Use of AI-powered Web 2.0 tools by special education teachers

Abstract

Abstract: Artificial intelligence has brought significant transformation to various aspects of life, including education. AI-supported tools can facilitate many important tasks in educational environments, such as content creation, assessment, and material development. Particularly, AI’s ability to personalize materials can offer substantial contributions to individuals with different needs. However, it has been observed that teachers do not use these tools sufficiently and have not integrated them into their educational environments. This study aims to determine the usage status of AI-supported tools among special education teachers, the challenges they face in using these tools, and their needs in this regard. The study employs a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. Data was collected from special education teachers through a semi-structured interview form. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis and thematic analysis, which are qualitative analysis methods. According to the research findings, it was found that the special education teachers participating in the study were not well-informed about AI-supported tools and had not integrated them into special education. The lack of knowledge about AI-supported tools also made their use more difficult. Furthermore, the findings highlight that teachers need training on the use of AI-supported tools in special education, and that such training should be conducted face-to-face and in workshop formats.

Keywords

• Artificial intelligence
• artificial intelligence-supported tools
• web 2.0
• special education

Özel eğitim öğretmenlerinin yapay zekâ destekli Web 2.0 araçlarını kullanım durumları

Öz

Özet: Yapay zekâ, hayatın tüm alanında olduğu gibi eğitimde de önemli boyutlarda dönüşüm sağlamıştır. Yapay zekâ destekli araçlar eğitim ortamlarında içerik hazırlama, değerlendirme yapma ve materyal oluşturma gibi birçok önemli görevi kolaylaştırabilir. Özellikle yapay zekânın, materyalleri bireyselleştirebilmeye olanak sağlaması, farklı gereksinimleri olan bireylere önemli katkılar sunabileceği söylenebilir. Ancak öğretmenlerin bu araçları, yeterince kullanmadıkları ve bu araçları eğitim ortamlarına entegre etmedikleri görülmektedir. Bu araştırmada özel eğitim öğretmenlerinin yapay zekâ destekli araçları kullanım durumları, bu araçları kullanmada öğretmenlerin yaşadıkları güçlükler ve öğretmenlerin bu konudaki ihtiyaçlarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu araştırmada nitel araştırıma yöntemlerinde olgubilim (fenomenoloji) deseni kullanılmıştır. Yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu aracılığıyla özel eğitim öğretmenlerinden veriler toplanmıştır. Toplanan veriler nitel analiz yöntemlerinden içerik analizi ve tematik analiz yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma bulgularına göre bu araştırmaya katılan özel eğitim öğretmenlerinin yapay zekâ destekli araçlar ile ilgili pek bilgi sahibi olmadıkları ve bu araçları özel eğitime entegre etmedikleri görülmektedir. Yapay zekâ destekli araçlar ile ilgili bilgi yetersizlikleri, onların bu araçları kullanımlarını da zorlaştırdığı görülmektedir. Ayrıca araştırma bulgularında, yapay zekâ destekli araçların özel eğitimde kullanımı ile ilgili öğretmenlerin eğitimlere ihtiyaç duydukları ve eğitimlerin yüz yüze ve atölye şeklinde olması gerektiği vurgulanmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yapay zekâ
• yapay zekâ destekli araçlar
• web 2.0
• özel eğitim

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