International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE)
Vol 15, No 4: August 2026

Galperian epistemology, human thought, and artificial intelligence in education

Querubín Patricio Flores Núñez (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador)
Tiago Felipe Vera-Assaoka (Universidad de Los Lagos)
Juan Carlos Huircalaf Diez (Universidad de Tarapacá)



Article Info

Publish Date
05 Aug 2026

Abstract

This theoretical review examines the relationship between Piotr Galperin’s epistemology, the development of human thought, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The analysis is organized around five issues: the stage-by-stage formation of mental actions, the zone of proximal development as oriented mediation, the pedagogical role of AI, the ethical and cultural risks of automation, and practical principles for educational design and regulation. The review synthesizes contributions from historical-cultural psychology, activity theory, neuroeducation, ethics of technology, and recent AI-in-education studies in order to argue that AI should not be understood as a substitute for human thinking but as a mediated resource whose value depends on pedagogical intentionality, transparency, and cultural grounding. The paper’s explicit novelty lies in articulating Galperin’s orienting basis of action with current debates on AI design, educational policy, and ethical regulation, thereby moving from philosophical interpretation to concrete pedagogical criteria for practice. From this perspective, the teacher remains a reflective mediator, and education retains its formative responsibility to cultivate autonomy, critical judgment, and consciously regulated action.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJERE

Publisher

Subject

Education

Description

The International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE) is an interdisciplinary publication of original research and writing on education which publishes papers to international audiences of educational researchers. The IJERE aims to provide a forum for scholarly understanding of ...