Reclaiming Epistemic Agency: A Critical Framework for Human-Generative AI Co-Agency in Education

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is fundamentally altering the distribution of epistemological authority within educational settings, moving it from traditional human roles (teachers, students) towards autonomous machines. This shift necessitates a critical evaluation of how GenAI redistributes the capacity of students and teachers to create knowledge, validate claims, and generate evidence of learning, both independently and in collaboration with AI. The presented framework integrates various theoretical paradigms to assess this complex interplay.

Why it matters

This shift in epistemological authority profoundly impacts the fundamental nature of education and knowledge validation across all sectors. Organizations relying on human expertise and continuous learning must understand how generative AI influences human cognitive processes and the attribution of credibility, especially in training and development contexts. Overlooking this redistribution of authority could lead to misaligned educational strategies and an erosion of critical thinking skills.

Key insights

• GenAI is predominantly perceived as an impartial educational tool, which may understate its transformative impact on knowledge creation.
• A significant consequence of GenAI integration is the reassignment of epistemological authority from human actors (teachers and students) to machines.
• The framework evaluates how GenAI influences the ability of students and teachers to produce knowledge and validate claims within classrooms.
• The analysis considers GenAI's role in creating evidence of student learning, examining both collaborative and competitive dynamics with humans.
• Theoretical underpinnings include Distributed Agency, Self-Determination Theory, Society 5.0, and Technology Integration Paradigms (TPACK, SAMR).

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.26937