Artificial intelligence and learning environments: a case study on the use of ChatGPT in education

Abstract

This paper describes a case study conducted with a non-probabilistic sample of university students training to
be teachers, enrolled in the Master’s Degree Program in Primary Education Sciences at the University of Palermo.
The intervention aimed to analyze the educational potential of artificial intelligence (AI), asking the students,
as future teachers, to design a teaching activity with the support of AI. At the end of the activity, a focus group
was held to compare the results obtained through the use of AI with those derived from traditional approaches
to learning, focusing on strengths, weaknesses, and the potential of the new digital environments. The findings
suggest that the conscious adoption of AI in learning environments requires a critical and reflective approach
capable of balancing AI’s innovative potential with fundamental educational values, fostering a school culture
that is both innovative and pedagogically sound.