INTEGRATING DIGITAL INNOVATIONS AND NON-COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND LEARNER DEVELOPMENT IN STEM https://doi.org/10.83151/vztf-9a13
Digital innovations are transforming educational research, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, by advancing non-cognitive assessment. This study explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI), learning analytics, and adaptive assessment platforms influence the measurement of motivation, grit, emotional intelligence, and self-regulation among tertiary STEM learners. The mixed-methods design was employed, involving 350 educators and students from six Nigerian tertiary institutions. The data were collected through surveys and interviews, analysed quantitatively with descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression, and qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results indicate that AI-driven platforms significantly improve educators’ ability to assess non-cognitive traits, yielding richer learner profiles and enabling personalized pedagogical strategies. Non-cognitive skills were identified as strong predictors of academic engagement and STEM identity, while teachers reported increased confidence in tracking students’ emotional and motivational patterns through digital formative assessments. Despite these benefits, challenges such as data privacy risks, digital literacy gaps, and limited professional training persist. The study concludes that integrating digital innovations with non-cognitive assessment fosters holistic learner development and recommends investment in digital infrastructure, adoption of non-cognitive metrics in assessment frameworks, and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration for inclusive, future-ready education.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, non-cognitive skills, STEM education
Mary Patrıck Uko (Ph.D) and Patrick J. Uko
INTEGRATING DIGITAL INNOVATIONS AND NON-COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND LEARNER DEVELOPMENT IN STEM https://doi.org/10.83151/vztf-9a13
Digital innovations are transforming educational research, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, by advancing non-cognitive assessment. This study explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI), learning analytics, and adaptive assessment platforms influence the measurement of motivation, grit, emotional intelligence, and self-regulation among tertiary STEM learners. The mixed-methods design was employed, involving 350 educators and students from six Nigerian tertiary institutions. The data were collected through surveys and interviews, analysed quantitatively with descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression, and qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results indicate that AI-driven platforms significantly improve educators’ ability to assess non-cognitive traits, yielding richer learner profiles and enabling personalized pedagogical strategies. Non-cognitive skills were identified as strong predictors of academic engagement and STEM identity, while teachers reported increased confidence in tracking students’ emotional and motivational patterns through digital formative assessments. Despite these benefits, challenges such as data privacy risks, digital literacy gaps, and limited professional training persist. The study concludes that integrating digital innovations with non-cognitive assessment fosters holistic learner development and recommends investment in digital infrastructure, adoption of non-cognitive metrics in assessment frameworks, and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration for inclusive, future-ready education. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, non-cognitive skills, STEM education