2026-2027 Faculty Research Grants

Lori Imasiku (Education). 

Increasing Teacher Agency Through the Localization of Generative AI Lesson-Planning in Low-Resource Zambian Schools.

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents new possibilities for instructional planning worldwide; however, its application in low-resource education settings remains underexamined. AI systems typically generate materials grounded in Western data, which often do not align with local national standards or cultural practices and realities. This study explores how Zambian community school teachers create and adapt AI-generated lesson plans to fit local curricular objectives, multi-grade classrooms, and limited material resources. This pilot study uses a mixed-methods approach to introduce a contextually trained custom GPT for the purposes of instructional planning. Community school teachers in Lusaka will participate in a professional development workshop introducing the tool and modeling strategies for adapting AI-generated content to their classroom realities. Data from pre- and post-surveys and lesson plans will examine shifts in teacher confidence, planning efficiency, perceived barriers, and instructional decision-making. By focusing on teacher agency rather than technological replacement, this research reframes AI integration as an interpretive and ethical practice. The findings will contribute to scholarship on global educational technology, teacher professional development, and equitable AI implementation in low-resource contexts, while laying groundwork for larger-scale international research initiatives.