Pedro Ribeiro, a researcher at the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory (HNL) of the Research Centre for Human Development at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP), has begun a Postdoc-Fellowship Program in Integral Human Development with a project on the responsible use of AI in higher education.
At a time when Generative Artificial Intelligence is profoundly transforming higher education, Pedro Ribeiro is embarking on a Postdoc-Fellowship Program in Integral Human Development at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa with a project that seeks to reconcile technological innovation with educational responsibility, placing the integral development of the human person at the heart of pedagogical practice.
Entitled Critical.AI, the project of the former student of the International PhD in Applied Psychology at FEP-UCP focuses on the responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in higher education, proposing a critical approach to integrating these tools as pedagogical practice, aiming to enhance their benefits without compromising learning processes.
A turning point in the academic journey
The decision to pursue the Postdoc-Fellowship Program came after a period of reflection on his academic future, as he approached the completion of his PhD. The researcher acknowledges that this moment was important for redefining priorities and ambitions for his career.
“I knew I did not want to be confined to a single branch of research, that I wanted to carry out applied research, and that I wanted to nurture my curiosity for new methods,” he explains.
It was in this context that he began to envisage new projects and consolidate the idea that would give rise to Critical.AI, focused on the responsible inclusion of Generative AI in higher education. The Postdoc-Fellowship Program in Integral Human Development thus emerged as the appropriate framework for this purpose.
“When I heard about the programme, I did not hesitate, because for me the integral development of the human being begins with responsible and comprehensive education. Therefore, the Postdoc-Fellowship Program in IHD was the perfect combination for what I want to do in the coming years,” he states.
A path consistently aligned with Integral Human Development
Pedro Ribeiro’s academic and scientific trajectory reveals a clear continuity with the principles of Integral Human Development. His doctoral research focused on sustainability and consumer eco-education, areas he considers directly linked to IHD, since human development also involves growth in harmony with the environment.
Pedro Ribeiro also highlights the importance of the scientific context in which he trained: “I have much to thank my PhD supervisor, Professor Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, and my colleagues at the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory who, throughout this journey, prepared me to manage my own projects, giving me controlled autonomy and room to fail.”
This scientific path contributed to the consolidation of a more autonomous and confident stance as a researcher. “I feel that I am now prepared to be a ‘real’ researcher, more independent and confident in what I know, but also in what I do not know,” he emphasises.
Education and Artificial Intelligence
At the core of Pedro Ribeiro’s project is a conception of integral human development deeply rooted in education. For the researcher, “IHD is the development of the person in themselves, but also within a community, a planet, a universe, and that development must begin through quality education”. This education, he argues, goes beyond technical training and also encompasses the formation of the human person.
The Critical.AI project addresses a recent and inescapable phenomenon in higher education: Generative Artificial Intelligence. Although he recognises its transformative potential, the researcher does not ignore the uncertainties associated with it in academic contexts.
According to Pedro Ribeiro, the scientific literature points to ambivalent effects. On one hand, some uses of AI contribute to “greater engagement with curricular content, more effective study and memorisation strategies, and increased efficiency in tasks parallel to the learning process”. On the other hand, certain applications of these tools may compromise the educational process, leading to a “loss of epistemic responsibility, the responsibility for our own knowledge, and a delegation of metacognitive capacity to AI”.
From research to pedagogical practice
The central issue of the research is therefore to find a balance between technological innovation and educational responsibility.
“I want to try to find a way to promote the beneficial effects that have been associated with AI as a pedagogical practice while suppressing the potential negative effects arising from irresponsible use of these tools,” Pedro Ribeiro summarises.
The researcher also identifies the integrity of the person as the most important dimension of Integral Human Development for his research work.
The project also includes an applied component, with several practical initiatives being organised, namely four teacher-training workshops in partnership with universities in Italy and Lithuania, accessible to all members of the Transform4Europe alliance.
Expected impact and future perspectives
Pedro Ribeiro anticipates that the results of his Postdoc-Fellowship Program in Integral Human Development will contribute to the definition of ethical guidelines adaptable to public policies, but that “the main impact will be on teachers and the individual practices they adopt”. He also adds that higher education institutions themselves may choose to implement the guidelines produced as institutional good practices.
Beyond the scientific dimension, Pedro Ribeiro also has a clear personal motivation. “I would like the results of this project to help improve my own pedagogical practice,” he concludes.
With the beginning of his Postdoc-Fellowship Program at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Pedro Ribeiro thus reinforces his commitment to research centred on promoting the integral development of the human person.