Generative AI pedagogical agent as learners’ inquiry assistant: Designing and implementing Situational Teaching

Abstract

The rapid adoption of GenAI is deeply reshaping education, enriching the educational scenarios and providing the new approach for innovative teaching designing and personalized learning. However, in traditional science education, the learning scenarios are disconnected from the real inquiry situation, which makes it difficult to enhance students' interest and scientific inquiry skills. This study designed the GenAI pedagogical agent and constructed a GenAI-empowered situational teaching model to improve high school students' scientific inquiry skills. The study was conducted under two separate experiments through a quasi-experimental approach. Results revealed that the model was effective in promoting students' scientific inquiry skills and showed significant progress in all steps of scientific inquiry. In addition, the results showed that the teaching model can significantly stimulate students' interest in learning. Surprisingly, it was found that GenAI may produce content illusion and students' over-reliance on GenAI. We discussed the implications of the findings and recommended it to educators seeking to prepare students for the challenges Higher-order Thinking Skills.