The future of professional capital in the age of AI: policy and practice in teacher education
TL;DR
It is argued that the future of professional capital depends less on technological advancement itself and more on how AI is embedded within institutional design, professional learning cultures and teacher agency.
Abstract
The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education requires renewed attention to its implications for teacher professionalism. Drawing on the theory of professional capital (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2015), this study examines how AI policies and practices reshape the human, social, and decisional dimensions of teacher education. Using an exploratory qualitative design, the research combines a comparative document analysis of Türkiye's Artificial Intelligence in Education Policy and Action Plan (2025–2029) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) AI and Education framework with semi-structured interviews conducted with teacher educators and teacher candidates. Findings suggest that AI does not inherently strengthen or weaken professional capital; rather, its effects depend on how it is positioned within governance and institutional contexts. While Türkiye's policy emphasizes digital transformation and data-driven management, UNESCO advances a human-centered and ethics-oriented approach. At the practice level, AI is predominantly used instrumentally, and critical-ethical dimensions remain unevenly institutionalized. The study argues that the future of professional capital depends less on technological advancement itself and more on how AI is embedded within institutional design, professional learning cultures and teacher agency.