TLDR: Dr. Sarah Younie, Professor of Education Innovation at De Montfort University, has called for increased and longitudinal research into the potential effects of Artificial Intelligence on learning. Speaking at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, Dr. Younie co-presented a paper highlighting both the transformative opportunities and profound responsibilities AI brings to education, emphasizing the need to protect teacher agency while exploring ethical integration and educational benefits.
A leading academic from De Montfort University (DMU) is spearheading a call for more comprehensive research into the evolving role and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the education sector. Dr. Sarah Younie, Professor of Education Innovation at DMU, delivered this crucial message during UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week in Paris on September 22, 2025.
During her address, Dr. Younie co-presented a significant position paper from the International Teacher Task Force (ITTF), titled ‘Promoting and Protecting Teacher Agency in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.’ This paper, developed with contributions from experts including April Williamson of Digital Promise, Mutlu Cukorova from UCL, and Carlos Vargas of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat, delves into the ethical integration of AI in education and how to harness its benefits while safeguarding the vital role of teachers.
Professor Younie underscored the rapid pace of change, stating, “This is a fast-changing space where AI is potentially changing the role of teachers, and we have to ask how we can protect them because that’s important, but we also need to look at the educational opportunities that AI can undoubtedly offer.” She raised critical questions about AI’s long-term effects on pedagogy and human interaction in learning environments: “These are such important questions; will AI lead to a decline in thinking practises? Will it dehumanise education? Will we have teacherless schools?”
The core of her argument, and that of the ITTF paper, is the urgent need for robust, evidence-based decision-making. “One of the key points is that there needs to be more research in this field and particularly more longitudinal studies, in order to provide robust evidence on which to make decisions,” Dr. Younie emphasized. The paper itself posits that AI presents “both transformative opportunities and profound responsibilities for education systems worldwide,” advocating for education leaders and policymakers to implement safeguards to ensure AI is utilized to its full potential ethically and equitably. It reaffirms that teaching must remain a fundamentally human and relational practice, with teachers empowered and central to any AI integration strategy.
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This initiative highlights the growing global conversation around AI in education, seeking to balance technological advancement with pedagogical integrity and human-centric learning.
