Exploring AI in Socio-Educational Practices: A Three-Dimensional Approach through Capabilities, Affordance-in-Practice and Sentiment

The TEACH-AI (Transformative Educational Approaches for Civic and Human- centered AI) research project, conducted by the CREDDI research group at eCampus University, aims to explore the perception, knowledge and use of Generative AI in Italian socio-educational services, aligning with a growing body of research on the relationship between AI and the socio-pedagogical sector.To initiate the research, the PAIR (Participatory AI for Inclusive Relationships) questionnaire was developed and validated, with the goal of investigating training needs within socio-educational contexts. The validation process involved an initial content evaluation by 15 academic experts and Third Sector professionals and then online administration to a sample of about 300 workers from 20 social cooperatives distributed across different geographical areas in Italy. The tool allows to detect three key dimensions useful for developing the analysis and measuring the impact of AI in socio-educational contexts: Capability, which refers to the competence in using AI in both personal and professional experience; Affordance-in-Practice, which analyzes the frequency of AI application in the work context; and Sentiment, which records positive or negative emotions towards AI, from a socio-cultural perspective.