Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

School

Education

Committee Chair

Dr. David Lee

Committee Chair School

Education

Committee Member 2

Dr. Danny Guillory

Committee Member 2 School

Education

Committee Member 3

Dr. Kyna Shelley

Committee Member 3 School

Education

Committee Member 4

Dr. Kayla Stan

Committee Member 4 School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

The rapid growth of AI technologies within education has increased the need for professional development to help teachers integrate these tools. The purpose of this quasi-experimental mixed-methods study was to evaluate the impact of a professional development program, called Byte-Sized AI, on the knowledge and self-efficacy of K-12 teachers regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom. Using Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory and Davis’s (1989) Technology Acceptance Model as guiding frameworks, this study investigated the effects of professional development on teachers’ knowledge and self-efficacy regarding AI use. The study included 47 teachers from a single Title I public school district. Twenty-three teachers participated in the professional development, and 24 teachers formed the comparison group. Both groups completed pre- and post-implementation surveys to assess knowledge and self-efficacy using Likert-type scales. The quantitative data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests and analyses of covariance. The qualitative data, collected from open-ended questions, were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed statistically significant differences in teacher self-reported knowledge and self-efficacy between teachers who participated in the professional development and those who did not. The analysis of covariance results revealed that the differences in both knowledge and self-efficacy were statistically significant with a large effect size. The results from the paired-samples t-tests also showed that there were significant gains in both knowledge and self-efficacy among the participants of the professional development. The qualitative analysis indicated that the participants were able to describe the integration of AI in their classrooms more effectively and with more confidence than the teachers in the comparison group. These results indicate that targeted, application-based professional development can lead to increases in the knowledge and self-efficacy of teachers regarding AI integration into their classrooms. The findings also suggest that it is necessary to provide teacher professional development in the use and integration of AI into the classroom. Future studies can investigate the long-term and other impacts of implementing AI in the classroom.

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Available for download on Monday, May 31, 2027

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