Generative AI highlights the contrast between students’ dualistic epistemic practices and teacher education learning objectives - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Generative AI highlights the contrast between students’ dualistic epistemic practices and teacher education learning objectives

Authors: Härkki, Tellervo; Thorström, Tarmo; Leino, Miika; Vartiainen, Henriikka; Tedre, Matti

Publisher: Edith Cowan University

Publication year: 2025

Journal: Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Article number: 4

Volume: 50

Issue: 4

First page : 59

Last page: 83

ISSN: 0313-5373

eISSN: 1835-517X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6925

Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access

Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel

Web address : https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol50/iss4/4/

Abstract

This study examines student teachers’ capabilities when adopting a generative AI system as a new cognitive tool. In our pedagogical intervention, students used ChatGPT 3.5 to support a small research task. Consistent with decades of research on higher education students’ epistemic positions, most students approached the knowledge-building task (and, respectively, ChatGPT) with dualistic epistemic practices. Notably, ChatGPT’s polished interface invites naïve dualistic interpretations. However, teacher education learning objectives and effective knowledge-building with generative AI tools require more sophisticated epistemic stances: understanding knowledge as contingent and context-bound and knowledge-building as an activity that requires validation. This suggests that the central challenge for teacher education is not generative AI per se but supporting students’ epistemic development so that they can use such tools responsibly.

Funding information in the publication:
Research was not funded.