New research from Associate Professor Melissa Barnes explores a growing tension with teachers who use generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“My research looks at the tension between the pedagogical potential of generative AI and the ethical, professional and relational constraints that inhibit its open and responsible use by teachers,” says Dr Barnes.
The study found that teachers are using AI tools responsibly to support resource creation, feedback, differentiation and learner autonomy. Yet despite recognising these benefits, many chose to conceal their use of AI in the classroom.
“Despite using AI in a responsible way, teachers feared professional judgment from colleagues, managers or students,” Dr Barnes explains. “Some worried they’d be seen as less competent or as outsourcing their teaching.”
“Others were uneasy about the ethics of AI or felt conflicted between innovation and core pedagogical values.”
This dynamic, which Dr Barnes calls a pedagogical entanglement, highlights the emotional and relational complexity behind how, when and whether AI is used in teaching practice.
“The findings challenge the dominant, tool-centric narrative about AI in education. Instead, they emphasise the need for a more teacher- and context-focused conversation, one that acknowledges real-world teaching environments and professional dynamics.”
“This research also brings visibility to teachers’ hidden practices and highlights the importance of developing ethical, pedagogically sound, and socially aware approaches to AI integration in education.”
