Post-teaching and professional learning: an investigation on teachers attitudes towards AI

The study presented investigated the relations between personal factors and teachers’ attitudes towards AI in order to deduce implications for professional learning and test a “post-teaching” theoretical hypothesis. A survey was conducted on the opinions of 177 teachers involved in the secondary school qualification course. The teachers were on average women, 45 years old, with 5 years of service and general technological training. The quantitative data were collected via an ‘ad hoc’ questionnaire and analyzed through a statistical, descriptive-correlational method. If questioned generally, teachers demonstrate a cautious attitude and cold confidence towards the use of AI for teaching practice; they are ambivalent in distinguishing risks and advantages. However, if asked about concrete implications - support in daily actions of teaching -, the level of alarm is lowered enough to leave room for averagely high expectations. The study highlights that the generally cautious attitude of teachers towards AI transforms into openness and benevolence if the focus is on concrete activities; teachers’ strong need for support in concrete practices, which prevails over fears related to AI. Such results would strengthen the “cruel optimism” perspective - the “double bind” towards AI - for teachers professional learning and the theoretical perspective of post-teaching.