Similar performances were observed in 2024 and 2026.
Copyright (c) 2026 David Hunt, Mathieu Di Miceli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Economic status and Hispanic student reading college readiness
In this study, the relationship of economic status to reading college readiness was examined for Hispanic high school students in Texas. Texas statewide data on the state-mandated English I End-of-Course exam were analyzed for two years pre-pandemic and the last four years post-pandemic. Inferential statistical analyses revealed that lower percentages of Hispanic students in poverty met the Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level standards than Hispanic students who were not in poverty. Extremely low percentages of Hispanic students met the Master's Grade Level standard, regardless of their economic status. Of note was that almost three-fourths of Hispanic students were economically disadvantaged. Implications for policy and for practice regarding the reading college-readiness of Hispanic students were provided, as well as recommendations for future research investigations.
Education (Educational Studies / Education Research / Education Sciences)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Sa’Myra K. Bradford , Dr. John R. Slate https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ChatGPT’s pedagogical approach and the potential for hidden curriculum through school context proxies
This study investigates ChatGPT-4's pedagogical approach through mathematics lesson plans and examines how school context descriptors influence its output. We generated 45 individual eighth-grade probability lesson plans across three conditions: a baseline prompt, a "Successful School" context, and a "Struggling School" context. Content analysis of the lesson plans and 368 teacher-action verbs revealed that the LLM favored a direct instruction model (across all conditions) and shifted in specific ways in response to school descriptors. "Successful School" prompts generated lessons with additional mathematics concepts and advanced technology integration, whereas "Struggling School" prompts produced lessons with more monitoring of students’ progress, reinforcement activities, and attention to socioemotional support. These findings suggest that LLMs may replicate patterns of educational stratification.
Generative AI, mathematics education, educational equity, mathematics pedagogy
Copyright (c) 2026 Laurie Rubel, Shimrit Goidel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Employing generative AI applications in learning
This study seeks to understand the nature of the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications among Moroccan university students, by investigating the motivations for use and the effects of this use, by adopting the structural equation modeling technique using the partial least squares method (PLS-SEM) using the SmartPLS version 4 program, to analyze the study data collected through a scale prepared for this study and applied to a random sample of (206) male and female students from different Moroccan universities. After verifying the reliability of the proposed model, the study reached a set of results: Study pressure is the main motivation for using generative artificial intelligence applications among students, while the effect of time pressure and the search for quality and rewards was less significant.
Copyright (c) 2026 Authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pedagogical quality of science and mathematics teachers across Pakistan
This study examines the pedagogical quality of science and mathematics teachers across Pakistan using observational data. A large-scale, cross-sectional classroom observation study was conducted with 589 science and mathematics teachers across 153 elementary schools. The findings reveal overall weak pedagogical quality among teachers. However, teachers in private schools, female teachers, and those teaching early grades demonstrate relatively better pedagogical practices. Female teachers, in particular, show greater attention to student interaction and instructional strategies. The study also highlights a tendency among teachers to prioritise content delivery as subject complexity increases, often at the expense of pedagogical quality. The findings have implications for teacher training and professional development in Pakistan, highlighting the need to strengthen pedagogical content knowledge through continuous professional learning and participatory instructional strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta, Sohail Ahmad, Aisha Naz Ansari, Afaq Ahmed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Middle grades STEM teachers, particularly in rural schools, often encounter structural constraints that limit sustained project-based learning (PBL). This descriptive case study introduces Mini-Cycle PBL, a five-day instructional framework that retains core PBL elements within time-limited classroom contexts. Grounded in experiential learning, constructivism, place-conscious pedagogy, and STEM identity theory, the model emphasizes iterative design, applied investigation, and local career relevance. Data were drawn from classroom observations, student artifacts, and embedded micro-assessments involving approximately 120 eighth-grade students across four rural STEM classes during a hydraulic prosthetic design challenge. Analysis indicates that students engaged in multiple cycles of testing and revision, demonstrated developing conceptual understanding of hydraulic force transfer, and articulated emerging connections to STEM careers. These findings suggest that short-cycle inquiry models may offer a feasible structure for supporting engineering engagement and identity development within rural instructional constraints.
