The four personas of teachers using AI in the classroom

Hello and welcome!?

I’m thrilled to introduce Policy in Motion — a newsletter where we’ll discuss the ideas, insights, and innovations shaping the future of education.

I’m Lindsay Crawford Dworkin , HMH’s Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs. I’ve spent my career working on policies that tackle persistent problems in education. In all my years of experience working in education policy – from a governor’s office and U.S. Department of Education to NWEA and now HMH – here’s one thing I know for sure: it takes a village.?

You’ll get to know me more in future editions, but I want this newsletter to be a space where we can connect, share updates, celebrate the incredible work happening in education, and — most importantly — explore how we can do even more to help students thrive.?

In each issue of Policy in Motion, one of my talented teammates at HMH will share updates, key insights, or a closer look at what they have been working on. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to Francie Alexander , our Senior Vice President of Efficacy Research. As a former teacher herself, a researcher, and someone who has worked at state and federal education agencies, Francie has dedicated her career to understanding what helps teachers effectively improve student learning, and she is here to share some fascinating insights about the personas of teachers who use AI in the classroom.

“... I’m approaching the boom of Generative AI in the classroom with the same curiosity and level-headedness that is the foundation of good research.”

Hello! As Lindsay mentioned, I’m Francie Alexander, the Senior VP of Efficacy Research at HMH. As a lifelong educator, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to support teachers as they tackle one of the hardest jobs in the world. I should know! I’ve taught in classrooms from kindergarten to college.?

Decades of experience in education means I have seen the field change over and over again. With that in mind, I’m approaching the boom of Generative AI in the classroom with the same curiosity and level-headedness that is the foundation of good research.?

Late last year, my research team and I worked on a study — Empowering Education with AI: The New Teaching Assistant — to understand the opportunities and obstacles that will shape the future of AI in the classroom. We examined teachers’ perceptions, current usage, hopes, and fears about the emerging technology and found four distinct approaches teachers are taking. Today, I’m excited to share these learnings with all of you.

Digital pioneers. Pragmatic streamliners. Aspiring users. Reluctant adopters.

These four teacher profiles aim to represent the varied relationships teachers have with AI:

1. Digital pioneers represent educators who are early adopters. They have fully embraced AI and are already finding ways to integrate it into their classrooms. They invest time outside of school to research and learn about the latest innovations, using trial and error to determine how AI can benefit teaching and learning. Digital pioneers can even offer guidance to other teachers on how AI could fit into their classroom routines.??
2. Aspiring users are eager to explore AI’s potential but are constrained by the lack of time, knowledge, and guidance to effectively integrate into their classrooms. These obstacles hinder how much they can use AI in the classroom, despite their desire to innovate. While aspiring users are aware of how AI can benefit teaching and learning, the lack of sufficient preparation leaves them cautious of how AI can negatively affect the student experience.?
3. Pragmatic streamliners look to AI tools for their time-saving potential, readily using them to automate administrative tasks like grading or lesson planning. For these educators, the benefits of AI are less related to its benefits for student learning and more tied to how it can make the teaching experience less time-consuming. Pragmatic streamliners understand that while AI might not be a universal tool, it is useful for efficiency and convenience.?
4. Reluctant adopters approach AI with distrust, skepticism, and a preference for traditional methods used in the classroom. They believe that AI could do more harm than good and could negatively impact students’ empathy, creativity, and critical thinking in the classroom. Reluctant adopters are generally less tech-savvy than other educators and are hesitant to embrace newer technologies, especially AI.?

As we move forward in this rapidly evolving technological landscape, learning how teachers are approaching AI will be helpful for shaping the future of education. Our hope is that recognizing where educators stand and the challenges they face will allow us to better support their AI journey. More on that next time! In the meantime, to learn more about the study, please refer to the HMH Research Website.

Thank you for reading!

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a digital pioneer — you should see me try to screenshare on Microsoft Teams! But I’ve been fascinated by how quickly AI has become intertwined with our daily lives and I’m eager to see how it can benefit teachers and students in the classroom.??

I’m so glad you’re part of this community, and I can’t wait to continue this conversation with you in the next edition, where Francie will be back to dig into what can be done to support teachers on the frontline of navigating AI in the classroom!

Stay tuned!