Taccle AI

Improving skills and competences of VET teachers and trainers in the age of Artificial Intelligence

Digital Literacy

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AI and Education: Agency, Motivation, Literacy and Democracy

Graham Attwell 63 Views 0 Comments , , , , , , , , ,
Yutong Liu & The Bigger Picture / Better Images of AI / AI is Everywhere / CC-BY 4.0

Graham Attwell, George Bekiaridis and Angela Karadog have written a new paper, AI and Education: Agency, Motivation, Literacy and Democracy. The paper has been published as a preprint for download on the Research Gate web site.

This is the abstract.

This paper, developed as part of the research being undertaken by the EU Erasmus+ AI Pioneers project, examines the use of generative AI in educational contexts through the lens of Activity Theory. It analyses how the integration of large language models and other AI-powered tools impacts learner agency, motivation, and AI literacy. The authors conducted a multi-pronged research approach including literature review, stakeholder interviews, social media monitoring, and participation in European initiatives on AI in education. The paper highlights key themes around agency, where AI can both support and challenge learner autonomy depending on how the technology is positioned and implemented. It explores the complex relationships between AI, personalization, co-creation, and scaffolding in fostering student agency. The analysis also examines the effects of generative AI on both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for learning, noting both opportunities and potential pitfalls that require careful consideration by educators. Finally, the paper argues that developing critical AI literacy is essential, encompassing the ability to understand AI capabilities, recognize biases, and evaluate the ethical implications of AI-generated content. It suggests that a broader, more democratic approach to curriculum and learning in vocational education and training is necessary to empower students as active, informed citizens in an AI-driven future. The findings provide an approach to the complex interplay between generative AI, learner agency, motivation, and digital literacy in educational settings, particularly in the context of vocational education and adult learning.

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Digital Literacy And AI

Graham Attwell 472 Views , , , , , , , ,
I've been thinking about what the arrival of Generative AI means for digital literacy. And I searched to find some older publications from the UK Jisc on Digital Literacies. Most have been archived but it is possible to access them on a single web page or to use the WayBack Machine to see the original publication format. One of the publications looked at was 'Digital Literacies: Provides ideas and resources to inspire the strategic development of digital literacies - those capabilities which support living, learning and working in a digital society.' It was originally published in 2014 and was written - if my memory serves me well, by Helen Beetham and Rhona Sharp (sadly Jisc don't give the authors). The section which most interested me was about change management. It is interesting to see the kind of issues at the fore in 2014 - for instance should universities be supporting students own machines including mobile phones. It seems that AI is posing much the same questions for change management in universities today: The change management detailed guide looks at culture and approaches to change in detail but here are some key messages from the existing digital literacy initiatives: The change management detailed guide looks at culture and approaches to change in detail but here are some key messages from the existing digital literacy initiatives:
  • Invest in partnership approaches which engage staff, students and other stakeholders across the institution – students as change agents are particularly effective
  • Create opportunities for conversation and development through workshops, events and other development opportunities
  • Work digital literacies into other change agendas is more effective than pursuing a consensus through more isolated initiatives
  • Understand what influences and motivates different groups ie forms of communication, reward and recognition etc
  • Know your audience and always talk about digital literacy in context ie what it means to different subject disciplines, professional roles etc
  • Enable communities of practice or peer networks to develop and encourage links across departments and roles while maintaining a strategic overview
  • Provide seed funding for mini projects
I think this is a good list of key messages for AI for educational institutions and educational management.
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Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and Vocational Occupations and Skills

Graham Attwell 863 Views , , , , , , , , , ,
The Taccle AI project on Artificial Intelligence and Vocational Education and Training, has published a preprint  version of a paper which has been submitted of publication to the VET network of the European Research Association. The paper, entitled  Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and Vocational Occupations and Skills: What are the needs for training Teachers and Trainers, seeks to explore the impact AI and automation have on vocational occupations and skills and to examine what that means for teachers and trainers in VET. It looks at how AI can be used to shape learning and teaching processes, through for example, digital assistants which support teachers. It also focuses on the transformative power of AI that promises profound changes in employment and work tasks. The paper is based on research being undertaken through the EU Erasmus+ Taccle AI project. It presents the results of an extensive literature review and of interviews with VET managers, teachers and AI experts in five countries. It asks whether machines will complement or replace humans in the workplace before going to look at developments in using AI for teaching and learning in VET. Finally, it proposes extensions to the EU DigiCompEdu Framework for training teachers and trainers in using technology. The paper can be downloaded here.
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European Union, AI and data strategy

Graham Attwell 17524 Views , , , , , , , , , ,
geralt (CC0), Pixabay Miapetra Kumpula-Natri is the rapporteur for the industry committe for European Parliament’s own-initiative  on data strategy and  a standing rapporteur on the World Trade Organization e-commerce negotiations in the European Parliament’s international trade committee. Writing in Social…