Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are rapidly transforming contemporary learning environments by enabling scalable feedback, personalized learning pathways, and AI-mediated knowledge generation. While these developments are reshaping how learners access and engage with knowledge, the pedagogical role of the teacher remains insufficiently redefined within AI-enhanced educational systems. Much of the current discourse on generative AI in education focuses on technological capability, often leaving unresolved questions regarding how pedagogy itself should respond to AI-mediated learning environments.

Addressing this challenge, this paper explores the guiding question: How should pedagogy respond to the emergence of generative AI in education? The paper proposes a conceptual framework that repositions the teacher from traditional content authority toward the role of cognitive architect responsible for designing and orchestrating meaningful AI-mediated learning processes. As generative AI increasingly performs functions related to information provision and routine academic assistance, the educator’s role shifts toward structuring learning interactions that cultivate critical thinking, prompt literacy, contextual interpretation, and reflective engagement with AI-generated knowledge.

The proposed framework introduces a Teacher Role Transition Model that maps the evolution of teaching responsibilities in AI-enhanced learning environments. Complementing this model, the paper advances the concept of AI-Responsive Pedagogy, which emphasizes the intentional design of human–AI learning interactions. To operationalize this perspective, the paper presents the AI-Refinement Learning Cycle, a structured instructional protocol in which students first articulate their own understanding before engaging generative AI systems for critique, refinement, evaluation, and reflective consolidation.

Situated within the broader context of digital transformation in higher education and Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL), the study adopts a conceptual and analytical approach, synthesizing literature on AI in education, digital pedagogy, and teacher professional development. By clarifying evolving teacher roles and proposing structured approaches for AI-mediated learning, the paper offers a pedagogical framework to guide educators, instructional designers, and institutional leaders navigating AI-enhanced educational environments.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence in Education, AI-Enhanced Learning, Digital Pedagogy, Teacher Role Transformation, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Prompt Literacy, Open and Distance e-learning (ODeL).