Rethinking the Role of the Teacher: From Architect of Education to Realistic Collaboration with Artificial Intelligence

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy of Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to re-examine the role of the teacher, tracing its evolution from an "architect of instruction" to a "realistic collaborator" with AI. To achieve this objective, the research employs a philosophical approach and a qualitative meta-analysis methodology. The findings indicate that generative AI—with its capacity to synthesize vast data, generate content, and deliver personalized, interactive curricula—fundamentally transforms the teacher's conventional authority. Drawing on relevant evidence, this paper frames this transformation in terms of three distinct crises: 1) a crisis in the teacher's role as the custodian of knowledge representation, 2) a crisis in curriculum architecture, and 3) a crisis in the facilitation of learning. These transformations simultaneously present new horizons for enhancing educational quality while also threatening to destabilize the teacher's position in the educational landscape. The second part of the paper critiques the "technical facilitator" model of teaching and proposes arguments for restoring the teacher's diminished professional legitimacy. In conclusion, it is argued that today's educators, freed from former technical duties like lesson planning and knowledge representation through their collaboration with generative AI, can now focus on cultivating learners' skills in self-awareness, self-actualization, and social-emotional development. Furthermore, a new role for the teacher emerges as a "critical coach," tasked with evaluating the biased outputs of AI.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 301-320

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