Glossary of emerging terms in artificial intelligence and metaverses from a sociotechnical and educational perspective

Abstract

Introduction:
The rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and extended reality has reconfigured educational, social, and cultural environments, giving rise to new discourses and practices. However, this progress has also generated conceptual gaps and an imprecise use of key terms, which complicates their critical adoption in the pedagogical field.
Methods:
The study adopted a qualitative and interpretive approach, based on the hermeneutic-critical paradigm. Content analysis and purposive theoretical sampling were used to select the most frequently used terms in the most recent scientific literature. The data was organized through open coding, grouping them into four thematic areas.
Results:
A critical glossary was developed containing 40 terms organized into four main areas: artificial intelligence and education, metaverse and extended reality, sociotechnical and critical dimension, and educational innovation. Each term included a technical definition, a critical commentary, and an applied example, thus promoting a reading that connects the techno-pedagogical discourse in a relational and contextual way.
Conclusions:
The glossary proved to be a valuable epistemological tool, useful both for critical digital literacy and for teacher training and educational research. It contributed to highlighting ideological tensions, conceptual gaps, and the social effects of technologies, promoting a more reflective and conscious understanding of the digital ecosystem in education.