Teacher Experience with AI in Middle School Education: A Qualitative Research Study

The purpose of the case study was to understand the use of technology, particularly AI, for public middle school teachers in Michigan. The theory that guided this study is Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy is relevant in that it relates to self-achievement and the belief in the desired goal —Bandura's view of social cognition keys to self-efficacy, incorporating self-evaluation and focusing on goal orientation. Consistent with the case study, the focus was on teachers' structure for teaching, the potential to use AI in the classroom, and the increased use of technology. The central question is to determine if AI in the educational setting creates more significant resources for educators to meet the profession's demands and prepare students for the continuous technological change in the workforce and the future. The qualitative case collected data from middle school educators and gained insight into experiences with technology, particularly AI. Data collection consisted of document collection, observations, and interviews. The analysis used triangulation to determine themes and reveal if AI correlates with aiding teachers in the classroom to meet the daily demands and prepare students for their future. The results from the study included a minimal amount of AI being used in the middle school setting and participants not being comfortable with how to implement AI in the educational setting.