Copyright (c) 2026 Angela McDaniel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Credential gap refers to workers having more (overeducated) or less (undereducated) formal education than their occupations require. This study investigates whether prospective automation of occupations is related to the credential gap. Using quantitative Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions and data from Gmyrek et al. (2023), Frey and Osborne (2017) and Burning Glass in 102 occupations, I find that computerization automation is associated with undereducated occupations, while there are no clear statistical effects for AI automation. These results suggest that traditional computerization may help ease skills shortages by reducing the need for extensive educational credentials, whereas AI-driven automation may not yet influence credential structures, highlighting policy and educational planning challenges in aligning college workforce training with evolving technological demands.
Copyright (c) 2026 Larry Liu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study explores the rising teacher attrition rate in Bhutanese schools, examining the personal and professional factors influencing teachers’ decisions to leave the profession. The Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) Theory serves as the theoretical framework, explaining teacher attrition through push factors that drive teachers away from their current roles, the pull factors attract them toward new professions, and the mooring factors either facilitate or hinder resignation decisions. A qualitative secondary data analysis was conducted, using existing teacher resignation information from various online platforms. Findings indicate that professional factors such as excessive workload, limited career progression, weak leadership, and policy constraints are more influential than the personal factors such as low salaries, lack of financial incentives, and parental disengagement, intensifying teachers’ job dissatisfaction.
STEAM Education: Hearing the Voices from the Global South
Faculty of Business and Law -James Cook University, Brisbane
Copyright (c) 2026 Tshultrim Dorji, Kinley Choden , Nim Bidha , Tashi Pelden , Tshering Dema , Sangeeta Rai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artificial intelligence (AI) can play a transformative role in STEM education, although its integration presents pedagogical, technological, and ethical challenges. This review synthesizes interdisciplinary perspectives on AI integration in K–12 STEM classrooms through the AI Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (AI-TPACK) framework. Using PRISMA guidelines, 38 empirical studies published between 2018 and 2025 were analyzed through deductive coding. Findings indicate that AI can support the visualization of STEM content, enable adaptive feedback, and foster collaborative learning environments. However, these opportunities are constrained by infrastructure limitations, insufficient teacher preparation, and misalignment between AI tools and curriculum goals. Ethical concerns related to privacy, bias, and transparency emerged as central challenges. This study offers recommendations for the sustainable integration of AI in STEM education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Atefeh Ataran, Ladan shojaei https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This article shares reflections from a 2-week research trip to Suriname’s remote Sipaliwini District, where a U.S.-based research group engaged in conversations with teachers and administrators to discuss teaching and administrative experiences, STEM education integration, challenges of teaching in remote areas, and recommendations for policy and practice. The article includes background information on the education system of Suriname and some of the predominant challenges faced in remote schools within the interior of the country. This article is a reflective scholarly account drawing on field experiences. It highlights issues related to access, infrastructure, and educational equity in interior communities of Suriname.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jena M. Collins, Philip C. Short, John McConnell III, Andrea Rakushin Lee https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Teachers’ digital literacy and teaching quality
This study examined the mediating role of instructional flexibility (IF) on the relationship between digital literacy (DL) and teaching quality (TQ) in Junior High Schools in Ghana. A quantitative cross-sectional survey of 220 teachers from Junior High Schools was employed. A questionnaire was developed to measure digital literacy, instructional flexibility, and teaching quality. DL significantly predicted TQ (β = 0.273, p < 0.001). Further, DL predicted IF (β = 0.462, p < 0.001). IF significantly predicted TQ (β = 0.379, p < 0.001). IF also significantly mediated DL and TQ partially (β = 0.179, p < 0.001). Findings highlighted implications for teacher professional development, specifically that professional development programs should train teachers on digital skills and pedagogical flexibility to use technology instructionally. This study highlighted the emerging evidence from Ghana that digital literacy enhances teaching quality, specifically by increasing a teacher’s pedagogical flexibility.
