#1314: Methodological Dialogues in the AI Era: Reconciling Tensions and Advancing Learning Sciences Research in STEM Education

This ICLS 2026 half-day workshop confronts the urgent methodological tensions in AI-enhanced STEM education research. We move beyond technical “how-to” to address deeper epistemological challenges: reconciling data-driven AI analytics with interpretative qualitative inquiry, neurocognitive with socio-cultural lenses, and automated analysis with human interpretation. Designed for learning scientists, STEM education researchers, and methodologists actively grappling with these paradigm tensions, the workshop employs keynote dialogues, deep-dive sessions, and collaborative synthesis. Participants will co-develop integrative frameworks, formulate practical guidelines for methodological evolution, and build a community dedicated to principled pluralism. Key outcomes include a position paper on methodological reconciliation, cross-paradigm research teams, and a special issue proposal. This session directly responds to the need for a refined, ethically grounded methodological toolkit to understand learning within increasingly complex, AI-mediated environments, fostering rigorous and impactful future research.