AI is everywhere but just how often, on average, is it being used in education? The earth-shattering answer is: Sometimes!
Digging a little deeper, a new survey shows superintendents and other administrators are, compared to teachers, a little more comfortable with artificial intelligence. Just over half of educators told the edtech firm Carnegie Learning that they “always,” “often” or “sometimes” use AI. This number includes 67% of administrators but just 53% of teachers.
Two-thirds of educators also expressed optimism about the role of education in AI’s future. Again, administrators are a little more enthusiastic than teachers.
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On the flip side, 23% of teachers and only 8% of administrators reported feeling “very uncomfortable” about student use of AI.
Another interesting wrinkle the report uncovered is “AI usage doesn’t reflect AI attitude.” More than three-quarters of educators say AI is
helpful but, as noted above, only about half are using it. That further shows that some educators are still wary of the constantly advancing technology.
District Administration came up with some questions you probably have about the role of AI in education, and here are the answers the survey provides. See if you agree:
1. What are the top three ways teachers are using AI?
- Brainstorming and idea generation
- Creating teacher materials
- Lesson planning
2. What do educators say are the biggest benefits of AI?
- Reducing time spent on administrative tasks.
- Creating personalized learning experiences
- Improving student engagement
- Enhancing student learning outcomes
3. What are the biggest challenges of AI in education?
- Cheating
- Lack of training or PD
- Technical glitches
- Difficulty integrating AI tools into the curriculum
- Privacy
4. Are districts creating AI policies? Are they training teachers?
- 80% of administrators have not set a district AI policy
- 74% of teachers do not have a classroom policy
- 93% of administrators said AI training is important but only a quarter of schools or districts have provided it
Along with establishing policies and offering more training, the survey recommends that district leaders continue to talk to teachers and hold community forums about the best use of AI in school. “The findings confirm AI’s potential to enhance efficiency, engagement, and equity if thoughtfully implemented,” the report concludes. “However, as usage amplifies, addressing ethical dilemmas remains paramount, from student data privacy to academic integrity threats.”
