School teachers in Germany and Denmark: a comparative study of self-efficacy and distinct profiles in using Artificial Intelligence for teaching and learning

This paper provides insights into the perspectives of school teachers (N = 532) on the subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Germany (n = 256) and Denmark (n = 276), focusing on their perceptions, AI self-efficacy, and distinct teacher profiles. Teachers in Germany recognized the usefulness of AI tools for individualized learning more strongly than teachers in Denmark. Furthermore, teachers in Germany consistently reported higher levels of AI self-efficacy. Latent class analysis yielded four distinct school teacher profiles: (rather) optimistic, (rather) critical, critically reflected, and ambiguous. These profiles exhibited differences among teachers in Germany and Denmark. The findings indicate that the educational systems impact teachers’ perceptions and AI self-efficacy differently, which needs to be considered for targeted interventions. The distinct teacher profiles provide an opportunity to develop tailored interventions to ensure responsible adoption.