Australian teachers are leading the way in AI. Here’s how HPE can stay ahead

A recent article in The Conversation highlighted that Australian teachers are among the highest users of AI in classrooms worldwide. Around two-thirds of lower-secondary teachers here have already experimented with AI tools, almost double the OECD average (see OECD’s latest Teaching and Learning International Survey).

It got us thinking, if teachers are already embracing AI, how can we help them do it well?

Curiosity is high, now comes the confidence

The data shows teachers are using AI mostly for planning and preparation, but not yet for deeper tasks like feedback or assessment. That tells us teachers are open to innovation but still looking for trusted, education-specific guidance.

For Health and Physical Education (HPE) in particular, AI offers enormous potential to personalise student activities, streamline lesson prep, and free up more time for what really matters: meaningful, active learning experiences.

The next step is helping them move from experimentation to mastery, from generating a quick idea to using AI as a genuine teaching partner that enhances learning outcomes.

For schools, that means future-proofing your programs with staff who are confident, supported and innovative. For individual teachers, it means saving time, deepening impact, and staying at the forefront of education practice.

From early adopters to confident leaders

Now’s the time to build on that momentum and use AI not just to save time, but to strengthen teaching practice and enrich student engagement.

In HPE, AI can be a real game-changer. Imagine:

• Creating differentiated fitness programs for students in seconds
• Generating personalised reflection prompts that build health literacy
• Using AI to design warm-ups, activities or assessment rubrics aligned with curriculum outcomes
• Streamlining lesson planning so you can spend less time on admin and more time connecting with students

These are practical, immediate ways AI can support the day-to-day work of HPE teachers, not abstract future promises.

Using AI well, not just using AI

At Active Education Australia (AEA), we believe the goal isn’t simply to adopt the latest tools, but to use them well. AI is only as effective as the professional judgement and pedagogical thinking that shapes it. That’s why our focus is on enabling teachers through:

• Quality HPE resources designed to work alongside AI, ready-to-use lesson plans, activities and templates that make it easy to integrate new tools confidently.
• Professional learning that builds understanding of how to use AI ethically and effectively, with examples tailored specifically to HPE contexts.
• Ongoing support and community, because the best ideas come from teachers sharing what works.

We’re ready to help HPE teachers harness AI thoughtfully and confidently. Every AEA resource is professionally designed by educators and rigorously reviewed by our Quality Assurance team to ensure what reaches your classroom is aligned to the curriculum, factually accurate, inclusive, and pedagogically sound.

Our products, resources and professional learning are designed to do exactly what the OECD survey results point to, empowering teachers who are already curious and capable, but ready for the next step. Because AI in education isn’t about replacing teachers, it’s about re-energising the way we teach.

Check out a range of sessions we have coming up at #ACHPERVIC25 or take a look at some of our resources.