Teachers and AI: Understanding the factors influencing AI integration in K-12 education

Abstract This study investigates the psychological and pedagogical factors influencing K-12 teachers' readiness to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings. An exploratory qualitative approach was employed, involving 66 teachers from 11 disciplines at a private school in Türkiye participating in a professional development program focused on AI-enhanced teaching. Data were collected through online discussion forums and AI-supported learning activity design tasks and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings reveal that teachers valued AI for its efficiency, interactivity, and adaptability, particularly in tools like ChatGPT and MagicSchool, which supported personalized learning and lesson planning. However, significant challenges emerged, including technical issues, curriculum misalignment, ethical concerns, and cultural barriers, such as difficulties adapting AI-generated content to local contexts. The study concludes that while AI offers significant potential to enhance education, successful integration requires addressing the identified barriers through targeted support, resources, and ethical guidelines. Implications for further research include exploring diverse educational settings to generalize findings, conducting longitudinal studies to assess long-term impacts, and investigating strategies to align AI tools with existing curricula and ethical standards.