NORFOLK, Va. — The influence of artificial intelligence is growing in almost every part of our lives, including in schools.
As student get ready to return to school, a new study shows more teachers plan to use tools, like Chat GPT, in their classrooms.
In a survey released this week, nearly four in 10 teachers said they plan to use A.I. in their classrooms this coming school year.
That’s according to the newest Educator Confidence Report released by education tech company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
More than 1,000 K-12 teachers and 200 administrators participated in the survey, which inquires how they feel going into the new school year.
“Things are happening very fast and many people are still on the learning curve, including many teachers," said Dr. Jain Wu, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Old Dominion University.
Wu said he began working A.I. into his curriculum last year.
Meanwhile, only one in 10 educators surveyed said they did the same. Less than 20% of them felt equipped to use artificial intelligence tools.
However, most agreed it is “inevitable” and should be used for good in the classroom.
“You can ask them questions. And you can ask [Chat] GPT to ask you questions, and then that can boost the discussion among the group," Wu said.
Wu said, if used correctly, the technology can almost serve as a tutor for students, while helping teachers with an often, heavy workload.
The survey shows educators think A.I. can help create lesson plans and writing prompts.
Wu encouraged teachers to seek seminars and training on artificial intelligence tools, and he believes it’s important to prepare students for the technology's impact in the world.
However, educators need to set clear guidelines and make sure students know the consequences for using the tool in the wrong way, said Wu.
In September, ODU staff will host a symposium on artificial intelligence and it’s future in education.