Main objective of the study was to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) and STEM pedagogy influence students' cognitive performance, academic success, and attitudes. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was used in the study. The study was conducted among first-to fourth-year students enrolled in the Pedagogical Education Program at Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University. The study group consisted of 66 students. The experimental group taught the unit "History of Kazakhstan" for eight sessions using activities incorporating artificial intelligence and STEM (modeling, project-based learning) pedagogies. The control group studied the same unit using traditional expository teaching methods based on the existing curriculum. Data were collected using the "Social Sciences Course Attitude Scale" and the "Achievement Test" developed by the researchers and both were tested in terms of validity and reliability analyses. The achievement test was re-applied as a retention test one month after the implementation. Findings showed that the groups were equivalent regarding attitudes and achievement levels before the implementation. The results of the experiment revealed that the group exposed to the AI×STEM intervention demonstrated significantly improved attitudes towards social sciences, higher academic achievement, and better retention of learning compared to the control group. The AI×STEM-based teaching approach proved to be more effective in enhancing student outcomes than traditional methods. Therefore, it is suggested that the national social studies curriculum be revised to integrate these skills. Based on these findings, it is suggested that AI-and STEM-based instructional practices be systematically integrated into social studies curricula to support student engagement, academic achievement, and long-term learning outcomes. © 2025, Association for Social Studies Educa. All rights reserved.
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