Navigating AI in Early Childhood Education: Ethical Challenges, Opportunities, and Implications for Higher Education Practice

• In Event: Exploring the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

In response to the AERA 2026 theme, Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures, this study examines how generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are reshaping pedagogical practices in early childhood teacher preparation programs. By investigating students’ experiences with AI, the research engages in a conversation about the ethical, reflective, and humanizing dimensions of teaching and learning in an era of rapid technological advancement. This work is situated within a broader framework that acknowledges the historical foundations of early childhood education, particularly the centrality of narrative, care, and relational pedagogy—while exploring how these traditions can inform the responsible integration of AI in higher education. As institutions navigate the tension between innovation and justice, this research offers a pathway for honoring the values that have shaped the field while reimagining how they might guide student-centered, equity-focused uses of emerging generative tools.
As AI continues to transform learning environments, questions of academic integrity, student agency, and ethical use have become increasingly pressing.

This study pursued two main objectives: (1) to examine how early childhood education (ECE) students perceive and use generative AI tools, and (2) to identify the ethical, pedagogical, and emotional responses students express regarding AI use, to inform responsible and justice-centered integration of these tools into ECE coursework.

The study draws on a narrative inquiry framework (Clandinin, 2013, 2022; Stremmel, 2014) and is further informed by humanizing pedagogy (Salazar, 2013). These perspectives support an analysis of how students use and reflect on generative AI tools in their learning processes, particularly related to identity, authorship, and pedagogical evolution. Data collection through an IRB-approved survey was administered to undergraduate students enrolled in an Early Childhood Studies program at a public university. The survey included open-ended narrative questions to elicit student reflections on their use of AI, including its role in completing course assignments such as Learning Stories—a narrative-based assessment approach used in early childhood education (Carr & Lee, 2012, 2019).

Student responses were analyzed using qualitative thematic coding (Yin, 2017), with a focus on identifying recurring patterns and categories. A narrative analysis approach further revealed the complexity of students’ experiences with AI, highlighting broader concerns about learning, authorship, and equity.
Six key themes emerged: (a) fear and caution, (b) AI as a multipurpose tool, (c) ethical considerations and plagiarism, (d) loss of humanity, (e) the need for clear guidelines and policies, and (f) a desire for support and assistance. While some students embraced AI as a helpful support for brainstorming and organizing ideas, others expressed ambivalence, citing concerns about authenticity, learning integrity, and diminished human connection.

This study contributes to the growing field of research on AI in education through a justice-oriented, narrative lens. It centers student diverse voices—often excluded from policy decisions and provides actionable insights for faculty seeking to ethically and effectively integrate AI into ECE programs. Aligned with the AERA 2026 theme, the research bridges past pedagogical traditions with future possibilities, advocating for restorative, inclusive approaches that use AI to foster ethical, equitable, and reflective learning environments.

Authors

• Annie White, California State University - Channel Islands

• Lauren Chase, CSU Channel Islands