Generative Artificial Intelligence to Support Inquiry-Based Approaches and Metacognitive Development of Students in Online K-12 Learning Environments

Recent and ongoing advancements in generative artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to significantly transform K12 education, offering new opportunities for dynamically personalized learning experiences. Aoba Global Campus, part of Aoba International Educational Systems K.K. based out of Tokyo, Japan, has recently embarked on a multifaceted initiative comprising development and delivery of online K-12 education programs. These include an Online International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Pilot (Online IBDP) developed in cooperation with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO), development of an online learning experience platform, and online teaching and learning frameworks. The drive behind these intersecting initiatives is to transform education for learners not only in Aoba’s headquarter-country of Japan, but across the globe by reaching more and different types of students via the online medium and providing them an entirely new type of education. This paper focuses on and explores how generative AI can enhance inquiry-based learning and metacognitive development, aligning with the evolving needs of modern educational environments overall and online learning environments in particular. In this paper the author examines the potential of AI to extend and enrich traditional educational approaches, focusing on its role in scaling formative feedback, automating qualitative assessment of student learning processes, extending the consciousness of expert educators, and fostering a more engaged, reflective, and human-centered learning process.