Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Public Schools: Implications for Digital Equity and Administrative Effectiveness

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is steadily moving from the margins to the everyday work of schools, speeding up paperwork, shaping decisions through data, and opening new ways to support learning. Yet in Philippine public schools, the promise of AI is often filtered through a familiar reality: uneven connectivity, limited devices, and varying levels of digital readiness. This phenomenological study examined how teachers and administrators in selected public secondary schools in Sarangani Province experienced AI integration and what these experiences imply for digital equity and administrative effectiveness. Anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI), the study engaged principals, ICT coordinators, and teachers through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, findings showed that AI was valued for easing lesson preparation, automating routine tasks, supporting personalized instruction, and sparking creative, data-informed teaching. At the same time, structural barriers, unreliable internet, device shortages, and gaps in AI literacy limited equitable access and consistent classroom use. Participants also raised ethical and cognitive concerns, including overdependence and the risk of inaccurate outputs. Despite these constraints, schools practiced equity-driven adjustments such as teacher upskilling and alternative learning materials for learners without devices. Overall, the study highlights a clear tension in Sarangani public schools: AI can amplify efficiency and innovation, but without stronger infrastructure, capacity-building, and responsible governance, it may also widen existing digital gaps.

Educational Management

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