GenAI: Time-Saver or Workload Intensifier for Teachers?

Mar 20, 2025
Critical Studies of EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
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Summary

GenAI promises time-saving automation for teachers, but history suggests such technologies often intensify workloads, narrow expectations of 'good' work, reduce collaboration, and require substantial effort to assess and revise outputs, raising doubts about the promise of less stressful work.

Key Points

  • GenAI promises to save teachers time by automating tasks like creating lesson plans and grading assignments, but history suggests labor-saving technologies often intensify workloads and expectations instead.
  • GenAI outputs may narrow expectations of what 'good' work looks like and make teaching a more solitary task, reducing collaboration among colleagues.
  • While GenAI offers new ways to complete work, the promise of less work or less stressful work for teachers seems dubious, as they often spend significant effort assessing and revising GenAI outputs.

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