The main goal of this study was to assess K-12 teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) readiness and attitudes toward teaching artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms, considering various demographic factors.
Methods: The researchers conducted a large-scale survey involving 1,664 K-12 teachers from Mainland China. Two questionnaires were used: one assessing AI-specific TPACK readiness and another evaluating attitudes toward AI education. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and cluster analysis.
Key Findings:
- Teachers rated their pedagogical knowledge (PK) higher than their AI-related content knowledge (CK) and technological knowledge (TK).
- Five distinct clusters of teachers were identified based on their TPACK readiness and attitudes: high readiness-high attitudes, above-average readiness-high attitudes, above-average readiness-average attitudes, low readiness-high attitudes, and low readiness-low attitudes.
- Male teachers and those with prior AI teaching experience reported higher TPACK scores.
- Primary school teachers generally had higher TPACK scores than secondary school teachers.
Implications: The findings highlight the need for targeted professional development programs to improve teachers' AI-related knowledge and skills. These programs should consider demographic factors and focus on enhancing confidence in AI teaching.
Limitations: The study's sample may not represent the general population of teachers in Mainland China due to the convenience sampling method. Additionally, the study relied on quantitative data, which may not capture detailed insights into teachers' needs for AI education.
Future Directions: Future research should include qualitative analyses to gain deeper insights into teachers' preparedness for AI education. Empirical studies are also needed to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed teacher professional development frameworks.
Title and Authors: "Understanding K-12 Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Readiness and Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Education" by Miao Yue, Morris Siu-Yung Jong, and Davy Tsz Kit Ng.
Published On: March 6, 2024
Published By: Education and Information Technologies