Michigan Virtual Survey Highlights K-12 Educators' AI Beliefs and Needs

Key points:

TO ai-in-education-exploring-trust-challenges-and-the-push-for-implementation/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Michigan Virtual Survey A study of more than 1,000 educators from classrooms, districts, and support organizations found greater confidence in ai among building and district administrators than within teacher populations, underscoring the need for successful ai implementation to address teacher concerns and focus on ethical considerations in addition to logistical ones.

The survey looked at how Michigan educators are using ai and how they are implementing it in schools. The survey results are clear that more work is needed to support awareness, research, training, and problem-solving in this field. These results also revealed that many educators are ready to engage in this challenge, with the right support.

It was distributed statewide to better understand educators’ needs regarding ai as the state works to establish a robust, unified strategy for gathering educator feedback on ai.

The task force includes senior leaders from 14 organizations, including the Michigan Education Association, Michigan School Boards Association, Michigan Secondary School Principals Association, Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals, Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning, and more.

Key ai-in-education-exploring-trust-challenges-and-the-push-for-implementation/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>survey findings include:

Building and district managers have high confidence in ai and deeper experience with it: “Building and district administrators have higher levels of trust in ai and view ai integration as a higher priority than teachers. These administrators also have significantly more experience using ai both personally and professionally than teachers. As such, administrators must be mindful and patient, as teachers may not automatically “buy into” their vision for ai integration. Educational leaders can use their experience and vision to lead their buildings and districts, but they must understand stakeholders’ concerns and reluctance toward ai.”

Educators are using ai in their buildings and classrooms, regardless of official district policy: “Only about 30 percent of district administrators reported that their school, school board, or governing body has officially adopted ai policies or guidelines; however, more than 50 percent of educators who responded to this survey reported using ai in their professional role (an additional 15 percent reported using it personally but not professionally). Educators (not all, but many) are “ahead” of their districts and using ai in their classrooms and schools. Whether or not districts want to implement ai integration, these data suggest a real need for clear ai policies and guidelines to guide the use that is already taking place.”

There is a group of ai skeptics that cannot be ignored: “There is a not insignificant group of educators who have little to no interest, little confidence, and are not actively seeking information about ai. Six percent of educators reported that they are not seeking support for ai integration and will not need it in the future, 20 percent have not used ai and do not plan to, and approximately 10 percent do not believe ai will be used significantly in classrooms in the next 5 years. This group of educators, while not the majority, may have serious concerns about ai integration and/or be largely apathetic to the potential uses and implications of ai.”

The debates around ai are just beginning: “A large majority of educators, more than 80 percent, believe that ai will play a “very significant” or “somewhat significant” role in education over the next 5 years. However, given current experience and usage trends, there is a large gap between how and when educators are using ai now and where they expect to be in the future. Encouragingly, educators reported a strong need for support to integrate ai into their schools and districts in the areas of professional development/expertise, data privacy, and draft policies and guidelines, among others.”

“The results of this study highlight both the excitement and apprehensions around the integration of ai into education. As district-level leaders, it is our responsibility to listen to concerns, be forward-thinking, and incorporate the unique perspectives of the communities we serve,” said Dr. Shawn Bishop, Associate Executive Director of MASA. “It seems evident that ai is only going to become more prevalent in our world. District leaders must use this data and the input from our communities to move forward with robust training, clear policies, thoughtful education, and ensuring that ai is used ethically and effectively to enhance learning and prepare our children for this changing world.”

Furthermore, many educators are already using ai both personally and professionally, and students are using the tool academically. This reality must be addressed through school and district policies and guidelines that regulate its use.

“The desire for more information and professional development on ai integration underscores the critical role educational institutions must play in empowering educators with the knowledge and skills needed to harness the power of ai while upholding the core values ​​of education,” said Sue Schwartz, executive director of the Michigan Regional Educational Media Center (REMC) Association.

Despite its intensive use, there are still some educators who have serious concerns about ai and refrain from using it and are hesitant to engage. As this is a potentially disruptive technology, connecting with and educating these educators is critical to the long-term success of both teachers and students.

“We surveyed our partners to learn more about how ai impacts their buildings and classrooms, which was instrumental in developing a path forward,” said Jamey Fitzpatrick, CEO and President of Michigan Virtual. “This is one of the most transformative technologies of modern times. ai has the potential to revolutionize the educational experience for educators and students, so we need to understand how to leverage that experience within schools.”

Michigan Virtual ai Guidelines for Educators It can be found hereThey were created as a complementary resource to Michigan Virtual. Planning Guide for aiAdditional Resources from the Michigan Virtual artificial intelligence Lab It can be found here.

Material from a press release was used in this report.

Laura Ascione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. She holds a degree from the prestigious Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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