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The aim of this study is to analyse how the rapid development of technology is reshaping social studies teachers´ classroom practice regarding AI with a focus on source criticism. As AIgenerated texts and misinformation increase in society, teachers face new challenges concerning source criticism and how this can affect democracy in general. This study used a qualitative design where four semi-structured interviews were conducted with the material being thematically analysed.

The findings show that teachers hold both positive and negative attitudes towards AI. This study highlights how AI has the potential to help aid students for educational purposes as well as providing inspiration for teachers when planning their lessons. However, misinformation, reduced student effort and academic honesty are concerns emphasized as worrying issues for teachers in their daily practice. Responding to these concerns, this study shows how teachers have shifted to analogue practice to combat plagiarism. AI is mostly taught in relation to source criticism and discussions concerning bias, credibility and misinformation. This leads to teaching methods that activate several cognitive processes in Blooms revised taxonomy. Results also show that the teachers possess elements of TPACK, critical literacy and AI literacy to aid the use of AI in school environments but the teachers do not yet fully grasp the concepts on how to effectively put these practices in their daily work.

The study concludes that teachers need support and clear guidelines on how to apply AI in their teaching environment. Moreover, further training in the best ways to apply AI into everyday teaching is required to achieve the school´s goal of educating active and responsible citizens.