Educators as Cognitive Architects in AI-Augmented Learning Environments

This chapter proposes a conceptual framework that redefines educators as cognitive architects in AI-augmented learning environments. It explores how the integration of artificial intelligence into instructional design, assessment, and learner engagement reshapes educators' roles, requiring new forms of agency, digital literacy, and ethical decision-making. Grounded in distributed cognition and the TPACK model, the chapter examines how pedagogical tasks are now co-performed between humans and intelligent systems. It introduces a model for understanding educator agency in technology-rich settings and provides strategic guidance for institutions aiming to support this shift. By analysing emerging competencies, ethical concerns, and institutional practices, the chapter contributes to ongoing efforts to position educators not as passive users of AI but as proactive designers of human-centred, data-informed, and ethically responsible educational experiences.