Metacognition, teacher education, and generative artificial intelligence

Abstract

In the educational context, generative artificial intelligence (AI) challenges traditional conceptions of language, authorship, and knowledge. Given this, the main objective of this article is to identify the metacognitive strategies employed by participants in a study group regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence in their daily lives and in their teaching practices. This is a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study conducted with 12 participants at a private higher education institution in southern Brazil between February and June 2025. Data collection was carried out via a questionnaire with open-ended questions, administered following readings, theoretical discussions, and experiences with generative AI. Data analysis was conducted using the content analysis method (Bardin, 2016). The results reveal that collective practices enhanced the teachers’ metacognitive awareness. This process allowed for the problematization of naturalized discourses and the shared construction of meanings. It is concluded that metacognitive development is central to teachers adopting a critical stance toward generative AI, promoting a more ethical, situated, and transformative pedagogical practice.