Artificial intelligence and education: Teachers' levels of awareness and perceptions

The aim of this study is to examine teachers' levels of awareness and perception towards artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The research was designed within the framework of a quantitative research method, specifically the survey model. As a data collection tool, a 51-item Likert-type "Artificial Intelligence Awareness Scale," which includes statements related to AI awareness and perception, was used. The study group consists of 440 teachers from various branches working in public and private schools in Turkey. The data collection process was carried out through an online questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 26.0 software; in addition to descriptive statistics, the normality of the data distribution was evaluated using the Shapiro-Wilk test. To test the differences between variables, independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied. Moreover, Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to determine whether there is a relationship between awareness and perception scores. According to the research findings, teachers' levels of AI awareness showed a significant difference based on branch and years of experience, while their levels of perception were not significantly affected by demographic variables such as gender and educational background. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between awareness and perception levels. Based on these findings, it is recommended to develop in-service training programs that enhance teachers' technical and pedagogical competencies and support AI literacy.