Readiness and Perceptions of High School Teachers towards AI in Education: A Case Study in Jeddah Private Schools

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in any field is gaining traction, including the education sector (Celik, 2022). However, the potential of AI in education has not been fully realized yet (Luckin et al., 2022; Celik 2022). Seufert et al. (2021) claimed that one main reason for that is overlooking teachers’ role and readiness to integrate AI into their teaching practices. Several studies addressed the growing interest in the topic of acknowledging teachers’ perceptions regarding artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) (Cabero-Almenara et al., 2024). This study aims to explore teachers’ perceptions of integrating educational AI- based tools, with a particular focus on their readiness to utilize these technologies in their teaching practices and to support the achievement of learning outcomes. To address these objectives, a mixed approach is adopted. A survey is used to gather quantitative and qualitative data from high school teachers across grades nine to twelve in two private schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The frequency distribution of participants’ beliefs and perceptions is presented. The findings of this study help identify gaps in teachers’ knowledge and readiness, as well as the perceived benefits and barriers in integrating AI. These insights highlight the need for better training and support to ensure the responsible and effective implementation of AI in schools.