The transitional space. Generative artificial intelligence as an opportunity for growth

Abstract

This theoretical paper offers an interpretation of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) as an opportunity for growth for individuals and in particular for the professional development of teachers. It argues that GAI systems foster a metacognitive standpoint in human partners, implying that the latter necessarily draw on their own knowledge in the prompt formulation and output analysis phases. This evocative nature is joined by a transitional one: GAI systems are objects, phenomena that stand for the “external” knowledge, that of the corpus of training data, only indirectly, i.e., through standing for an “internal” knowledge, that of the human partner. Consequently, interaction with these systems represents a transitional space, a neutral playing field where internal and external realities coexist. It is a collaborative experience during which new ideas emerge, while others may evolve or take on a specific form. In order to create an active partnership with AI aimed at growth, it is emphasized that teachers are called to be metacognitive professionals who possess complex knowledge that provides for a dynamic relationship between technology, pedagogy and the content of the subject taught.

Keywords

• Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI)
• Metacognition
• Transitional Space
• Teachers’ Professional Development
• Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
• Educational Technology