Delineating Algorithmically Mediated and Human-mediated Pedagogy (inc. Lesson Planning) – Professor Norbert Pachler and Dr Keith Turvey (UCL IOE)

Drawing on their recent paper in the British Journal of Educational Technology and referring to the presentations in this Symposium, UCL Institute of Education’s Prof Norbert Pachler and Dr Keith Turvey discuss the implications of using AI on pedagogy and the describable risk to human teacher agency. 

AI is redistributing agency across political, commercial, and algorithmic mediators. By nature, it goes beyond simply simulating (imitating) a function – it actively seeks to emulate i.e. replace functions. We can train it, but in doing so we also adapt to what it demands from us in a two-way convergence.  

Using lesson planning as a specific, research-grounded case study, this session asks: what is lost when intellectual and cultural labour is delegated? Does AI have the capacity to ‘mean’ anything at all? We should not be afraid to ‘lift the lid’ on assumptions about what AI’s capabilities are, and delineate the distinctive qualities of human- and algorithmically-mediated pedagogy. This has fundamental implications for teacher professional development. 

Key words: Teacher agency; Algorithmically mediated pedagogy; Lesson planning; Emulation vs simulation; Platformisation; Teacher professional development. 

Presentation recording

Presentation slides