Copyright (c) 2026 Isaac Osei Gyimah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Effectiveness of realistic mathematics education
This study uses a meta-analysis of 15 studies (2014–2023) to assess the effectiveness of the Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach in improving students’ mathematics achievement. RME, which emphasizes real-life contexts and student-centered learning, showed a significant overall effect size (Hedges’ g = 0.65). Despite variability across studies, no major publication bias was detected, and consistent positive impacts were observed. The findings support the integration of RME into curricula, particularly in regions with persistent underperformance in mathematics. The study recommends improved teacher training, development of RME-based materials, and wider adoption of RME, along with further research into its long-term and cross-cultural impact.
This study investigates the efficacy of a Writing-to-Learn Pedagogy (WTLP) intervention in fostering critical thinking among underrepresented STEM students at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Utilizing Ennis’s (1987) taxonomy, the research employed a qualitative descriptive design to evaluate shifts in dispositions and abilities through reflective journaling and writing-to-explain within a hybrid industrial electricity course. Findings from two cohorts of 23 students revealed significant growth in analytical thinking, inquisitiveness, and confidence in reasoning. However, the generalizability of these findings is limited by the small sample size and single-institution design. Notably, the integration of structured learning plans bridged the gap between metacognitive awareness and applied problem-solving performance. This research provides empirical evidence for asset-based instructional strategies implemented within the distinctive context of HBCU STEM education, contributing to the preparation of a competent and diverse STEM workforce.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jie Ke, Francis Tuluri, Wei Zheng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
AI-enhanced pedagogical practices and mathematical language proficiency in STEM education
This study investigates the effectiveness of AI-enhanced pedagogical practices on improving the mathematical language proficiency of senior high school students in Ghana. The current research adopted a quantitative cross-sectional design, where the structural equation modeling approach was used on a sample size of 360 participants, to investigate digital literacy and learning engagement as partial mediators. As expected, results from this study show that AEPP, DL, and LE are statistically significant positive predictors of students’ MLP. Additionally, digital literacy and learning engagement play a mediating role in the relationship between the AI-supported instruction and the proficiency outcomes. The findings highlighted the importance of integrating adaptive AI tools to enhance the digital literacy of the students as well as their learning engagement to improve the mathematical communication and reasoning of the senior high school students.
Copyright (c) 2026 Isaac Davor, Francis Ohene Boateng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Prerequisite chemistry knowledge as a predictor of senior high school students’ achievement in thermochemistry
This study examined whether students’ mastery of prerequisite chemistry concepts predicts their achievement in thermochemistry. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were collected from 90 second-year science students in public senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. Prerequisite knowledge was measured using a Prerequisite Concepts Achievement Test (PCAT), while thermochemistry achievement scores were obtained from continuous classroom-based assessments. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product–moment correlation. Results revealed a very strong positive and statistically significant relationship between prerequisite knowledge and thermochemistry achievement (r = .953, p < .001). The coefficient of determination (r² = .908) indicates that mastery of foundational concepts accounts for a substantial proportion of variance in thermochemistry performance. These findings reinforce the hierarchical nature of chemistry learning and underscore the importance of diagnostic assessment, curriculum sequencing, and targeted remediation in strengthening students’ conceptual readiness for advanced chemistry topics.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kenneth Afedzi Hayford, Dennis Yeboah Asiamah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This study examines how six chemistry teachers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, implemented project-based STEAM learning to enhance chemical literacy and creativity within systemic constraints. Using a qualitative case study with semi- structured interviews analyzed thematically, teachers reported challenges such as limited time, inadequate laboratory facilities, uneven student readiness, and partial expertise in STEAM integration. They addressed these issues through virtual titrations, microscale buffer experiments, chemistry comics, natural indicators, and professional collaboration. Students demonstrated increased engagement, creativity, and critical reasoning, although macro–micro–symbolic translation remained difficult. The study introduces the R³ mechanism (Representations, Resources, and Rubrics) as vital for maintaining rigorous chemistry instruction in resource-limited environments, emphasizing both teacher agency and structural support.
