AI as a Methodology for Supporting Educational Praxis and Teacher Metacognition

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is of critical importance in education where emphasis is placed on the need to equip educators with an ability to independently generate and reflect on evidence of their practices in situ – a process also known as praxis. This paper examines existing research related to teachers’ metacognitive skills and, using two exemplar projects, it discusses the utility and relevance of AI methods of knowledge representation and knowledge elicitation as methodologies for supporting EBP. Research related to technology-enhanced communities of practice as a means for teachers to share and compare their knowledge with others is also examined. Suggestions for the key considerations in supporting teachers’ metacognition in praxis are made based on the review of literature and discussion of the specific projects, with the aim to highlight potential future research directions for AIEd. A proposal is made that a crucial part of AIEd’s future resides in its curating the role of AI as a methodology for supporting teacher training and continuous professional development, especially as relates to their developing metacognitive skills in relation to their practices.