Teachers' professional agency in learning with AI
A case study of a generative AI ‐based knowledge building learning companion for teachers
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21297555 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Seng Chee Tan (0000-0002-8406-0144, National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University of Singapore Singapore Singapore, corresponding author), Yee Yin Tan (0000-0002-5047-5843, National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University of Singapore Singapore Singapore), Chew Lee Teo (0000-0002-3526-3260, National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University of Singapore Singapore Singapore), Guangji Yuan (0000-0003-3397-4170, National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University of Singapore Singapore Singapore) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 943-964 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Educational Technology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-1013 • E-ISSN: 1467-8535 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/bjet.70013 |
| OpenAlex | W4413906476 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 34 |
This study investigated using generative artificial intelligence (GAI) as a learning companion for elementary school teachers to understand, design and implement the knowledge building (KB) approach in their school. The KB learning companion for teachers (KB LCT), a GAI chatbot, was developed to support teachers, integrating human–AI and human–human interactions. The cultural‐historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as a methodological lens to examine the professional learning of the teachers. We studied three lead teachers who first experienced the chatbot and facilitated the other 17 teachers in their learning. We uncovered how these lead teachers leveraged the affordances of the chatbot within the community for learning and exercised their professional agency to reconcile contradictions in the system for other teachers. Consequently, they showed evidence of learning about KB, deepening understanding and contextualising KB principles in classrooms, and transforming professional learning structures and activities for their colleagues. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic? A community approach to teacher professional development is effective. GAI has been used to support teachers' work by generating lesson plans. The knowledge building approach is effective in improving teachers' professional agency. What this paper adds? The use of GAI as a learning companion for teachers. Affordances and contradictions of the GAI learning companion in a community experienced by the teachers. Teachers' manifestation of agency in learning related to the GAI and the learning community. Implications for practice and/or policy Using a GAI learning companion in a community is effective for teacher learning. Teacher professional agency in learning can be manifested in how teachers leverage the affordances of the learning environment. Teacher professional agency in learning can be facilitated by providing the opportunity to reconcile contradictions they experience.
Agency (philosophy) · Educational technology · Experiential learning · Generative grammar · Generative model · Knowledge management · Mathematics education · Sociology · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Online Learning and Analytics · Psychology
Generative AI as a psychological Empowerer
Designing pedagogical AI agents as digital twins of teachers
Unveiling Patterns of Generative AI Integration That Enhance Learning
Navigating AI Adoption
Agency in learning and self‐directed learning with generative AI
Agency as a system property in human— AI interaction in education
A pragmatic study of teacher dialogues with a large language model-based AI chatbot
Dialogic Inquiry
Knowledge Building and Knowledge Creation
Teachers’ professional agency and learning – from adaption to active modification in the teacher community
Discursive manifestations of contradictions in organizational change efforts
Chapter 8
Conceptualizing Teacher Professional Learning
Do you have AI dependency? The roles of academic self-efficacy, academic stress, and performance expectations on problematic AI usage behavior
Expansive Learning at Work
The art of case study research
Knowledge building
Advancing third graders’ reading comprehension through collaborative Knowledge Building
AI-supported idea-developing discourse to foster professional agency within teacher communities for STEAM lesson design in knowledge building environment
Cultural-historical activity theory
Human-AI agency in the age of generative AI
Using activity systems analysis to identify inner contradictions in teacher professional development
Naturalistic inquiry
| Citations per year | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |