Teachers' perspectives of integrating AI-powered technologies in K-12 education for creating customized learning materials and resources

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the education landscape, emerging as a potent catalyst for enhancing student learning experiences. However, this integration has sparked diverse perspectives, with supporters applauding its transformative potential and opponents raising concerns about AI ethics, misuse, and value alignment. Teachers play a pivotal role in the successful integration of AI into curricula, yet the approaches employed and challenges faced by K-12 educators remain relatively unexplored, particularly in Arab countries where AI tools are predominantly developed by English corporations. This study delved into K-12 teachers' perspectives, illuminating the current approaches, challenges, and proposals for integrating AI-powered technologies into customized learning materials. Through a qualitative methodology, rich data were collected from audio-visual materials and 19 semi-structured interviews with K-12 teachers adept in leveraging AI to enrich their students' learning journeys. A rigorous thematic analysis, guided by the research questions, unveiled four main AI approaches: (1) cultivating AI literacy, (2) developing essential soft skills, (3) utilizing AI for extracurricular enrichment, and (4) enhancing student performance. Moreover, the study identified six pivotal challenges and seven proposed innovative strategies to overcome them. Notably, AI tools must continually evolve to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students, irrespective of their abilities, ensuring no learner is left behind in this transformative era.