Context:
Since the rise of generative AI (GenAI) in form of ChatGPT in the end of year 2022, numerous processes in our society have transformed, including education. The studies about adoption and integration of GenAI tools in school mark a significant shift, introducing opportunities to enhance teaching methodologies, reduce time for administrative tasks, personalize learning experiences, and improve academic performance. Some schools, states or countries have issued guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence tools, but mostly teachers are free to explore the opportunities and challenges of GenAI.

Purpose or goal:
By investigating the current use of available GenAI tools in K-12 (pre-primary school to secondary school) teachers’ work, we aim to identify the current state and specify how these tools can enhance teaching practices, improve student engagement, and support educators in delivering more effective and personalized education. It is also crucial to identify the challenges teachers encounter when integrating GenAI tools into their work.

Approach:
In five focus group discussions we engaged educators from all educational levels and from diverse fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Design and Technology, Natural Sciences, Native (Latvian) Language and Literature, Foreign Languages, and Extracurricular Education (N=29). Discussions took place in June 2024. Respondents were representatives from selected schools, who were recommended as pioneers in using GenAI in their work. All interviews were recorded, answers transcribed and data analyzed both by the subject area and educational level and the teachers’ work functions.

Results:
The focus groups highlighted GenAI tools most frequently used in teachers’ work in school year 2023/2024. We noticed that they used each of the GenAI tools for certain tasks – generating texts, preparing lesson plans, creating visualizations, presentations, providing feedback. In some cases prioritizing one GenAI tool over others was not based on personal experience and knowledge but was rooted in unverified information in social networks or other media. Attitudes towards students’ using GenAI tools were mixed due to lack of knowledge how to safely and effectively use these tools in their teaching.

Conclusions/Discussion:
GenAI tools are increasingly integrated into K-12 teachers’ work, offering significant benefits in lesson planning, assignment creation, and other tasks. However, challenges such as safety, lack of knowledge and skills, lack of methodological approaches remain. Due to lack of knowledge of safe integration of GenAI tools in teaching, educators' attitudes towards AI in learning vary, impacting its implementation and transparency in the classroom. In light of the paradigm shift in education, it is crucial to establish guidelines regarding the advantages, capabilities, and risks associated with various GenAI tools. This responsibility should not be placed solely on individual teachers.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, generative AI, K-12, AI tools, education, teaching, Latvia.