Prioritizing Key Factors of GenAI-Induced Changes in School Education: A Spherical Fuzzy DEMATEL Approach

Wenjun Liu

Authors

Wenjun Liu Anhui Normal University, School of Economics and Management, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5044-861X

Keywords:

Generative artificial intelligence, School education, Spherical fuzzy sets, DEMATEL

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is changing how schools approach student learning, teaching, assessment, and administration. Existing research has identified many of these changes but has provided limited evidence on how they influence one another or which factors warrant priority. This study examines twelve factors associated with GenAI-induced changes in school education using an adapted spherical fuzzy DEMATEL (SF-DEMATEL) procedure. Six teachers from primary, junior secondary, and senior high schools evaluated the direct influences among the factors. Their judgments were aggregated as spherical fuzzy numbers and then converted into real-valued influence scores for subsequent DEMATEL analysis. The findings identify teacher facilitating skills, teacher AI literacy, and AI education in schools as the most prominent factors. Administrative attitude toward GenAI shows the strongest net influence, while teacher AI literacy and teacher curriculum leadership are both central and influential. Interdisciplinary teaching emerges as the strongest net receiver among the factors. These results suggest that clear school-level direction and sustained teacher development may provide a foundation for changes in classroom practice. The study offers a structured basis for prioritizing GenAI-related initiatives in school education.

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