The Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CIP) at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto took part in the event “AI in the Classroom: Practical strategies for innovation in teaching”, organised by the School of Technology at the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), which brought together over 150 teachers, trainers and professionals from the education sector.
The initiative established itself as a significant forum for critical reflection on the challenges and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational contexts, standing out for its participatory World Café format, which encouraged discussion of topics such as digital dependency, technological inequality, pedagogical transparency and the role of the teacher in the age of AI.
The results reveal a perspective that is both critical and constructive: 82% of participants believe that students tend to use AI as a substitute for critical thinking, whilst 73% recognise its contribution to autonomy. Meanwhile, 61% point towards the adoption of hybrid models in the future, whilst concerns remain regarding inequalities in access to technology. Meanwhile, 61% point to the adoption of hybrid models in the future, whilst concerns remain regarding inequalities in access to technology. There was broad consensus on the ethical dimension, with 93% advocating for a requirement to declare the use of AI in an educational context.
The practical component of the meeting included four parallel workshops led by experts, including Ricardo Queirós, a lecturer at the School of Media Arts and Design (ESMAD) at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto and coordinator of the CIP’s Distance Learning Office. His session, dedicated to assessment in the age of AI, highlighted the contribution of P.PORTO’s CIP to the development of innovative teaching practices aligned with the digital transformation in higher education.
Participation in this meeting reinforces P.PORTO’s active role in the pedagogical innovation ecosystem, underlining the importance of collaboration between different institutions and consortia, particularly between initiatives such as the EPIC project and the INOV-NORTE consortium, in sharing knowledge, experimenting with practices and developing joint responses to the emerging challenges of AI in education.
The event formed part of the EPIC project – Pedagogical Excellence and Innovation in Co-creation, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), contributing to the training of teachers and the promotion of innovative, ethical and sustainable pedagogical approaches.