How Teachers Are Using A.I. to Combat Burnout

Teacher burnout has become an increasingly serious issue in the United States. Over the past twelve years, 16 percent of teachers have left their jobs each year, with half of them leaving the education field entirely, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. To put this in perspective, the average quit rate across all U.S. industries is just below 2 percent. Teachers often find themselves physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted from the endless decisions they must make each day, leading to what is known as decision fatigue. This raises the question: can A.I. provide relief to overwhelmed educators?

For Eileen Yaeger, a middle school teacher in Virginia with over 20 years of experience, A.I. is already making a difference. She develops lessons based on the Universal Design for Learning principles, which aim to enhance student strengths while minimizing learning obstacles. Yaeger utilizes A.I. as a collaborative tool to design lessons that meet the diverse needs of her students. For instance, when teaching students who do not speak English as their first language, she employs generative A.I. to translate materials into multiple languages simultaneously and to tailor text based on specific English Language Development (ELD) levels.

Jeff Stoltzfus, who teaches media technology at Lancaster Catholic High School in Pennsylvania, also embraces A.I. He transitioned to teaching during the pandemic and has taken on new technology to aid his processes. Recognizing that different teachers have varied experiences with A.I., Stoltzfus notes that some colleagues are enthusiastic while others are skeptical. He leverages A.I. to assist him in curriculum creation, which he previously found challenging due to his creativity-focused background. A.I. helps him generate content, allowing him to refine it further.

In his media technology classes, Stoltzfus contemplates whether students should learn to use traditional cameras, as modern smartphones can often produce similar quality images. To adapt his lessons, he utilized an A.I. chatbot, Pi, to create a lesson plan for a scavenger hunt where students would capture the same photograph using both a DSLR camera and their smartphones, thereby comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each device.

Although A.I. proves useful in many areas, Stoltzfus feels it cannot yet assess student work effectively in creative subjects, where outcomes are subjective. He points out that his efforts largely go into helping struggling students, a vital aspect of teaching that he believes should retain a human touch. Nevertheless, A.I. helps reduce some of his workload, providing him with more time to devote to his students.

In addition to individual teachers implementing A.I. tools, companies are developing resources designed to assist educators. For instance, Coursera has launched A.I.-powered features through Coursera Coach, which aims to offer educators customized and interactive instruction. Other platforms, such as TeachMateAI and MagicSchool, also focus on creating solutions tailored for teachers.

Marni Baker Stein, Coursera's chief content officer, stated that A.I. can facilitate personalized learning experiences on a larger scale while streamlining administrative duties. This allows teachers to concentrate on what they excel at—connecting with students and nurturing their potential. Coursera offers courses like "AI in Education: Leveraging ChatGPT for Teaching," which teaches educators how to integrate A.I. into their instruction.

Coursera Coach operates in 24 languages and assists students in mastering concepts, testing their skills, and receiving immediate feedback—even while their teachers are attending to other students. Some educators utilize this tool to facilitate individual Socratic dialogues during online classes.

Research from the Walton Family Foundation indicates that students use A.I. frequently, with nearly half reporting that they engage with ChatGPT weekly. Among teachers, Coursera's internal study shows that about 50 percent use A.I. often, with 21 percent employing it consistently.

Overall, the integration of A.I. into education is not seen as a threat but rather as a new beginning. Educators like Stoltzfus view it as an opportunity to enhance their teaching methods and improve their work-life balance.

education, AI, burnout