Augmented teachers: K–12 teachers’ needs for artificial intelligence’s complementary role in personalized learning

Empowering K-12 teachers for personalized learning using artificial intelligence (AI) is an open challenge. AI systems often fall short of meeting the needs of teachers, hindering the educational process or even causing conflicts. To bridge this gap, our study aims to explore the needs of teachers regarding AI’s complementary role within K-12 classrooms. In Study 1, we conducted a focus group interview (n = 15) to identify the roles that teachers envision AI augmenting for personalized learning. We identified eight key roles: personalized curriculum design, development of instructional materials, foundational learning support, self-reflection support, student evaluation, career guidance, student management, and administrative task support. In Study 2, we examined the preferences of 128 teachers from various school levels (elementary, middle, and high school) with regard to how they envision the use of AI in their classrooms. Our analysis revealed that teachers have differing preferences for AI roles based on the school level. Elementary school teachers placed emphasis on student assessment and management, while middle and high school teachers prioritized self-reflection support and career guidance. Interestingly, teachers underscored the significance of maintaining a complementary relationship with AI, pursuing shared objectives, and fostering sustained interaction, with the aim of evolving into “augmented teachers.” The implications of these findings as design considerations are thoroughly discussed.