Background: Educational foundations disciplines, such as the Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, and History of Education, among others, are crucial for training future teachers. Yet, in some contexts, teacher educators have struggled to attract students’ interest in enrolling in these disciplines. Meanwhile, although Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced learning has increasingly been recognised for promoting personalised, interactive, and student-centred learning experiences, few studies have examined its potential as a strategy for improving students’ interest in Educational Foundations within the South African university context.
Objective: This study, therefore, explores opportunities for AI-enhanced learning as a strategy for improving declining students’ interest in Educational Foundations (EDF) in universities in South Africa.
Method: The study is conceptual in design, which provides an overview of AI-Enhanced Learning in relation to students’ interest in EDF, vis-à-vis the Philosophy of Education. It employs a reflective methodology, as well as insights from the literature.
Results: This paper highlights that training future teachers in AI-enhanced philosophy of education can benefit them in future classrooms, and that actionable strategies should be adopted in enhancing students’ interest and enrolment in EDF programmes.
Conclusion: EDF is crucial for teacher preparation. Opportunities of AI-enhanced learning needs to be made available to educators and teacher trainees. Actionable strategies that fosters students’ interest and enrolment, as well as creating more awareness about the relevance of EDF as a programme is important.
Unique Contribution: This paper provides a baseline on the intricacies of AI-enhanced learning and strategies for improving students’ interest and enrolment in EDF programmes.
Key Recommendations: The findings suggest that to enhance students’ interest in EDF, especially in contexts marked by inequality, diversity, and historical legacies, including South Africa, educators should be equipped with the intellectual tools to navigate the tensions between traditions and innovation. Students and teachers alike should be trained on how to adopt and apply AI tools and technologies in their future AI-enhanced classroom transactions. Fostering positive attitudes, values, knowledge, and philosophies of EDF, as well as increased students’ enrolment in the discipline, should be prioritised and sustained. Furthermore, EDF courses should be expanded to include critical engagement with ethical technology adoption and intense AI literacy, while being complemented by the adoption of interactive and participatory pedagogies by educators.
Publication Date: 2026-06-15