Machine teaching? Teachers’ professional agency in the age of algorithmic tools in education

Algorithmic tools promise solutions to educational challenges by automating core teaching tasks. This shift disrupts the traditional role of teachers and the distribution of agency between humans and machines in education. The article explores this shift using a case study on the use of an algorithmic system by teachers in Swiss secondary schools, identifying three key dimensions of agency affected by algorithmic tools: expertise, autonomy, and accountability. Teachers must now justify decisions that deviate from automated systems, defend their professional autonomy against companies offering (seemingly) superior results, and face complexities in accountability, as it becomes distributed across various actors. The shift in teachers’ professional agency thus becomes visible as ambiguous and contested, defying notions of a simple replacement of teachers by algorithmic systems.