Balancing creativity and technology: The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in photography classrooms

Balancing creativity and technology: The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in photography classrooms

Michelle Barnard

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 2 2026 Article 18 pp.286 – 296
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20267218 Published online 27th March 2026.

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ABSTRACT

This literature review explored the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in photography education, with a focus on its impact on creativity, pedagogy, and curriculum development. The primary aim was to examine how AI-powered tools—such as automated editing software, image analysis, and virtual labs—are reshaping photography instruction, and to evaluate their implications for student learning, creative development, and ethical practice. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and recent studies (2012–2024) was conducted to assess emerging trends, benefits, and challenges associated with AI in the photography classroom. Findings reveal that AI enhances accessibility and technical efficiency, enabling students to engage with complex photographic processes and focus more on artistic expression. However, concerns arise around over-reliance on automation, potential homogenisation of creative output, and ethical dilemmas related to authorship and image authenticity. The review highlights a growing need for photography educators to transition from technical instructors to facilitators of critical thinking and conceptual exploration. Effective curriculum design must balance traditional photographic principles with AI-driven innovations, promoting reflective practice, ethical engagement, and creative autonomy. Assignments comparing manual and AI-assisted outputs, as well as discussions on the role of AI in visual storytelling, are proposed as strategies to develop critical awareness and originality. Ultimately, the study concludes that AI should be integrated as a complementary tool that supports—rather than supplants—human creativity. A balanced, ethically grounded approach prepares students to thrive as innovative and responsible practitioners in an evolving, AI-augmented creative landscape.

Keywords: photography education, artificial intelligence, creativity, digital pedagogy, Ethics

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AUTHOR(S)

Michelle Barnard is the Head of the Department of Design and Studio Art at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She holds a Master’s degree in Photography from the Central University of Technology, Free State, as well as a Master’s degree in Higher Education Studies from the University of the Free State. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Higher Education Studies at the University of the Free State. Her doctoral research focuses on developing a theoretically grounded framework for integrating artificial intelligence into university-level photography education. In addition to her academic responsibilities, her work centres on photography education, creative practice, and the integration of emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence—into visual arts curricula and pedagogical innovation in higher education. She teaches undergraduate students in the Department of Design and Studio Art and explores the implications of AI tools for teaching, assessment, and creative production. Michelle also contributes to departmental administration and curriculum development at the CUT and collaborates with colleagues to advance digitally informed image-making and creative visual practice.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Barnard, Michelle. “Balancing Creativity and Technology: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Photography Classrooms,” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.2 (2026): 286 – 296. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20267218