Ethics and Digital Citizenship: Pedagogical Strategies for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and the Preservation of Critical Thinking in Basic Education

Authors

  • Andrea Mireya Vaca Herrera Guillermo Davis Piñeres, Durán-Ecuador Author
  • Martha Sipriana Rivera Subia U.E. Dr. Luis Felipe Borja Perez, Durán-Ecuador Author
  • Michael Anibal Guerrero Bonin Distrito 09D24 Unidad Educativa Fiscal Durán., Durán-Ecuador Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19871559

Keywords:

Educational Ethics, Digital Citizenship, Artificial Intelligence, Critical Thinking, Academic Integrity, Digital Literacy.

Abstract

This research article addresses the pedagogical challenge of integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) in Basic Education while safeguarding academic integrity and student cognitive development. Given the rapid adoption of tools like ChatGPT by minors, there is a risk of "cognitive offloading," a phenomenon where the student externalizes the reasoning process to the machine, depleting their critical thinking. The objective of this study is to design and validate a theoretical-practical framework of AI Literacy focused on ethical digital citizenship. Through a qualitative action-research design, protocols for critical evaluation of algorithms, classroom integrity contracts, and information curation matrices were implemented. The results indicate that prohibition policies are ineffective; conversely, when students are taught to audit algorithmic biases and use AI as a "Socratic partner" instead of an "oracle of answers," plagiarism rates drop by 80% and debate skills increase. It is concluded that the school's role is not to isolate the student from disruptive technology, but to equip them with a rigorous ethical and intellectual filter that allows them to master the tool without subordinating their own ability to think. 

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Published

2026-04-29

How to Cite

Ethics and Digital Citizenship: Pedagogical Strategies for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and the Preservation of Critical Thinking in Basic Education. (2026). Educare Journal Ciudad De Jerusalén, 1(N°3), 109-119. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19871559

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