Copyright (c) 2026 Farhatul Uyun, Jamil Suprihatiningrum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STEAM education and its implications for 21st century skills development in Timor-Leste
This literature review examines recent global research on STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and its relevance for strengthening 21st-century skills in Timor-Leste. Although the national curriculum is undergoing modernization, STEAM approaches remain limited in classroom practice. Studies published between 2020 and 2025 indicate that STEAM learning enhances critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and student engagement. The evidence further highlights that successful implementation depends on teacher professional development, interdisciplinary pedagogy, and adaptation to local contexts. Overall, the findings suggest that integrating STEAM approaches could support the development of innovative and competitive learners in Timor-Leste, while also providing a foundation for future research on contextually appropriate teaching practices and sustainable educational improvement.
Copyright (c) 2026 João Mariano Helder de Deus https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Language choice and students’ performance in mathematics and science
In Pakistan’s post‑colonial multilingual context, language in education remains sensitive and complex. Most learners use their mother tongue at home, Urdu functions as the national lingua franca, and English, an official language, serves widely as the Language of Instruction (LoI) in private schools. These overlapping roles shape classroom interaction and student performance. This paper examines how language practices in Pakistani schools, particularly consistency across textbooks, instruction, and assessment, affect achievement in science and mathematics. Findings draw on a nationally representative sample of 15,391 students and 589 teachers from 153 elementary schools, using student achievement tests and classroom observations. Students exposed to consistent language use performed significantly better than those experiencing inconsistent language use in both subjects (p<0.001). The results show that language consistency, alongside school systems and teaching quality, influences performance, with effects strongest in classrooms with relatively better teaching quality.
Effects of translanguaging on science literacy among high school students
This study examined the effects of translanguaging on science literacy among Grade 10 students in a multilingual Philippine classroom. Seventy-eight participants were assigned to a translanguaging instruction group (n=39), integrating Filipino and English, or a monolingual instruction group (n=39). ANCOVA results showed significantly higher post-test science literacy scores for the translanguaging group (adjusted M=37.21, SE=0.64) than the monolingual group (adjusted M=29.13, SE=0.64), F(1,75)=79.64, p<.001, partial η²=.515, controlling for pre-test scores. No significant interaction with language proficiency emerged (F(1,73)=0.36, p=.549). Cognitive engagement also showed a significant main effect (F(2,70)=3.26, p=.044, partial η²=.085). Findings indicate that translanguaging enhances science literacy across proficiency levels, with cognitive engagement moderating outcomes, supporting its adoption in linguistically diverse classrooms.
Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Genesis Guinto https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper explores the integration of the arts ("A") into STEM education through stop-motion animation projects. Stop motion is a dynamic, hands-on medium for students to visually represent complex scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical processes. By combining storytelling, artistic design, and scientific knowledge, students deepen their understanding of abstract concepts while enhancing creativity and collaboration. One project example illustrates how students model neuronal signal transmission using hand-built neuron models and stop-motion techniques. Additional project ideas are provided to demonstrate the broad applicability of stop-motion across STEM fields. This study highlights the benefits of incorporating artistic expression into STEM education, promoting deeper conceptual understanding and higher student engagement.
This article presents a reflective dialogue on the special issue of the American Journal of STEM Education, which addresses STEAM education from a Global South perspective. This work challenges the traditional and technocratic views of education and proposes a more critical, inclusive, and interdisciplinary approach. It highlights the importance of empowering underrepresented communities, especially women and girls, through an education connected to the cultural and social realities of their territories. Likewise, the authors argue that STEAM education can become a form of resistance against new expressions of colonialism and inequality. The article emphasizes the need to strengthen public policies, teaching innovation, and academic collaboration in order to build fairer and more transformative educational models and bridges in response to contemporary challenges such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and technological inequalities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Oswaldo Castro-Romero, Emerson Montaña Narváez, Mariana Betzabeth Pelayo Pérez, Abril Saknycte Orozco Salcedo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Addressing structural and pedagogical challenges in STEM higher education
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is an important component in enhancing innovation, economic growth and general development of Ghana. However, higher education institutions in Ghana face many challenges that hinder the effective delivery and advancement of STEM programs. Through a comprehensive literature review, this study explores the challenges that Ghana’s STEM Higher education faces. The study examines the causes and implications of these challenges and offers recommendations for improving them. The findings highlight inadequate infrastructure, lack of skilled teachers, outdated curriculum and lack of financing and research as challenges faced in STEM higher education in Ghana. It recommends the need for policy reform, teacher training, curriculum reforms and design, gender representation and infrastructural development to bridge gaps in STEM education and ensure equitable access and quality. The study may be relevant to STEM policymakers, researchers and educators.
The internationalization of STEM education has significantly transformed academic discourse in U.S. universities. However, research on how non-native English-speaking STEM students navigate linguistic challenges remains limited. This gap is especially important given that over half of the international students in the U.S. are enrolled in STEM fields, where technical language adds complexity to academic communication. Drawing on Communication Accommodation Theory and translingual perspectives, this study examines how international STEM graduate students navigate language barriers at their host institutions. Through in-depth interviews with 10 international graduate students from Africa and Asia, our analysis reveals systemic challenges, including inadequate institutional support and integration difficulties.
Academic challenges, International students, Linguistic adaptation, Plurilingualism, STEM education
Copyright (c) 2026 American Journal of STEM Education
Determinants of perceived fairness in classroom assessments
This study addresses this gap through a descriptive scoping literature review that identifies key determinants of perceived fairness in CA. A search was conducted across five major psychology and education databases—EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC—covering literature published between 1965 and 2024. Using targeted keywords and defined inclusion criteria, 74 peer-reviewed empirical studies were identified. Content analysis revealed three main categories shaping fairness perceptions: subjective, psychological, and social factors. Based on these findings, the study proposes a tripartite model of perceived CA fairness offering a framework to guide future research and support educators and policymakers in improving fairness in evaluation practices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mehrdad Falavarjani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Total quality management and educational innovation in primary and secondary education
This systematic review examines Total Quality Management (TQM) and educational innovation in primary and secondary education (P&SE). Following PRISMA, 30 Scopus-indexed studies were selected and synthesized through affinity diagramming and thematic analysis. Six interlinked themes emerged: school leadership, stakeholder collaboration, technology adoption, quality assurance, teacher development, and school policy. Quality assurance and school leadership appeared most often; the remaining themes worked as supporting conditions. The review proposes a TQM-Driven Educational Innovation Model and discusses what the findings mean for STEM schooling, where strong quality cultures, inquiry-based teaching, and shared leadership are especially important. The paper offers practical guidance for school leaders and policymakers, with particular attention to the conditions that help STEM-related reforms last over time.
Copyright (c) 2026 Eleni Theodoropoulou, Evangelos Psomas, Nancy Bouranta https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Generative AI has renewed interest in automated formative feedback, yet evidence from STEM assessment remains limited. This comparative study examined algorithmic and human feedback in undergraduate Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus courses. 126 students were assigned to a course to receive either large language model-generated feedback or instructor feedback on a draft constructed-response task. Outcomes included revision quality, transfer performance, expert audit ratings of feedback, and student perceptions. Algorithmic feedback was substantially faster and more extensive, but human feedback was more accurate, more actionable, more aligned with the rubric, and associated with greater revision gains and higher transfer scores. Students also reported greater trust, usefulness, fairness, and overall satisfaction with human feedback.
Copyright (c) 2026 Joedel Peñaranda https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0