Artificial Intelligence Integration in Social Studies Learning

Abstract

This study examined how AI is utilized in Social Studies learning at the senior high school level of Sekolah Indonesia Riyadh (SIR) and how teachers perceive its benefits and challenges. A qualitative case study design was employed, guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with three Social Studies teachers, the principal, the curriculum vice-principal, and three students, complemented by classroom observation and document analysis, over a one-month fieldwork period. Data credibility was strengthened through source and method triangulation as well as member checking. The findings indicate that AI was integrated across the three TPACK domains, supporting content enrichment through updated social data, fostering pedagogical strategies that encourage discussion and multiple-perspective analysis, and reflecting growing technological competence among teachers. Teachers expressed a predominantly positive yet critical perception, recognizing efficiency gains and richer contextual materials while remaining concerned about student dependency, verification of AI-generated information, and the erosion of independent critical thinking. These results suggest that successful AI adoption in Social Studies depends less on technological sophistication than on teachers’ pedagogical capacity to embed AI within a reflective and ethically grounded instructional design, offering implications for policy and professional development in Indonesian overseas schools.