Research

Quizlet Report Suggests Teachers Are Better Champions of AI Than Students

• By Kate Lucariello
• 08/16/23

In its report, "State of AI in Education," ed tech company Quizlet found that teachers overall are better champions of AI than their students in recognizing its value.

The survey was conducted of 1,500 respondents, 1,000 of whom were students aged 14-22, and 500 of whom were teachers at either high schools or colleges. Results were gathered in June 2023.

"When it comes to ChatGPT and other AI technologies, media headlines have positioned students as early adopters and teachers as skeptics," the company said in a release about the report, "but Quizlet's research tells a different story: More teachers use these technologies than students (65% vs. 61%) and teachers also have a more positive sentiment toward these technologies, with 50% of teachers reporting they are excited or optimistic about AI in education compared to 39% of students. Students were more likely to be neutral about AI's role in education (20% compared to 10% of teachers)."

Other key findings from the release:

• 67% of students agree that AI helps them study faster or more efficiently, and 73% said it helps them understand the material better;
• 48% of teachers believe AI will help students recover from learning loss from the pandemic; and
• 42% of respondents believe AI creates more equity in education.

The release noted that top uses of AI among teachers and students are similar and include the following:

• Teachers: research (44%), generating lesson plans (38%), summarizing or synthesizing information (38%), and generating classroom materials like tests and assignments (37%).
• Students: research (44%), summarizing or synthesizing information (38%), and generating study guides or materials (33%).

Of those students who study three or more hours per night, 72% said they have used ChatGPT or other AI technology, and 54% of them have had positive learning experiences with it.

"It's not the lazy students gravitating toward AI," said Maureen Lamb, dean of academic technology and innovative pedagogy at The Ethel Walker School. "Most students using AI are deeply invested in their learning experience."

"It is encouraging to see the number of teachers who are championing AI in education," said Quizlet CEO Lex Bayer. "Many of the teachers we speak with emphasize they are trying to best prepare their students for the future world they will be living in, and see AI as an inevitable part of all of our futures."

For more information, see the news release.