{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/132511"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/132511","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"Integrating artificial intelligence into K-12 teaching and learning: A U.S. critical policy discourse analaysis","abstract":"In the current digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionizing technology. The United States is among the top countries worldwide working on advancing AI technology. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has been rapidly integrated into K–12 education, resulting in a significant change of the traditional schooling system. However, AI integration has been laden with promises and perils for both educators and learners. AI integration has been raising policy challenges to ensure ethical and equitable inclusions. Thus, emerging concerns have been directed toward forming new national educational policies to regulate the impact of AI in educational discourse. Nevertheless, education policymakers cannot keep up with AI’s rapid pace. Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) policy is at an early stage of formal adoption. Therefore, there is a necessity to critically examine the U.S. federal policy discourse and the approaches of the integration of AI in K–12 teaching and learning and how it unlocks its benefits while mitigating its pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion risks. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AIED policy discourse during Biden’s administration from 2021 to 2025. The study identified and critically analyzed the policy multi-streams. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the study uncovered the policy production context, interpreted the policy text, and explained the implications of the policy discourse within the K–12 teaching and learning practices. The study answered the question, “What are the pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion implications of the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AI in Education (AIED) policy discourse?” The CDA method was used to describe the policy context, analyze a key policy document, and interpret the text to draw conclusions regarding the implications of AI integration into K–12 education policy. The findings of this study revealed the policy strengths and limitations in addressing the pedagogical changes and implications in learning and teaching practices including instructional and administrative tasks, classroom management, teachers’ training, formative assessment, learners’ cognitive and critical thinking skills, personalized learning experiences, AI alignment with learning objectives, AI literacy development, and teacher–student interaction. Additionally, the findings reflected current and missing policy solutions to integrate AI ethically and equitably into education, particularly factors impacting the diverse student populations, and means of responsible and accountable AI deployment that consider privacy, data protection, transparency, and bias-blind algorithms. The development of comprehensive education specific AI policies that address the gaps and ensure fair, ethical, and effective AI in classrooms are needed. By analyzing the policy discourse and the text underpinnings of the 2023 Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology’s AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations Policy Report, this dissertation concluded with recommendations for future research, and policy recommendations to create a K–12 schooling environment, where AI serves as a purposeful tool to enhance curriculum and pedagogy, improve teaching and learning experiences, foster equity and social inclusion, and ensure ethical considerations in education.","abstract_html":"In the current digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionizing technology. The United States is among the top countries worldwide working on advancing AI technology. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has been rapidly integrated into K–12 education, resulting in a significant change of the traditional schooling system. However, AI integration has been laden with promises and perils for both educators and learners. AI integration has been raising policy challenges to ensure ethical and equitable inclusions. Thus, emerging concerns have been directed toward forming new national educational policies to regulate the impact of AI in educational discourse. Nevertheless, education policymakers cannot keep up with AI’s rapid pace. Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) policy is at an early stage of formal adoption. Therefore, there is a necessity to critically examine the U.S. federal policy discourse and the approaches of the integration of AI in K–12 teaching and learning and how it unlocks its benefits while mitigating its pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion risks. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AIED policy discourse during Biden’s administration from 2021 to 2025. The study identified and critically analyzed the policy multi-streams. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the study uncovered the policy production context, interpreted the policy text, and explained the implications of the policy discourse within the K–12 teaching and learning practices. The study answered the question, “What are the pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion implications of the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AI in Education (AIED) policy discourse?” The CDA method was used to describe the policy context, analyze a key policy document, and interpret the text to draw conclusions regarding the implications of AI integration into K–12 education policy. The findings of this study revealed the policy strengths and limitations in addressing the pedagogical changes and implications in learning and teaching practices including instructional and administrative tasks, classroom management, teachers’ training, formative assessment, learners’ cognitive and critical thinking skills, personalized learning experiences, AI alignment with learning objectives, AI literacy development, and teacher–student interaction. Additionally, the findings reflected current and missing policy solutions to integrate AI ethically and equitably into education, particularly factors impacting the diverse student populations, and means of responsible and accountable AI deployment that consider privacy, data protection, transparency, and bias-blind algorithms. The development of comprehensive education specific AI policies that address the gaps and ensure fair, ethical, and effective AI in classrooms are needed. By analyzing the policy discourse and the text underpinnings of the 2023 Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology’s AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations Policy Report, this dissertation concluded with recommendations for future research, and policy recommendations to create a K–12 schooling environment, where AI serves as a purposeful tool to enhance curriculum and pedagogy, improve teaching and learning experiences, foster equity and social inclusion, and ensure ethical considerations in education.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Anwar, Noura"],"institution":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"Ed.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Herrera, Linda","Lindgren, Robb","Davila, Liv T","Mason, Curtis"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-12","date_published":"2025-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:07Z","subjects":["AI in Education (AIED)","AI integration in K-12","AIED policy analysis","Critical Policy Discourse Analysis (CPDA)","U.S. AIED policy"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright 2025 Noura Anwar"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132511","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Herrera, Linda","Lindgren, Robb","Davila, Liv T","Mason, Curtis"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Anwar, Noura"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-12","2025-11-21"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["text","Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["AI in Education (AIED)","AI integration in K-12","AIED policy analysis","Critical Policy Discourse Analysis (CPDA)","U.S. AIED policy"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2025 Noura Anwar"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132511"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["In the current digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionizing technology. The United States is among the top countries worldwide working on advancing AI technology. