Biography
Prof. (Dr.) Sajna Jaleel is Professor and Head of the School of Pedagogical Sciences at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. She also serves as the University Nodal Officer for the SWAYAM University Dashboard. With over 27 years of experience in teacher education, her expertise spans mathematics education, educational technology, instructional design, outcome-based education, research methodology, and the standardization of research tools. She has supervised 15 Ph.D. scholars, completed nationally funded research projects, developed MOOCs for the SWAYAM platform, and published extensively in books, edited volumes, journals, and conference proceedings. Her current research interests include teacher education, educational technology, online learning, outcome-based education, and innovative pedagogical practices.
Conference contributions 1
FROM IMAGINING FUTURES TO UNDERSTANDING AI:
Towards an AI supported science fiction pedagogy for contemporary science education
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is altering the goals of science education, necessitating methods that cultivate not only scientific knowledge but also scientific temper, scientific imagination, and the ability to engage critically with technological futures. Current educational initiatives focus on AI Literacy and Technological Competence, while little attention has been paid to pedagogies that foster future oriented thinking through imaginative and inquiry-based learning experiences. Filling this gap, this study explores the potential of AI supported science fiction pedagogy as a framework for contemporary science education. Drawing upon constructivism, social constructivism, imaginative education, inquiry-based learning, futures literacy and cognitive technology perspectives, the paper argues that science fiction offers a powerful medium for understanding emerging technologies and critically engaging with artificial intelligence-driven futures. Previous studies have indicated that science fiction-based learning can improve imagination, critical thinking, and engagement with complex socio scientific issues, and design fiction methods are now widely acknowledged as useful tools in AI education. Alongside the theoretical analysis, an exploratory survey with 45 science teachers was conducted to investigate their perceptions about the pedagogical scope of AI supported science fiction pedagogy. Based on the insights, the paper proposes a preliminary conceptual framework of an integration of AI based cognitive technologies with science fiction narratives to facilitate inquiry, reflection and future oriented science learning.