In this article, we explore what policymakers can do to support educators in using artificial intelligence (AI) to save time so they can focus on student engagement.
Teachers today wear far too many hats and navigate endless tasks to serve their students. HMH’s recent Educator Confidence Report (ECR), which surveyed more than 1,200 educators nationwide, found that 82% of educators desire a more balanced workload or staffing plan to support their well-being.
Fortunately, we are at a pivotal time where technology can help.
Many educators look to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to ease their workload. Among those who already use GenAI, 72% plan to increase their use of GenAI in the classroom this school year. As described in this brief by TeachAI, GenAI is a powerful category of AI that includes large language models and other models that generate content such as text, images, videos, or sound. Some of the most prevalent examples of GenAI used today include OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.
There are seemingly endless possibilities for GenAI in the world and in classrooms, and this is an important moment to take stock of educators’ needs so we can equip them with the tools for success. According to the ECR survey, educators said GenAI would be valuable in supporting many administrative and time-consuming tasks.
GenAI tools that help teachers with administrative tasks and create, supplement, and review materials like study guides, worksheets, lesson plans, and writing prompts can be used to free up teachers’ time tremendously and allow them to focus on what they do best—engaging with students.
However, these tools are only helpful if one knows how to integrate them into the classroom and use them. Three in four educators surveyed agreed that tools utilizing GenAI create the need for professional learning.
Schools and districts have a responsibility to not only provide these tools to educators, but also build their capacity to effectively use them for student learning. That’s where policymakers play a crucial role.
By making policy that’s aligned with best practices and federal laws, policymakers can help educators leverage the time-saving benefits of GenAI so they can focus on student engagement.
States and districts are already working hard to provide educators and school leaders with the guidance they need to use this technology successfully.
HMH believes policymakers should balance the possibilities, though endless and still largely unknown, that GenAI presents for teachers and students—especially those who have been historically underserved—against any possible risks of harm. Here are suggestions for policymakers that can help educators in the classroom take advantage of these new tools and resources:
- Provide guidance so that school decision-makers can invest in professional learning and other supports designed to help teachers and other education professionals effectively use GenAI.
- Invest in digital literacy initiatives to ensure students and teachers know how to use GenAI safely and effectively.
- Ensure equitable access to emerging GenAI tools, including the infrastructure to support their use in the classroom and at home, by building on efforts such as the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
- Invest in GenAI-focused educational research and technical assistance, including through the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) and national Comprehensive Centers Programs. The National Science Foundation (NSF) AI Education Act is an effort to invest in building a strong foundation for integrating AI in schools.
Our coalition partners at TeachAI and EDSAFE AI Alliance have a lot of resources to support those conversations. HMH is dedicated to creating GenAI tools that are educator-controlled, human-centric, and designed to efficiently manage time-consuming and often administrative tasks related to teaching and learning. We empower teachers to apply their expert judgment while using GenAI tools to improve student outcomes. After all, artificial intelligence can do a lot to help teachers, but it will never replace them.
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Our 10th annual Educator Confidence Report (ECR) reveals teachers’ views on generative AI, the state of the profession, and more. Download the report today.
Discover best practices for integrating AI in the classroom.
