The Extended Teacher: Generative Teaching, Vibe Coding, and Configuring Pedagogical Agency in AI-Mediated Educational Ecosystems
Parole chiave:
extended mind, generative teaching, vibe coding, teacher agency, artificial intelligence in educationAbstract
This paper offers a theoretical and pedagogical reflection on the relationship between generative artificial intelligence, vibe coding, and extended learning, drawing on the theory of the extended mind, Bateson’s ecological epistemology, and studies on teaching agency. Generative AI is interpreted not as a simple operational tool, but as an active element of a socio-technical ecosystem that reshapes educational design. In this perspective, the teacher’s professional mind extends through conversational circuits that involve pedagogical intentionality, natural language, generative systems, digital artefacts and institutional contexts. The paper introduces the concept of Generative Teaching to describe a reflective and intentional form of AI-mediated instructional design, in which the teacher co-creates, adapts, tests and governs digital tools, simulations and inclusive mediators. Particular attention is paid to vibe coding, understood as conversational teaching design capable of transforming educational intentions into digital artefacts even in the absence of advanced programming skills. The paper finally discusses risks such as cognitive delegation, algorithmic opacity and standardization, arguing that AI can extend, but not replace, the teacher's pedagogical agency.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alfonso Filippone, Umberto Barbieri
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