Navigating the Future: Establishing a Framework for Educators’ Pedagogic Artificial Intelligence Competence
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ABSTRACT As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms educational practices, educators worldwide face an urgent need to develop pedagogic competencies that align with AI's evolving capabilities, yet existing frameworks lack systematic guidance for AI‐specific skill development. This article introduces a pioneering framework designed to refine educators' pedagogic competencies in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI. Drawing inspiration from esteemed models for teacher knowledge development, such as the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and the Digital Competence of Educators framework, this framework sets out to serve as a fundamental benchmark for a wide array of stakeholders. The framework delineates 12 essential pedagogic AI competencies categorised into four distinct domains, with each domain encompassing six levels of proficiency. Developed through a systematic literature review and iterative expert consultations, the framework's design integrates qualitative analyses. Key findings reveal that its structured approach enables precise diagnostic evaluation of educators' competencies while offering actionable pathways for growth. By offering a detailed roadmap for the integration of AI tools in teaching, learning and assessment, the framework endeavours to equip educators with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of digital pedagogy effectively. Consequently, this article aims to catalyse a shift towards more informed, strategic and proficient use of AI in education, ensuring that educators are well prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the age of AI.
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There is a risk that AI may be applied inconsistently or inequitably as its adoption increases without guidance.
“Without such guidance, there is a risk that AI may be applied inconsistently or inequitably as its adoption increases [43,44].”
From Systematic review of artificial intelligence in education: trends, benefits, and challenges (2025) · cites this paper as [44]
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- Authors
- Zou, D., Xie, H., & Kohnke, L.
- Affiliations
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
- Lingnan University (HK)
- Education University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Corresponding author
- Zou, Di
- Venue
- European Journal of Education
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2025-05-19
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 2
- ISSN
- 0141-8211 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-3435
- OpenAlex
- W4410480904
- Cited by
- 60
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 50 · 2025: 10
- FWCI
- 62.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PolyU Institutional Research Archive (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Artificial Intelligence in Education
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Digital literacy in education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Health Informatics › Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
- Keywords
- artificial intelligence in education, teacher AI competence, competency framework, TPACK, digital pedagogy, competency assessment
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