Most teachers agree AI is a time-saver

Key points:

• Many teachers say they have yet to receive any AI training or substantial guidance from their school
• 6 recommendations for AI in classrooms
• AI in K-12 instruction: Insights from instructional coaches
• For more news on AI, visit eSN’s Digital Learning hub

More than half of educators (62 percent) are already making use of AI at school, with more than one-quarter using it daily for work purposes, according to a Twinkl survey of more than 3,500 U.S. teachers.

Most educators are harnessing the technology either weekly (41 percent) or daily (28 percent). These frequent users are saving significant amounts of time each week, with 25 percent claiming to save up to an hour, 63 percent between 1-5 hours, and 9 percent saying they save more than 5 hours.

“The research shows American teachers are increasingly embracing AI to reduce admin tasks, improve work-life balance, and free-up time to focus on teaching. Some educators (3 percent) are even using AI to save over 10 hours a week,” said Jonathan Park, head of AI at Twinkl.

“With excessive workloads and poor work-life balance often cited by teachers as their main reasons for leaving the profession, the uptake of AI can completely change the game – giving teachers back precious hours and allowing them to focus on teaching the next generation.”

Training lags behind uptake

Despite increasingly embracing AI, only 31 percent of teachers claim to have received training or substantial guidance from their school, with many respondents hoping to receive instruction on how to deploy the technology effectively and ethically. Meanwhile, only one-fifth of educators think AI is adequately regulated. Progress in these areas may improve overall confidence in AI having a positive impact on student education–with only 53 percent currently believing it will.

In terms of tools frequent AI users would like to have, the following topped teacher wish lists:

• 64 percent: An AI tool for lesson content creation (e.g. worksheets, slides)
• 60 percent: An AI tool for lesson planning
• 54 percent: An AI tool for exam/test generation
• 47 percent: An AI assistant for quick training/professional development (PD)
• 37 percent: An AI tool for report cards
• 37 percent: An AI tool for grading

“The good news for educators is that many of the AI programs they would like to use already exist,” said Park. “As an increasing number of offerings hit the market, what teachers clearly need is better guidance on what solutions to trust, as well as effective training on how best to make use of AI’s potential at school.”

This press release originally appeared online.