Determination of Teachers' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Concept: A Metaphor Analysis

Abstract

This research sought to explore educators’ views on Artificial Intelligence (AI), a topic that has become increasingly important with the advent of recent digital transformations. Given its potential impact on education, AI can offer valuable insights for curriculum planning and teaching strategies. The study used metaphor analysis to understand educators' perspectives on AI. An online questionnaire was employed to collect data from teachers working in schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Şanlıurfa in the 2023-2024 academic year. Teachers were asked to complete the sentences about their perceptions of artificial intelligence, especially using expressions such as "Artificial intelligence is like ..." and "...because ...". According to the findings of the metaphor analysis, teachers conceptualized AI as a job facilitator, associating it with robots and machines representing cognitive intelligence. However, concerns also emerged about the potential risks of AI and its impact on creativity. The findings emphasized the complex perceptions of AI in education, showcasing the balance between its positive contributions and the ethical responsibilities it entails. While the study offers valuable insights for understanding the complexity of AI in the educational context, it also highlights the various metaphors teachers use to describe this technology. In this context, prominent metaphors used by teachers to describe artificial intelligence include human, robot, brain, assistant, and machine.