Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences / Digital Readiness and Informed Anxiety Among Vocational Education Students: A Sociological Study of Artificial Intelligence Technology Adoption Patterns

Full text (.pdf)
Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2026 19 (10)
Authors
Cherkashnev, Roman Yu.
Contact information
Cherkashnev, Roman Yu.: Tambov State University named after G. R. Derzhavin (Tambov, Russian Federation); ; ORCID: 0000-0003-0535-6340
Keywords
artificial intelligence; vocational education and training students; digital readiness; technology adoption patterns; informed anxiety; professional socialization; technological normalization; digital inequality; pedagogical policy
Abstract

The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence is reshaping the professional competence landscape; nevertheless, the patterns of its adoption among vocational education and training students remain largely unexamined. An anonymous online survey was administered to 535 students representing four fields of study (IT, economics and law, medicine and pedagogy, and creative specialties). The study identifies an “informed anxiety” paradox: technologically most engaged students exhibit heightened concerns regarding professional displacement, whereas the correlation between self-assessed digital proficiency and positive attitudes toward AI proves statistically non-significant. The findings provide empirical grounds for integrating AI literacy into VET curricula in a field-specific manner and advocate for a transition from prohibition-based policies toward a regulated-use framework

Pages
2199–2213
EDN
SKSGZD
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/160182

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