How AI could transform teaching

Key points:

As we turn the corner into a new school year, teachers need a break more than ever. Educators continue to work hard for their students, but the ups and downs of our current environment are not without their tolls.

Teachers have been grappling with a significant new development: the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. The 2023-24 school year was the first school year AI has been widely available as a classroom tool–and teachers are starting to embrace it. AI has the potential to transform the teaching profession by handling menial tasks, supercharging teacher creativity, and improving accessibility–all while preparing students for an AI-powered future. While technology alone can’t fix teacher burnout, it can certainly be part of the solution.

Here’s why we have much to gain by empowering teachers to safely embrace AI for their work. 

Teacher burnout is very real

To learn more about the teacher experience, a recent survey of 1,000 K-12 teachers across the United States asked about burnout–and the results were sobering. More than four in five teachers report they experience burnout, and more than a third experience it every day or most days. This data is deeply concerning and demonstrates the urgency of improving the teacher experience.

Teachers reported a variety of drivers of their burnout, including strenuous classroom management responsibilities, lack of administrative support, and inadequate compensation. Remarkably, most teachers have continued to go above and beyond for their students, with two-thirds of teachers reporting they work beyond contractual hours.

Unsurprisingly, this burnout has implications for students. The survey also revealed that one-third of teachers say burnout has decreased the quality of their instruction. Perhaps the most concerning finding is more than half of teachers have considered quitting or switching schools due to burnout, and two-thirds have considered leaving the profession entirely.

Teachers see AI as part of the solution

The survey indicated 42 percent of new teachers have already used AI, whereas 93 percent of teachers knew “little” or “nothing” about it. Teachers with fewer than five years of experience have particularly taken to AI, with 59 percent saying they use the technology.

Of course, merely using AI isn’t the goal. Ninety-two percent of teachers who are using AI have found it helpful in addressing teaching pain points. Educators highlighted how it can improve work efficiency, promote creativity, and enhance learning. Given those benefits, it’s no surprise that teachers who reported being satisfied in their jobs were nearly twice as likely to be using AI than those who were unsatisfied.

How AI can support our educators

AI tools can be a boon for educators, but one of the largest barriers to adopting new technology is knowing where to begin. Teachers can leverage AI to help in many ways to help lighten their load while increasing their impact: 

• Generate lesson ideas. Use an AI-powered text-based tool to brainstorm what’s possible, map out activities or even create first drafts of materials. 
• Personalize materials for every student. Tailor teaching materials to meet the individual needs of each student. AI can help either generate a lesson or take an existing lesson and create level-specific ideas to ensure every student can participate in a lesson. 
• Create a lesson presentation. Some tools allow teachers to type a prompt with a few words of inspiration and have the first draft of a slide deck be created.

As one teacher said, by using AI, “teachers can foster more creative opportunities for themselves and students while saving time and alleviating some common stressors within this field. I hope that with advancements in AI and sparking more teachers’ curiosity, a more fulfilling environment for educators emerges, benefiting students and school communities.”

Appreciating our teachers

While some have claimed AI could replace teachers, I believe nothing could be further from the truth. What AI can do is allow teachers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on delivering creative, engaging instruction that moves the needle for the next generation of the workforce. In other words, AI can help teachers spend more time doing the things that made them want to become educators in the first place. If we want to truly appreciate our teachers, that feels like a worthy goal.

Our teachers are so incredibly important–and we must be doing more to make their jobs easier. With better systems, additional resources, and safe use of technology, we can help them focus on doing the work they love.