From March 24 to 26, 2025, the official kick-off of the Horizon Europe project TAICo (Teacher-AI Complementarity) will take place at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum. The TAICo project addresses a pressing challenge at the intersection of education and technology: the ethical and effective integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings to complement and enhance teaching practices and skills and preparing teachers for the use of AI in the classroom.
AI as a Support for Teachers
With the increasing spread of AI technologies in education, the question arises which role AI can take in daily teacher practices. Certain repetitive tasks may be automated, such as grading multiple-choice tests, where AI can take over and a teacher can rely on AI for instant, accurate results. Complex tasks, on the other hand, will be augmented rather than replaced. For example, when managing group work in the classroom, an AI system could monitor each group’s progress in real time, alerting the teacher when a group seems to be off-track or a student is not engaged, and suggesting pedagogical interventions. This is where TAICo comes in: the project aims to develop an evidence-based model for complementary collaboration between teachers and AI, identifying how AI technology can lead to a productive Teacher-AI relationship.
The model will be tested and optimized in various European educational contexts – from primary schools to adult education. More than 200 educators will actively participate in the research process to develop practical guidelines for teachers, policymakers, and the EdTech industry.
When used correctly, AI can support teachers in various ways: it can help create teaching materials efficiently, automatically correct assignments, and provide individual feedback. AI can also adjust the difficulty level of tasks to match students’ performance. Such applications can relieve teachers and give them more time for individual support as well as fostering social and emotional skills.
At the same time, the increasing use of AI in the classroom raises new questions: What role do teachers play when AI is increasingly used? What new requirements arise? What skills do teachers need to responsibly integrate AI into their teaching?
International Collaboration with CAIS Involvement
CAIS is contributing to this ambitious project with researchers from the “Educational Technologies and Artificial Intelligence” program, including Prof. Nikol Rummel and Ann-Christin Falhs. In collaboration with partner institutions from Austria, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, TAICo aims to provide targeted support for teachers through AI technologies – paving the way for future-proof and inclusive education in Europe.
Project Partners:
- University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria (Project Coordination)
- University of Oulu, Finland
- Tallinn University, Estonia
- Radboud University, The Netherlands
- University College London, United Kingdom
- Ruhr University of Bochum, Germany
- European EdTech Alliance, Germany
- Education and Youth Board, Estonia
- European Digital Learning Network (D-LEARN), Italy
- The European Trade Union Committee on Education (ETUCE)
For more information about the project: https://taico-project.eu/