Toward a coherent AI literacy pathway in technology education : bibliometric synthesis and cross-sectional assessment

Rupnik, Denis (author), Avsec, Stanislav (author)

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping curricula and work, yet technology and engineering education lack a coherent, critical AI literacy pathway. In this study, we (1) mapped dominant themes and intellectual bases and (2) compared AI literacy between secondary technical students and pre-service technology and engineering teachers to inform curriculum design. moreover, we conducted a Web of Science bibliometric analysis (2015–2025) and derived a four-pillar framework (Foundational Knowledge, Critical Appraisal, Participatory Design, and Pedagogical Integration) of themes consolidated around GenAI/LLMs and ethics, with strong growth (1259 documents, 587 sources). Phase 2 was a cross-sectional field study (n = 145; secondary n = 77, higher education n = 68) using the AI literacy test. ANOVA showed higher total scores for pre-service teachers than secondary technical students (p = 0.02) and a sex effect favoring males (p = 0.01), with no interaction. MANCOVA found no multivariate group differences across 14 competencies, but univariate advantages for pre-service technology teachers were found in understanding intelligence (p = 0.002) and programmability (p = 0.045); critical AI literacy composites did not differ by group, while males outperformed females in interdisciplinarity and ethics. We conclude that structured, performance-based curricula aligned to the framework—emphasizing data practices, ethics/governance, and human–AI design—are needed in both sectors, alongside measures to close gender gaps.

• Language: English
• Keywords: critical AI literacy, technology and engineering education, bibliometric mapping, cross-sectional comparison, MANCOVA, curriculum development, Web of Science, bibliometric analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 38 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 15, iss. 11, art. 1455
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-175592
• UDC: 37.091.3:62
• ISSN on article: 2227-7102
• DOI: 10.3390/educsci15111455
• COBISS.SI-ID: 255855363
• Publication date in RUL: 05.11.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Education sciences
• Shortened title: Educ. sci.
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2227-7102
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520257817

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: kritična pismenost, izobraževanje na področju tehnologije in inženirstva, bibliometrično mapiranje, kurikulum, umetna inteligenca, vzgoja in izobraževanje