Exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence in Upper Secondary Art and Design Education

Developing Digital Competence and Critical Reflection

Abstract

This project investigates how generative artificial intelligence (AI) can be integrated into upper secondary art and design education, to enhance students’ digital competence, critical reflection, and digital judgment. The study is set within a contemporary context where generative AI is increasingly shaping education, work, and society. The Norwegian curriculum emphasizes digital skills as a core competency, highlighting this project’s relevance for today’s educational landscape. The aim of this project is to explore how teaching and learning with generative AI, can foster creative, ethical, and reflective practices in design education. By embedding AI tools into the classroom, the project seeks to investigate how this technology can serve as a resource to spark students’ creativity, while also addressing ethical challenges and encouraging critical evaluation of AI-generated outputs. Methodologically, the project applies educational design research (EDR), combining theoretical development with practical interventions. We designed an assignment where students use generative AI to create an advertising poster, focusing on visual devices, target audience, content and meaning. We used the qualitative methods unstructured classroom observation, semi-structured interviews and analysis of student work. 22 students, in two groups, and one teacher take part in two iterative design cycles. Thematic analysis is used to identify patterns in interaction, reflection, and learning among the participants. This project contributes to a further understanding of how generative AI can be adapted to educational contexts to strengthen students’ digital skills and critical thinking. It also sheds light on how teachers can facilitate meaningful learning experiences in response to a rapidly evolving digital world. By sharing insights from this research, we aim to contribute to broader discussions on how AI can be integrated in education in ways that promote creativity, ethical and critical reflection.