AI Literacy: Elementary and Secondary Teachers’ Use of AI-Tools, Reported Confidence, and Professional Development Needs

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact on various sectors, including education. The successful integration of AI tools in classrooms depends largely on teachers’ understanding and knowledge, confidence, and training. This study explores how educators in grade 3 to 12 utilize AI tools, their level of confidence employing these tools, and their professional development (PD) needs. It also investigates the challenges educators face integrating AI into their practice. Participants were 242 teachers (79% female). Findings revealed that while most teachers were aware of AI writing tools like ChatGPT, their overall familiarity with and understanding of AI concepts were mixed, with slightly less than half currently using AI tools in their instruction. Secondary teachers consistently showed significantly higher levels of AI knowledge, familiarity, usage, and confidence in AI-related teaching practices compared to their elementary counterparts. The primary PD need identified to boost teacher confidence was “Professional development workshops,” with challenges highlighted by lower confidence in areas like AI-based grading and troubleshooting, alongside desires for clear policies and best practice guidance.