Dear readers!
We present to your attention the new issue of the journal “Psychological Science and Education”, dedicated to the theme “Psychological Effects and Risks of the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies in Education”. The issue brings together interdisciplinary studies reflecting the contemporary challenges and opportunities of the digital transformation of education.
The issue opens with studies devoted to the development and psychometric validation of new assessment tools. These include the questionnaire “Students' Attitudes toward the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Educational Activities”, the Russian-language version of the MEC Spatial Presence Questionnaire (MEC-SPQ) for VR environments, and a survey on factors influencing university teachers' use of AI. The issue further presents research on the features of experimentation among second-graders in a virtual laboratory, the relationship between anxiety and the type of digital content consumed by older preschoolers, the association between happiness and problematic smartphone use among students, as well as the role of social comparison in the formation of problematic internet use in adolescents.
A significant portion of the publications addresses the impact of AI and digital technologies on engagement, academic performance, and professional development. These include findings on the effect of an interactive AI assistant on student engagement in a digital educational environment; a model of digital academic literacy as a factor in graduates' career adaptability; an analysis of online learning barriers and their influence on academic achievement; and materials on the role of AI in the creative expression of students in artistic and creative majors. A special place in the issue is occupied by systematic reviews and analyses of ethical risks, represented by studies on cognitive adaptation and student engagement in an AI‑based generative professional learning environment; on the use of ChatGPT in special education, with an assessment of its opportunities, limitations, and ethical risks; as well as a study on the development of creative thinking in solving academic tasks, with consideration of gender differences.
The issue concludes with studies exploring cross‑cultural aspects of the digital transformation of education. These include an analysis of the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination with a gender focus among university students; an investigation of self‑esteem and academic engagement among secondary school students in China; and an examination of the links between academic aspirations, cognitive flexibility, and self‑regulation among female research students in India.
We hope that the materials in this issue will be useful to researchers, educators, educational technology developers, and all those interested in the psychological aspects of the digital transformation of education.
The Editorial Board