Mind Over Machine? The Role of Student Mindset in AI-Assisted Curriculum Design for Sexual Health Education

Abstract

This study examines how student mindset influences the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, specifically ChatGPT, in lesson planning for sexual health education within a preschool teacher training course. With rising administrative demands in early childhood education, AI offers potential support in streamlining instructional design. The research focuses on how growth, fixed, and mixed mindsets shape students’ adoption, perceptions, and effectiveness of AI-assisted lesson planning among 45 undergraduate students. Participants developed lesson plans both with and without ChatGPT, followed by reflection on their experiences. Findings show that while students initially held clear preferences, many transitioned toward a hybrid approach after exploring the tool’s benefits and limitations. Growth mindset students preferred working independently but were open to AI as a supplemental aid. Fixed mindset students often began by relying on ChatGPT but shifted away after encountering its limitations. Mixed mindset students displayed the greatest adaptability, commonly blending AI input with personal insights. Students praised ChatGPT for enhancing creativity and saving time but criticized its lack of contextual sensitivity and emotional nuance. Overall, a blended method, merging AI support with human expertise, was most favored. The study underscores the importance of promoting flexible, growth-oriented mindsets and AI literacy in teacher education to foster effective, ethical integration of technology in the classroom.