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has been rapidly integrated into K–12 education, resulting in a significant change of the traditional schooling system. However, AI integration has been laden with promises and perils for both educators and learners. AI integration has been raising policy challenges to ensure ethical and equitable inclusions. Thus, emerging concerns have been directed toward forming new national educational policies to regulate the impact of AI in educational discourse. Nevertheless, education policymakers cannot keep up with AI’s rapid pace. Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) policy is at an early stage of formal adoption. Therefore, there is a necessity to critically examine the U.S. federal policy discourse and the approaches of the integration of AI in K–12 teaching and learning and how it unlocks its benefits while mitigating its pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion risks. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AIED policy discourse during Biden’s administration from 2021 to 2025. The study identified and critically analyzed the policy multi-streams. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the study uncovered the policy production context, interpreted the policy text, and explained the implications of the policy discourse within the K–12 teaching and learning practices. The study answered the question, “What are the pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion implications of the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AI in Education (AIED) policy discourse?” The CDA method was used to describe the policy context, analyze a key policy document, and interpret the text to draw conclusions regarding the implications of AI integration into K–12 education policy. The findings of this study revealed the policy strengths and limitations in addressing the pedagogical changes and implications in learning and teaching practices including instructional and administrative tasks, classroom management, teachers’ training, formative assessment, learners’ cognitive and critical thinking skills, personalized learning experiences, AI alignment with learning objectives, AI literacy development, and teacher–student interaction. Additionally, the findings reflected current and missing policy solutions to integrate AI ethically and equitably into education, particularly factors impacting the diverse student populations, and means of responsible and accountable AI deployment that consider privacy, data protection, transparency, and bias-blind algorithms. The development of comprehensive education specific AI policies that address the gaps and ensure fair, ethical, and effective AI in classrooms are needed. By analyzing the policy discourse and the text underpinnings of the 2023 Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology’s AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations Policy Report, this dissertation concluded with recommendations for future research, and policy recommendations to create a K–12 schooling environment, where AI serves as a purposeful tool to enhance curriculum and pedagogy, improve teaching and learning experiences, foster equity and social inclusion, and ensure ethical considerations in education.","Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2026-02-19 without embargo terms","The student, Noura Anwar, accepted the attached license on 2025-11-19 at 16:28.","The student, Noura Anwar, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-11-19 at 16:58.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-11-21 at 12:27.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22901 on 2026-02-19 at 18:25:07"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Integrating artificial intelligence into K-12 teaching and learning: A U.S. critical policy discourse analaysis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Herrera, Linda","Lindgren, Robb","Davila, Liv T","Mason, Curtis"],"dc:creator":["Anwar, Noura"],"dc:date":["2025-12","2025-11-21"],"dc:description":["In the current digital era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionizing technology. The United States is among the top countries worldwide working on advancing AI technology. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has been rapidly integrated into K–12 education, resulting in a significant change of the traditional schooling system. However, AI integration has been laden with promises and perils for both educators and learners. AI integration has been raising policy challenges to ensure ethical and equitable inclusions. Thus, emerging concerns have been directed toward forming new national educational policies to regulate the impact of AI in educational discourse. Nevertheless, education policymakers cannot keep up with AI’s rapid pace. Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) policy is at an early stage of formal adoption. Therefore, there is a necessity to critically examine the U.S. federal policy discourse and the approaches of the integration of AI in K–12 teaching and learning and how it unlocks its benefits while mitigating its pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion risks. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AIED policy discourse during Biden’s administration from 2021 to 2025. The study identified and critically analyzed the policy multi-streams. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, the study uncovered the policy production context, interpreted the policy text, and explained the implications of the policy discourse within the K–12 teaching and learning practices. The study answered the question, “What are the pedagogical, ethical, and social inclusion implications of the U.S. federal government’s K–12 AI in Education (AIED) policy discourse?” The CDA method was used to describe the policy context, analyze a key policy document, and interpret the text to draw conclusions regarding the implications of AI integration into K–12 education policy. The findings of this study revealed the policy strengths and limitations in addressing the pedagogical changes and implications in learning and teaching practices including instructional and administrative tasks, classroom management, teachers’ training, formative assessment, learners’ cognitive and critical thinking skills, personalized learning experiences, AI alignment with learning objectives, AI literacy development, and teacher–student interaction. Additionally, the findings reflected current and missing policy solutions to integrate AI ethically and equitably into education, particularly factors impacting the diverse student populations, and means of responsible and accountable AI deployment that consider privacy, data protection, transparency, and bias-blind algorithms. The development of comprehensive education specific AI policies that address the gaps and ensure fair, ethical, and effective AI in classrooms are needed. By analyzing the policy discourse and the text underpinnings of the 2023 Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology’s AI and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations Policy Report, this dissertation concluded with recommendations for future research, and policy recommendations to create a K–12 schooling environment, where AI serves as a purposeful tool to enhance curriculum and pedagogy, improve teaching and learning experiences, foster equity and social inclusion, and ensure ethical considerations in education.","Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2026-02-19 without embargo terms","The student, Noura Anwar, accepted the attached license on 2025-11-19 at 16:28.","The student, Noura Anwar, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-11-19 at 16:58.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-11-21 at 12:27.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22901 on 2026-02-19 at 18:25:07"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132511"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2025 Noura Anwar"],"dc:subject":["AI in Education (AIED)","AI integration in K-12","AIED policy analysis","Critical Policy Discourse Analysis (CPDA)","U.S. AIED policy"],"dc:title":["Integrating artificial intelligence into K-12 teaching and learning: A U.S. critical policy discourse analaysis"],"dc:type":["text","Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:07Z"}