Research Update: Exploring How AI Can Support Girls’ Academic Buoyancy During Research

"Image generated by Wix using the prompt: 'Sailing ship on rough seas with a sunrise sky.' Date: June 17, 2025. " 

Earlier this year, I shared the exciting news that I had been selected as a 2025 GARC Research Fellow with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools [ICGS]. As part of this fellowship, I’ve begun working alongside a global cohort of educators committed to deepening our understanding of how best to support girls’ learning in today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape.

Anecdotally, when girls encounter cognitive challenges, particularly during the information search process of inquiry tasks, many experience moments of self-doubt, disengagement, or a tendency to avoid rather than persist. These behaviours align with existing research that suggests girls, while highly capable and motivated, can be more vulnerable to academic stress and lack academic buoyancy.

In exploring how AI might support students during these moments, I’m also mindful of the potential risks. Over-reliance on generative AI tools can limit opportunities for independent critical thinking. However, when used purposefully, AI has the potential to act as a supportive tool.

Drawing on classroom insights and the literature, I’ve begun to draft my research focus. It reflects the early direction of my thinking, and I’m excited to see how it develops at the upcoming conference. I need to leave room for it the evolve, so it intentionally lacks a level of specificity at this stage.

How can AI enhance academic buoyancy in girls during the information search process?

Academic buoyancy refers to students’ ability to cope with everyday academic challenges such as confusion, cognitive overload, or feelings of failure, especially during extended tasks like research assignments (Martin & Marsh, 2008; Putwain, et al., 2020). While many girls demonstrate strong motivation and commitment to learning, research shows that they are often less academically buoyant than boys (Martin et al., 2025). They may experience heightened anxiety, avoid difficult tasks, or disengage when they feel overwhelmed.

I’m particularly interested in whether AI tools, when introduced with structure and intention, can act as a support mechanism, helping students persist through these difficult moments. Rather than replacing critical thinking, generative AI has the potential to provide guidance, clarification, encouragement, and reaffirmation; all of which can strengthen students’ confidence and keep them moving forward when they might otherwise feel stuck.

In our school context, I’ll be working with Year 10 students as they undertake a historical inquiry. Students will engage with AI tools in scaffolded phases, and I’ll use reflection points to explore how their sense of progress, clarity, and resilience shifts throughout the process. This is not about outsourcing thinking, but rather about seeing how AI might become a thinking companion, particularly during that cognitively demanding middle stretch of inquiry work where students often experience uncertainty or discouragement – what Kuhlthau (1999) calls the ‘dip’. It’s a fine line, as cognitive struggle is important for learning however too much cognitive struggle can lead to maladaptive behaviours such as avoidance and academic misconduct.

This project also aligns with broader conversations about AI literacy in schools. As educators, we need to go beyond teaching students how to use AI tools and instead focus on cultivating a culture of deep thinking, responsible use, and ethical judgment. There is a pressing need to embed AI in ways that promote thoughtful, reflective, and intentional learning behaviours.

What has stood out to me most in the early stages of this work is how powerful it is to be part of a research-supportive school. Schools that embrace practitioner inquiry are better positioned to respond to complexity, challenge assumptions, and innovate in ways that genuinely improve student learning. I’m grateful to work in an environment where professional curiosity is encouraged and supported.

Over the coming months, I’ll continue to share updates on the project, including student insights and emerging themes. I’m hopeful this research will offer practical strategies not just for using AI well, but for supporting girls to stay confident and capable when learning gets hard.

References

Kuhlthau, C.C. (1999). accommodating the user's information search process: challenges for information retrieval system designers. Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 25, 12–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/bult.115

Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2008). Academic buoyancy: Towards an understanding of students’ everyday academic resilience. Journal of School Psychology, 46(1), 53–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2007.01.002  

Martin, A. J., Yau, O., Ginns, P., and Collie, R. J. (2025, May 27). Boys are more resilient than girls to school setbacks. Here’s how you can help. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/boys-are-more-resilient-than-girls-to-school-setbacks-heres-how-you-can-help-257544

Putwain, D. W., Gallard, D., & Beaumont, J. (2020). Academic buoyancy protects achievement against minor academic adversities. Learning and Individual Differences, 83-84, 101936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101936