School Leadership and Teacher Training for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Education

Abstract

This study aimed to determine how school leadership contributes to strengthening teacher training for the use of artificial intelligence in an educational institution located in Puerto López, Manabí Province, Ecuador. The research adopted a quantitative approach with a descriptive scope and a non-experimental cross-sectional design. The population and sample consisted of fifteen teachers selected through census sampling. Data were collected using a structured twenty-item questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale, validated through expert judgment, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that most teachers use artificial intelligence tools in their teaching activities and hold a positive perception of their usefulness for improving lesson planning, educational resource development, and teaching and learning processes. The results also showed that institutional support, effective school leadership, and continuous professional development opportunities facilitate the pedagogical integration of these technologies, although limitations related to teacher training and digital competencies remain. The study concludes that school leadership plays a strategic role in promoting educational innovation by encouraging continuous training programs and pedagogical support that enable the responsible, ethical, and effective integration of artificial intelligence into teaching practice.