Unlocking Time and Potential: Why Teachers Need AI Training Now

“This was life-changing. This changed the way I work. I’m so happy I finally learned prompt design.” These are the sentiments I hear repeatedly from educators who have taken AI courses with UnconstrainED. I find deep meaning in the work that I do with educators to integrate AI in their roles. Unfortunately, I know that not all educators are being given the time or the opportunity to truly learn how to use AI.

The numbers are stark: Nearly 58% of educators have yet to receive any AI training, according to a recent EdWeek Research Center survey of more than 1,100 educators. This statistic is particularly troubling given that we’re now two years into widespread AI adoption in education. As a trainer with UnconstrainED , I can imagine how this training gap is creating a widening divide in our schools. The educators I work with who have embraced AI to support their work have reclaimed time and deepened student learning by supporting both productive struggle and student AI literacy.

At the beginning of our “AI for Learning Design” course, we ask participants to share their views surrounding AI. We do this to gauge where the group is at but also to recognize that there can be hesitancy and misconceptions around what the adoption can lead to for ourselves and our students. I always find it affirming that at the end of each course, many educators who come in as the most skeptical leave with some of the greatest appreciation for what AI can do for their students. I can attribute this to our training, as we not only show ways to implement AI, but also give teachers the time and space to explore and collaborate with their peers when assessing how AI can be integrated within their specific curriculum.

A misconception that I often find dispelled is that students can only use AI to cheat. Anyone working with well-vetted student facing AI tools certainly knows that their integration can actually deepen student learning and support productive struggle. For example, a teacher-created chat bot might guide students through the selection process of an upcoming STEM project, or another tool could support students in verbalizing their understanding of a concept while receiving feedback.?

Beyond supporting students in their learning, AI has the potential to address teacher retention. Great teachers foster deep learning—and you would be hard-pressed to find a school that is not always considering ways to ensure they have low teacher turnover. Recent studies show that teacher burnout remains a critical challenge in education, with administrative tasks and lesson planning being major contributors.

AI tools offer a promising solution to this crisis. AI-assisted teaching tools can significantly reduce time spent on administrative tasks, allowing educators to focus more on actual teaching and student interaction. AI can help teachers to streamline lesson planning and material creation, automate routine grading and feedback, and generate differentiated practice exercises, while also creating individualized student progress reports.

The question isn’t if teachers need AI training, but how quickly we can implement effective professional development programs. Based on my experience at UnconstrainED, I’ve found that creating a collaborative environment for educators where we share insights on how to adopt AI in both educator-facing and student-facing mediums is vital.

Giving time and space to educators to consider how they might implement tools in their role and for their students is key. AI isn’t just another tech trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how we teach and learn. The EdWeek Research Center’s findings that nearly 58% of educators have received no AI training whatsoever make it clear. We’re at a pivotal moment in time where teacher training can no longer be optional or an afterthought.

Change is already underway as more educators advocate for and receive AI training in their schools. For school leaders, consider giving time during professional development sessions for AI exploration and peer collaboration. Teachers should start conversations with their colleagues and administrators about AI training opportunities. Together, we can leverage AI to support deeper learning and more sustainable teaching practices.