INCTE'25

Artificial Intelligence in Education: critical, relational and ethical awareness

In 2018, Seldon and Abidoye (2018, p. 4) forewarned about the impending revolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and called the attention of all educators worldwide to what was coming towards them. Whilst many areas, such as medicine, transport and warfare, had already applied AI extensively, education was a much-overlooked field. According to Seldon and Abidoye (2018), “education has been the Cinderella of the AI story – largely ignored in the literature and by governments, companies and educational institutions worldwide. This needs to change rapidly: AI could be the Princess Charming or the Ugly Sisters in education” (p. 3). As the authors call it, the fourth revolution, based on the AI model, is predicted to reshape the educational paradigm (Khan, 2024, Holmes & Porayska-Pomsta, 2022). It will facilitate the digital transition and impact education and pedagogical innovation. However, over the last six years, AI continued being a talking point, with some acknowledging the benefits of AI, applauding the introduction of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT in education (Sidorkin, 2024), and many alerting to its threats (Harsbist, 2023). In its “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future” programme, the European Union created an AI Act, which was agreed upon in December 2023 by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU (European Commission, 2023). This Act plays a regulatory role in the risks of AI, proposing a risk-based approach. High-risk activities might include educational and vocational training, which can influence access to education and shape someone's academic or professional path. It can also encompass law enforcement actions that may impact individuals' fundamental rights.

As researchers, educators and educational decision-makers, we must reflect on AI's relevance and effective impact on education and how it will shape the future of learning and teaching. In addition, the teacher training area must fully understand the benefits and threats of AI so that current and future educators and teachers are better equipped and well-informed to tackle the challenges of the digital world, specifically AI. Therefore, our main purpose is to bring to the fore of discussion the fast-approaching but already omnipresent reality of AI in education, raising critical, relational and ethical awareness of our students, educators, researchers, and other key players in the education field.

Our commitment remains unwavering as we enter the 9th edition of the International Conference on Teacher Education (INCTE), a nationally and internationally renowned Conference. We are dedicated to exploring the reality of the AI revolution and its profound impacts on education. Additionally, we continue to be loyal to our main objectives:

• To problematise the curricular structures of the training of educators and teachers;
• To debate innovative didactic proposals in the scope of teacher training;
• To reflect on the training practices in different contexts;
• To analyse the contribution of training in making institutions more dynamic;
• To promote the dialogue between the different actors in training in a perspective of development education;
• To debate training practices in higher education.

The theme of INCTE'25, "Artificial Intelligence in Education: critical, relational and ethical awareness”, serves as a catalyst for engagement between teachers and educators, trainers of trainers and researchers to explore novel ways of educating. It encourages us to embrace plurality, sustainability, and the development of critical and informed thinking, challenging us to be flexible and adaptable to new realities in uncertain situations and unstable scenarios. For all these challenges, we invite all those interested in contributing to the discussion of these themes, which continue to be fitting and relevant in the world in which we live. Your insightful participation is not just welcomed but crucial to the success of this event.

Welcome to Bragança, in person.

The Organising Committee of INCTE'25.

References:

European Commission (2023). Shaping Europe's digital future – AI act. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai

Harbist, S. M. (2023). The AI threat: Examining the risks and challenges of the AI revolution. Independently published.

Holmes, W. & Porayska-Pomsta, K. (Eds.) (2022). The ethics of artificial intelligence in education practices, Challenges, and Debates. Routledge.

Khan, S. (2024). Brave New Words: how AI will revolutionize education (and why that’s a good thing). Allen Lane.

Seldon, A. & Abidoye, O. (2018). The fourth revolution. Will artificial intelligence liberate or infantilise humanity. University of Buckingham Press.

Sidorkin, A. M. (2024). Embracing chatbots in higher education: The use of artificial intelligence in teaching, administration, and scholarship. Routledge, Taylor & Francis.