Where Do We Go from Here? A Future Research Agenda for AI in Education

Authors

• Ejike Okonkwo, University of VaasaFollow

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping education, creating new possibilities for teaching, learning, assessment, and professional development. This review synthesizes thirteen articles from the 2026 AI special issue of Essays in Education to identify common themes and tensions, with particular attention to evidence gaps surrounding these developments. As a selected collection of perspectives and educational contexts, the special issue provides insight into emerging areas of AI-related educational practice rather than a comprehensive account of the field. The interconnected issues that emerge include pedagogical integration and human agency, cognitive development and learning, AI literacy, ethics and equity, and institutional alignment. The articles identify applications in personalization, reflection, instructional planning, professional preparation, and retrieval practice. However, the evidence remains strongest on potential uses, while causal, longitudinal, and comparative effects on learning remain underexamined, leaving key gaps in understanding how, when, and for whom AI supports durable outcomes. The articles also reveal tensions between efficiency and cognitive engagement, access and equity, and institutional autonomy and coordination. This review argues that future research should identify the pedagogical, learner, technological, and institutional conditions under which AI can support durable and equitable educational outcomes.

Recommended Citation

Okonkwo, Ejike (2026) "Where Do We Go from Here? A Future Research Agenda for AI in Education," Essays in Education: Vol. 32: Iss. 2, Article 14.
Available at: https://openriver.winona.edu/eie/vol32/iss2/14

Primary Author Bio Sketch

Ejike Okonkwo is a Doctoral Researcher in Social Science at the School of Management, University of Vaasa, Finland. One of his current research interests focuses on educational policy and the role of technology in teaching and learning. He has over four years of teaching experience, 25 ECTS of pedagogical training, and has presented at pedagogy conferences across Europe