Curriculum Transformation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Literature Review of Emerging Student Competencies and the Need for Educational Curriculum Reform
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, student competencies, curriculum transformation, curriculum reform, digital competenceAbstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming knowledge production, learning processes, occupations, and the competencies required for students to participate effectively in society. This systematic literature review examines emerging student competencies associated with AI and analyzes their implications for educational curriculum reform. The review employed a systematic search of Google Scholar and Scopus for studies published during 2021–2026 and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Fourteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed through thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that AI-related student competencies extend beyond technical knowledge and include AI literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, human–AI collaboration, communication, adaptability, ethical reasoning, responsible digital citizenship, and AI system design. The synthesis further indicates that existing curricula often remain fragmented, technology-oriented, and insufficiently connected to ethical, social, interdisciplinary, and higher-order competencies. Consequently, curriculum reform should move from adding isolated AI topics toward competency-based, interdisciplinary, human-centred, and progressively designed curricula. The review concludes that AI-responsive curriculum transformation requires alignment among learning outcomes, content, pedagogy, assessment, teacher capacity, and ethical governance.
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