Researchers have developed a questionnaire to assess how teachers use AI to create, interpret and evaluate visual teaching materials, bringing a measurable framework to a classroom practice.
Published October 21 in Frontiers in Psychology, the study tested the instrument with 566 primary and secondary school teachers in western China.
The resulting scale contains 31 items across five areas: design and creation, awareness and interpretation, decision-making and collaboration, ethics and safety, and professional development. It examines a wider set of competencies than simply knowing how to operate an AI tool.
Statistical testing supported the structure and found strong internal consistency. The researchers also found that the measurement structure held across gender, public and private schools, and different teaching stages within their sample.
As schools consider AI’s place in education, the scale could help identify where teachers need support. Its emphasis on judgment also relates to knowing when AI is wrong.
The authors acknowledge limits. Teachers rated themselves, leaving responses vulnerable to overconfidence or socially desirable answers. The study did not test whether scores remain stable over time or predict student learning. Validation in other regions and countries is needed.