The teacher in the face of curricular insertions in processes of pedagogical transformation (Original)

Abstract

The study addressed the problems related to the curricular integration of Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technologies in the second year of the Unified General Baccalaureate of Ecuador, which, far from resulting in a genuine pedagogical transformation, has been perceived by teachers as an additional burden without sufficient institutional, training, or labor conditions. The objective was to characterize the teachers' stance towards this integration, considering the tension between the expected transformation and the perceived overload. A convergent mixed-methods approach with a descriptive and interpretative design was employed, applying a survey to 250 teachers and qualitative techniques (interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, and document analysis) to a purposive subsample. The results evidenced a limited understanding of Artificial Intelligence, a generally positive abstract evaluation contrasted with a high perception of unreality and overload, a significant gap between declared and observed practices (effective use of AI in the classroom was almost nonexistent), and predominantly structural factors (lack of practical training, insufficient time, poor connectivity, and nonexistent support) as the main constraints. The majority stance was pragmatic adaptation (48.8%), while transformative co-construction proved marginal (6.8%). It was concluded that the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technologies is not generating authentic pedagogical transformation, but rather superficial adaptations, and therefore it is necessary to address the structural conditions that limit teacher agency.