Determining the opinions of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students about artificial intelligence supported scienece tecaching

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of artificial intelligence (AI)-supported science teaching on middle school students and their perceptions of AI. The innovative opportunities offered by AI technologies in education, such as personalized learning, real-time feedback, and interactive content, have been analyzed for their impact on students. The study adopts the case study method, one of the qualitative research designs. The study group consists of 18 students from the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades of a middle school located in the İpekyolu district of Van, Turkey. Data were collected through semi-structured interview forms, evaluated using content analysis, and classified under thematic headings. The findings reveal that AI-supported science teaching increases interest in lessons, facilitates the understanding of abstract concepts, and contributes to the development of positive attitudes toward learning processes, as reported by the students. Additionally, challenges such as technical difficulties faced by teachers during classroom integration, differences in students' individual learning paces, and concerns raised by students regarding AI were highlighted. The study provides guiding data for the effective and efficient use of AI-supported teaching practices in education and contributes to the literature in this field. Students' feedback on AI and technology-based learning environments offers valuable insights for designing future instructional models.