A victory in science: a project from Mari State University has received support from the Russian Science Foundation!

We congratulate Vice-Rector for Academic Development Vera Ivanovna Toktarova on receiving a Russian Science Foundation grant for the implementation of a large-scale project: “Mechanisms and Dynamics of the Structural Transformation of Teachers’ Professional Identity in the Context of Generative Artificial Intelligence Integration: A Theoretical and Methodological Model and Empirical Verification.”

The research topic is at the cutting edge of modern science and education, combining pedagogy with advanced AI technologies.

By 2026, generative artificial intelligence has ceased to be merely a convenient assistant program. It has become a full-fledged participant in the educational process, taking on part of the teacher’s work: helping to explain material, devising assignments, checking work, and even assessing knowledge. And this is where a serious scientific problem arises. On the one hand, artificial intelligence is being introduced into schools and universities rapidly and everywhere. On the other hand, science still does not properly understand what is happening to the teacher in the process. After all, when an algorithm takes over part of the professional functions, it is not only the set of skills that changes, but the very sense of oneself as an educator, that is, professional identity. And this is dangerous: if teachers lose their understanding of their role, they risk turning into operators of a neural network, and the humanistic core of pedagogy (real human contact, mentoring, and upbringing) may become blurred.

The main goal of the project is not simply to describe what is happening to teachers, but to build, and test on real data, a theoretical and methodological model of the structural transformation of teachers’ professional identity in the context of generative AI integration. In other words, it is necessary to understand which mechanisms trigger the restructuring of identity, how it unfolds over time, and what it depends on: which conditions, factors, and personal characteristics.

In essence, the project lays the foundation for a new interdisciplinary field of research, which will help preserve workforce sovereignty and the humanistic core of education in an era of rapid digital transformation.

We are proud that our scientists are tackling the pressing challenges of our time and receiving recognition at the highest level!