Teacher Agency: A Thematic and Poetic Inquiry into Teacher Reflections on Generative AI in Education

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Modes and Mechanisms for Enacting Teacher Agency, Activism, and Leadership

Abstract

This study explores how elementary teachers make sense of genAI in relation to their pedagogical and assessment practices. Grounded in Fawn’s (2022) pedagogical entanglement, we employed reflexive thematic analysis alongside poetic transcription to describe both shared themes and the affective nuances of teacher experiences. Findings reveal that while genAI is seen as offering support, teachers voiced concerns about its impact on student agency, trust, and meaningful human interactions in classroom settings. The poems captured the emotional depth, ethical tensions, and reflective agency teachers experience as they negotiate the role of genAI in their pedagogical and assessment practices. We argue that effective integration of genAI requires relational, ethical, and contextually grounded approaches that centre teacher agency and critical inquiry.

Authors

• Angelie Ignacio, University of Toronto - OISE

• Eunice Eunhee Jang, University of Toronto - OISE