School leadership, Artificial Intelligence, and the ethical imperative in the STEM approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31207/colloquia.v12i1.190Keywords:
STEM education, technological ethics, social justice, artificial intelligence, educational leadershipAbstract
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education, within the framework of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) approach, poses a crucial challenge that transcends mere technical optimization to advance educational justice. This qualitative research aimed to understand how school leadership and ethics in the use of AI impact the meaningful and transformative implementation of the STEM approach in secondary education institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with school principals with a history of innovation. The results reveal an incipient understanding of the pedagogical and ethical dimensions of AI, which limits its transformative potential. However, critical factors are identified that must be considered for the successful implementation of STEM: distributed leadership, a collaborative teaching culture, and an explicit ethical commitment. It is concluded that school leadership is crucial in incorporating and guiding AI in the service of transformative objectives such as developing critical thinking and reducing structural gaps, ensuring that STEM education becomes a tool for social justice and equity.
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