Gafa idir dhá thine Bhealtaine: Navigating between the fires of techno-optimism and socio-technical risk

Abstract

This editorial explores the challenges and opportunities facing educators as they navigate the rapidly changing landscape of technology-enhanced learning, particularly in the context of generative artificial intelligence (genAI). Drawing on the Irish seanfhocal, Gafa Idir Dhá Thine Bhealtaine (“caught between two fires”), the editorial leans on the cultural folklore practice of driving cattle between May Eve fires as a metaphor for contemporary educational dilemmas: navigating between technological promise and the social, ethical, environmental, and political risks associated with technology in education. It reflects on the role of educational communities in preserving, sharing, and valuing practitioner knowledge, highlighting the origins and mission of the Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning (IJTEL) in making scholarship of teaching and learning visible and accessible. The editorial prompts us to consider how genAI is reshaping educational practices, academic publishing, and knowledge production, raising questions about whose knowledge is represented, how expertise is codified, and who determines our technological futures. It argues for critical, ethical, and reflective engagement in educational research relating to use of technology in learning contexts, including recognition of legitimate choices to resist, given concerns relating to labour, sustainability, integrity, authorship, and social justice. Ultimately, the editorial calls for scholarship that protects educational values whilst thoughtfully working to collectively shape more equitable and sustainable futures.