Integrating Artificial Intelligence in the teaching of modern Greek literature: An educational proposal for secondary education

This article derives from the author’s Master’s thesis conducted within the postgraduate program Digital Culture, Smart Cities, IoT and Advanced Digital Technologies at the University of Piraeus, yet it extends beyond a mere presentation of the thesis to situate its findings within the broader context of rapidly evolving educational technologies. The study proposes an innovative instructional approach that integrates artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images into the teaching of Modern Greek literature, with a focus on poetry in the second year of senior high school. Its primary objective is to provide an alternative mode of interpreting literary texts that complements traditional instruction, fostering deeper comprehension, engagement, creativity, and inspiration among students. By visualizing the abstract concepts, words, and verses of poems through AI-generated images, learners are encouraged to connect with literary meaning on both cognitive and affective levels. Crucially, the approach seeks not only to align images with the poems but also to surpass conventional textbook illustrations by initiating a dialogic relationship with the texts and enhancing interpretive depth. Within the proposed scenario, students develop critical thinking, imagination, creativity, and collaborative skills as they create and discuss their own AI-generated images, thereby participating in a process consistent with STEAM education that integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The study also acknowledges limitations, including technical challenges, the absence of classroom-based pilot implementation, and the lack of empirical evaluation with student samples. Future directions emphasize refining and expanding the approach in light of the rapid advancement of AI tools, which offer new opportunities for innovative and evidence-based pedagogical applications.