Intra-Acting with ChatGPT: Tracing Sustainability, Ethics and Curriculum.
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| Title: | Intra-Acting with ChatGPT: Tracing Sustainability, Ethics and Curriculum. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Preez, Petro du1 (AUTHOR) drpdupreez@gmail.com, Visser, Anja2 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Discourse & Communication for Sustainable Education. Jun2026, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p23-38. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Qualitative research, *Curriculum, Human-artificial intelligence interaction, ChatGPT, Ethics, Eurocentrism, Sustainability, Ontology |
| Abstract: | This article reports on a human-AI intra-action comprising a thought experiment on sustainability, ethics, and curriculum, followed by a tracing of these topics. The authors and ChatGPT (we) conceptualised and performed a thought experiment in intra-action. The process involved prompting ChatGPT to generate a speculative vignette, which was then analysed through agential realist tracing, focusing on how concepts evolved relationally over time, their material affects/effects, and why certain relations materialised while others did not. ChatGPT was provided with the tracing exercise and offered their opinion on the implications for sustainability, ethics and curriculum. This human~AI intra-action contributes to postqualitative research by expanding tracing as an experimental approach, and demonstrates how entities (agencies) like knowledge emerge relationally rather than as fixed entities. While the experiment generated no entirely novel insights into sustainability, ethics, and curriculum, it confirmed AI's capacity to surface connections, generate alternatives, and prompt reflexivity. However, ChatGPT tended to reproduce dominant, Western-centric discourses and showed limited ability to unsettle hegemonic ways of knowing, doing and thinking when it came to matters of sustainability, ethics and curriculum. The intra-action highlighted risks of reinforcing dehumanising technologies through uncritical use, while simultaneously revealing human anthropomorphic projections onto AI. We conclude by suggesting that there should be a shift in our focus from (an obsession with) prediction and control, to exploring relational, indeterminate possibilities and experimenting with new human~AI intra-actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Discourse & Communication for Sustainable Education is the property of Paradigm Publishing Services and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192605300 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Intra-Acting with ChatGPT: Tracing Sustainability, Ethics and Curriculum. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Preez%2C+Petro+du%22">Preez, Petro du</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> drpdupreez@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Visser%2C+Anja%22">Visser, Anja</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Discourse+%26+Communication+for+Sustainable+Education%22">Discourse & Communication for Sustainable Education</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p23-38. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum%22">Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human-artificial+intelligence+interaction%22">Human-artificial intelligence interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22ChatGPT%22">ChatGPT</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eurocentrism%22">Eurocentrism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ontology%22">Ontology</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This article reports on a human-AI intra-action comprising a thought experiment on sustainability, ethics, and curriculum, followed by a tracing of these topics. The authors and ChatGPT (we) conceptualised and performed a thought experiment in intra-action. The process involved prompting ChatGPT to generate a speculative vignette, which was then analysed through agential realist tracing, focusing on how concepts evolved relationally over time, their material affects/effects, and why certain relations materialised while others did not. ChatGPT was provided with the tracing exercise and offered their opinion on the implications for sustainability, ethics and curriculum. This human~AI intra-action contributes to postqualitative research by expanding tracing as an experimental approach, and demonstrates how entities (agencies) like knowledge emerge relationally rather than as fixed entities. While the experiment generated no entirely novel insights into sustainability, ethics, and curriculum, it confirmed AI's capacity to surface connections, generate alternatives, and prompt reflexivity. However, ChatGPT tended to reproduce dominant, Western-centric discourses and showed limited ability to unsettle hegemonic ways of knowing, doing and thinking when it came to matters of sustainability, ethics and curriculum. The intra-action highlighted risks of reinforcing dehumanising technologies through uncritical use, while simultaneously revealing human anthropomorphic projections onto AI. We conclude by suggesting that there should be a shift in our focus from (an obsession with) prediction and control, to exploring relational, indeterminate possibilities and experimenting with new human~AI intra-actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Discourse & Communication for Sustainable Education is the property of Paradigm Publishing Services and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.2478/dcse-2026-0003 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 23 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Qualitative research Type: general – SubjectFull: Curriculum Type: general – SubjectFull: Human-artificial intelligence interaction Type: general – SubjectFull: ChatGPT Type: general – SubjectFull: Ethics Type: general – SubjectFull: Eurocentrism Type: general – SubjectFull: Sustainability Type: general – SubjectFull: Ontology Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Intra-Acting with ChatGPT: Tracing Sustainability, Ethics and Curriculum. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Preez, Petro du – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Visser, Anja IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 16916301 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 17 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Discourse & Communication for Sustainable Education Type: main |
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