Date of Award

Fall 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Scott Morgan

Second Advisor

Dr. Jessica Rafidi

Third Advisor

Dr. Sarah J. Yates

Abstract

Little is known about the lived experiences of secondary charter-school teachers in Broward County who use artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily instructional practices. To address this gap, the purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand teachers’ lived experiences with AI integration in their daily instructional practices. The study was guided by the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, which supported an understanding of how teachers integrated technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge when using AI. Using convenience sampling, 10 secondary charter-school teachers with teaching experience ranging from 5 to 21 years were recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the participants’ lived experiences related to AI as an instructional tool. The findings suggest that participants experienced AI as a supportive instructional resource rather than a replacement for sound teaching and highlight the importance of AI-focused professional development and implementation guidelines to support responsible AI integration in education. Participants also expressed concerns about student dependence on AI and the importance of professional judgment when evaluating and adapting AI-generated content.

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