Artificial Intelligence in Education: Mathematics Teachers’ Perspectives, Practices and Challenges

Abstract

Efforts have been made to include artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning; nevertheless, the successful deployment of new instructional technology depends on the attitudes of the teachers who conduct the lesson. Few scholars have researched teachers' perspectives on AI use due to a general lack of expertise on how it can be used in the classroom, as well as a lack of specific knowledge about what AI-adopted tools would be like. This study investigated mathematics teachers’ perceptions of implemented AI systems and applications in Abu Dhabi Emirate schools. The sample study consists of 580 male and female math teachers from public and private schools across three educational regions in Abu Dhabi selected based on several qualifications and experiences. The research followed the descriptive analytical approach due to its suitability to the study’s context. The results revealed that AI could be used as an educational tool to facilitate teaching and develop students’ performance by including AI systems and applications in the curricula. They increased motivation for learning, encouraging challenge, competition, and suspense among students and considering their differences. The results also showed the most critical challenges that math teachers face in applying AI systems and applications, the most prominent of which are the need to exert more effort than the traditional method when using different AI systems and applications and the pressures placed on them, which prevent them from using AI in teaching. Additionally, the findings revealed no statistically significant differences in mathematics teachers’ perspectives regarding the importance of using systems and applications of AI in teaching; however, statistically significant differences were found in the math teachers’ challenges when applying AI systems and applications in teaching according to the educational qualifications, especially among math teachers who have masters’ degrees. These results can be used as a foundation for creating guidelines for the future integration of AI education in schools since they report teachers’ experiences utilizing the system and various considerations regarding its implementation

Keywords

• artificial intelligence; mathematics achievement; elementary students; adaptive learning system; robotics.