Artificial intelligence in K-12 education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is heralded as a technology holding many unique affordances to K-12 teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to examine how AI has been used to support teaching and learning in the K-12 context. Specifically examining the affordances for K-12 educators and students. A thematic systematic review methodology was used with PRISMA principles to examine peer review journal articles from 2010 to 2020. This thematic systematic review revealed four themes of how AI was being used by educators to support student learning: Student Monitoring, Group Management, Automated Grading, and Data-Driven Decisions. The Group Management theme included three sub-themes as AI specifically supported educators with group formation, group moderation, and group facilitation. In the examination of affordances for students, three overarching themes emerged. AI was used for AI tutors, to extend student thinking and Just-for-You-Learning which provided a bespoke learning experience built on students’ strengths and weaknesses, preferences, and interests.