Exploring the role of AI and technology in learning

AI and digital technologies are becoming increasingly present in teaching and learning across classrooms worldwide. From social media to the rapid emergence of generative AI (GenAI) tools, educators today face both opportunities and uncertainties. 

Many teachers are already experimenting with these tools, yet common challenges remain: inconsistent student engagement, time pressures, concerns about digital safety, and pressure to adopt technology at a fast pace.

This is precisely why British Council Partner Schools selected ‘AI and technology in learning, teaching, and assessment’ as one of the central themes for our 2025 Action Research programme. Our goal was to help educators investigate real problems, test strategies, and share insights with colleagues across our global network.

In this article, we explore what motivated the research, how the researchers approached their inquiries, and the implications their findings hold for schools everywhere.

Why AI and technology in education matter

AI and digital media now shape students’ lives far beyond the classroom walls. Social media platforms influence attention spans, communication styles, and even what students consider to be trustworthy sources. At the same time, teachers are expected to design lessons that feel relevant to digitally fluent learners while managing pressures of time, diverse needs and limited resources.

The two Action Researchers featured in this article – Hala Tewfik (High School Principal at Maadi Narmer School, Egypt) and Sara Ahmer (Head of Art and Design at Aitchison College, Pakistan) – demonstrate why the topic deserves our attention.

The impact of social media on learning

Hala’s research explored the powerful influence of social media on students’ concentration, behaviour and general engagement. Her exploratory findings highlighted that:

• Most students spend over four hours a day on social media.
• 45% struggle to concentrate without it.
• Students recognise its usefulness: 80% see social media as helpful for learning, and 90% enjoy it when teachers use creative content such as humorous reels.

This mix of high engagement but potential distraction reflects many schools’ experiences.

The need for educators to keep pace

Sara’s work focused on how GenAI can support teachers in meeting the needs of diverse learners. Here’s what her survey of teachers found:

• 75% of teachers lacked formal training in different learning styles.
• 70% also felt that the materials used in lessons were outdated.
• 75% struggled with time constraints, limiting personalised instruction.

At the same time, both teachers and students were optimistic about AI’s potential. 85% of teachers were keen to use AI in planning, and 65% of students believed AI could make lessons more interactive – provided it does not replace human connection.

Together, the research uncovers a shared challenge: technology is advancing quickly, and schools must evolve with it.

How our Action Researchers are exploring the role of AI and technology in learning

Both researchers began with simple but important questions grounded in their school contexts. Hala asked how social media is affecting learning and whether AI could be used to create a more engaging classroom environment. In her research, Sara wanted to know how schools perceive AI in education and how GenAI can help create adaptive lessons that support different learning needs.

Their research involved:

• Reflective journals;
• Teacher shadowing;
• Whole-school questionnaires;
• Focus group discussions;
• Student surveys;
• Lesson plan analysis before and after AI integration.

This allowed them to understand how teachers and students actually experience technology – not just theoretically, but in day-to-day learning.

What the Action Research entailed

Our Action Research programme involves trying ideas, observing effects, and adjusting. The benefit to Hala and Sara was that they could see how their research directly applied to classrooms and, more specifically, to their learning context.

As the researchers explored different aspects of technology and learning, they took different measures. Hala’s plan involved:

• A comprehensive digital policy on safe and responsible technology use.
• Awareness workshops for students and teachers on cyberbullying, focus, emotional wellbeing, and conflict resolution.
• New redesigned lesson plans using AI tools, including AI for preparation, delivery, and assessment.

Her workshops spanned several weeks, involving professional trainers and whole-school participation.

By comparison, Sara’s action plan involved 25 K-12 teachers from five schools under the same institution to ensure a broad scope. Her action plan included:

• A four-week professional development programme, ‘AI in the Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Educators’, run in collaboration with LUMSx.
• Training covering diverse learners, GenAI basics, prompt engineering, ethics and future AI applications.
• Sessions for teachers to create and get feedback on AI-supported lesson plans.

This combination of theory, practice and ethics provided teachers with confidence and hands-on experience.

What the findings mean for global educators

Although their school contexts differed, both researchers uncovered insights that matter for every Partner School.

1. Policy and culture matter as much as the tools

A technology-rich environment only succeeds when there is a shared understanding of expectations and boundaries. Hala’s evaluation showed:

• 100% of stakeholders agreed that clear communication and quarterly reviews of the digital policy were essential.
• Structured, whole-school guidelines improved consistency and confidence among staff.

2. The human element remains essential

In both studies, teachers and students emphasised that AI should support – not replace – human relationships. Sara’s data showed:

• 40% of students were concerned AI might reduce teacher involvement.
• Teachers appreciated AI, but were clear that it was no substitute for rapport, empathy, or mentoring.

3. Teachers have significant potential to innovate

When given training and space to experiment, teachers showed impressive creativity.

• In Hala’s school, 90% of teachers saw themselves using AI in future lessons.
• In Sara’s study, teachers learned prompt engineering, explored subject-specific tools, and produced adaptive lesson plans – including one biology teacher whose AI-tailored instruction improved lower-achieving students’ test scores.

4. Educators must review and refine to see success

Technology integration is never a one-time project. Both researchers highlighted challenges such as:

• Time constraints;
• Varying levels of digital literacy;
• Ensuring fairness, accuracy, and data privacy;
• Balancing engagement with wellbeing;
• Overreliance on AI;
• The need for human oversight.

Continual reflection, feedback cycles, and collaboration proved essential for meaningful change.

Final Thoughts

AI and digital technologies will continue to evolve rapidly, bringing both opportunities and uncertainties for schools. While new tools can feel overwhelming, Action Research offers a structured way for educators to explore them confidently: observing, testing, reflecting and adjusting approaches to suit their own contexts.

The findings from this year’s researchers demonstrate that:

• Strong digital policies help anchor practice.
• Teacher-student relationships remain central.
• Innovation grows through training and collaboration.
• Real impact comes from consistent review and adaptation.

For Partner Schools worldwide, these insights provide pathways to integrate AI meaningfully – never as a replacement for good teaching, but as a powerful tool that helps teachers personalise learning, engage students, and modernise classroom practice.

Download our newly published 2025 Action Research guide to explore all the latest findings and practical recommendations.