For much of the previous decade, advocates of education technology imagined a classroom where computer algorithms would differentiate instruction for each student, delivering just the right lessons at the right time, like a personal tutor. The evidence that students learn better this way has not been strong and, instead, we're reading reports that technology use at school sometimes hurts student achievement. So it was interesting to see McKinsey & Co., an elite consulting firm, reframe the argument for buying education technology away from computerized instruction to something more pedestrian: saving teachers time. A January 2020 report by the firm estimated that between 20 and 40 percent of the 50 hours that a typical teacher currently works a week could be saved through existing automation technology, often enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). That adds up to 13 saved hours a week, hours of freedom that could help relieve teacher burnout.

Teachers spend about 20% to 40% of their time--or about 13 hours a week--on activities that could be automated using technology, according to a new report on artificial intelligence by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Preparation time has the biggest potential for automation, making teachers more effective and efficient in lesson planning. For instance, adaptive math software lets teachers more quickly and accurately assess student performance, place learners in groups and provide the next assignments. Collaboration platforms, meanwhile, allow teachers to share relevant materials. "Technology has the least potential to save teacher time in areas where teachers are directly engaging with students: direct instruction and engagement, coaching and advisement, and behavioral-, social-, and emotional-skill development," the report found.

The teaching profession is under siege. Working hours for teachers are increasing as student needs become more complex and administrative and paperwork burdens increase. According to a recent McKinsey survey, conducted in a research partnership with Microsoft, teachers are working an average of 50 hours a week 1 1. While most teachers report enjoying their work, they do not report enjoying the late nights marking papers, preparing lesson plans, or filling out endless paperwork. Burnout and high attrition rates are testaments to the very real pressures on teachers.