Artificial intelligence in the school context from the perspective of social representations theory

Abstract

Over the past four years (post-pandemic), the global increase in research studies has underscored the need to examine the phenomenon of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has permeated all spheres of society, including education and, consequently, the school context. Within this research framework, it is essential to understand how school actors have socially constructed the concept of AI, what social representations (SR) they hold regarding it, and what these SRs reveal about behaviors and practices within the school setting. This article highlights the importance of studying the phenomenon of AI in educational environments, the divergent perspectives in the literature concerning its advantages and disadvantages, the knowledge gaps identified in basic education in Latin America, and the scarcity of studies that approach the topic through the lens of Social Representations Theory (SRT). This theoretical perspective offers an opportunity to examine AI in school settings from both conceptual and methodological standpoints. This qualitative study aims to demonstrate the relevance of understanding the AI phenomenon in schools from historical, educational, and psychosocial dimensions. Additionally, it seeks to identify existing knowledge gaps, the circulation of academic and public information about the subject, and its implications within the educational field. To this end, the study employs the card-indexing method as a strategy for conducting a literature review and analysis.