The use of AI by students and teachers has been rapidly increasing. Studies show that 86% of students used generative AI during the 2024-25 school year, and while AI has been a serious concern regarding students’ work, how does it affect teachers?

How teachers use AI might vary between the different subjects they have. Studies show that 60% of teachers have already started to use AI to complete classroom duties. Some teachers might use AI tools to help check for plagiarism in students’ work while others may use it to create questions, and might benefit from the efficiency that AI offers. From creating lesson plans to sending emails, the options are near endless. While teachers may choose to use AI to help with certain tasks, many people are skeptical about the potential of using it to fully create parts of the curriculum. “I don’t think it [AI] should be used to do the work; I think it should be used to help do the work,“ said social studies teacher Scott Oberg. AI is seen by teachers more as a tool to get to an end product rather than something that creates the end product itself.

Many students and teachers use generative AI tools to come up with answers to questions they may have. “With AI you get a definitive answer that may be right, or may be wrong, but it seems like it gets you closer to a good answer, and that is very valuable,” said chemistry teacher Mark Dieter. A definite answer is very valuable to learning as these answers are often reliable and backed in reasoning and context. Although the answer may not always be spot on, it ultimately forwards the research process by providing context and background research on the topic. Alongside ChatGPT and Copilot, many learning tools such as Khan Academy and Duolingo have also adopted AI tutor style tools to aid online learners. These new learning tools make learning from home and other places outside of a school much easier, and this ultimately benefits students and teachers.

AI is also being used by educators around the district more commonly. This brings up many questions from students about the fair use of AI among teachers. When asked if teachers should be held accountable for using AI like students at Mounds View are, the responses seem to point towards one direction: no. “We have already done what you have done with the added years of college,” said band teacher Bill Sucha. Sucha describes how teachers have already gone through the high school education system as well as having many more years of learning in college, so it would be a little unfair to compare the two.

Currently, educators and students across the nation either scorn or welcome use of AI for educational purposes. We see this apparently well in schools across the nation. Both students and teachers alike have had to adopt some major changes to the learning curriculum, and the question arises: Will teaching ever go back to how it was before AI? How could it integrate into our classrooms in the future? “I think we should embrace it and utilize it to make our classes more robust. I think we should encourage kids to use it and to help them understand material or prepare for tests. Then teach kids the appropriate use,” said Oberg. So overall, AI appears to be a permanent part of education, with its use likely to only increase, which many believe will enhance learning in classrooms.