The Professional Knowledge Required for Language Teachers in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Since we began using internet search tools instead of physical encyclopedias, we have increasingly interacted with computational systems that incorporate elements of automation and intelligent information processing — features that, in certain contexts, may be associated with basic forms of artificial intelligence. However, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, compels us to reconsider the knowledge that teachers need in this hyperconnected world. Our objective is to identify, through the voices of in-service female teachers, some of the new forms of knowledge required for contemporary teaching, as evidenced by participants in their reflective journal writing during an in-service continuing education program. For the purposes of this article, we analyze the reflective journals produced by participants at the conclusion of Thematic Unit 2: “Challenges and Possibilities with Advances in Digital Technologies (and AI).” This investigation is grounded in sociocultural literacy studies (Kleiman, 1995, 2008), multiliteracies and multimodality (Cazden et al., 2021; Kalantzis & Cope, 2023; Kalantzis, Cope & Pinheiro, 2020; Ribeiro, 2021), and teacher education (Nóvoa, 2023; Kersch, 2020). The results show that, in times of artificial intelligence, more than reading and writing — in print and digital formats — it is essential to foster critical thinking, authorship, ethical commitment, and exploratory capacity, as well as to develop emotional intelligence in the face of challenges and the ability to put ideas into practice. These are forms of knowledge that tend to foster innovation in the classroom.