Exploring the artificial intelligence (AI) literacy of high school teachers in Bogor : perceptions, utilizations, and challenges in leveraging generative AI for teaching

Abstract

Artificial intelligence, or commonly abbreviated as AI, has been a greatly powerful transformative force in different aspects, and education is no exception. With the technology of deeply developed AI, this technology is currently used in the educational realm to lead the change of teaching and administration processes, enriching the learning process. However, despite its massive spread in the education sector, the teachers’ literacy on AI remains underexplored, especially in Indonesia. Addressing this need, this qualitative case study presents an in-depth examination of teachers’ perceptions, uses, and difficulties, especially faced by the four high school teachers in Bogor, Indonesia, when they were applying generative AI into teaching. By following a triangulation of methods (a preliminary questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and structured observations), this research explores the lived experience of the teachers through the theoretical lens of AI Literacy and AI-technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (AI-TPACK). The results indicate a dualistic view of generative AI as a double-edged sword: a powerful tool that is appreciated due to its efficiency and creative capabilities, but at the same time, is considered a great threat to academic integrity. Moreover, the pattern of use by teachers is practical, with much emphasis on the preparation of materials for their use, with extreme caution in the use in assessment. The outlined challenges are complex, including the restrictions pinpointed by the limitations of the infrastructure and missing institutional standards, up to the shortages of teacher resources and deep ethical dilemmas. Overall, this thesis research finds that the role of the teachers does not end as mere consumers of generative AI but through reflections of practices, negotiators, by stressing the importance of human control. Such a process offers a contextual, rich depiction of the construction of AI literacy and AI-TPACK competencies’ dynamic practice. The core implication is the necessity to promote professional development in the area of pedagogical wisdom and ethics, followed by supportive institutional policies assisting in developing responsible integration of AI in Indonesia’s education system.