Abstract
The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-based tools to revolutionize educational practices continues to dominate relevant discourse. Unsurprisingly, ChatGPT is a focal point in these conversations, yet despite general enthusiasm, there is scant research exploring teachers' experiences with ChatGPT. Therefore, our exploratory interview-based study seeks to better understand the experiences of 11 middle and high school teachers. From our interviews, we identify three overarching and overlapping themes: (1) teachers' general distrust of ChatGPT and concern about an overreliance on AI-based tools; (2) teachers' perception that if ChatGPT is adopted in their classroom, it would negatively impact their students' learning; and (3) teachers' belief that AI-based tools require broader conversations in education regarding their effective and ethical use.
