Future Learning Design Podcast Can AI reduce teacher workload in Iceland’s schools? A Conversation with Þórdís Jóna Sigurðardóttir
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Mar 21, 2026 Þórdís Jóna Sigurðardóttir, director leading Iceland’s national education policy, discusses a national pilot exploring AI to reduce teacher workload and support equitable learning. She covers Iceland’s diverse school contexts, careful pilot design with unions and partners, tensions between hype and careful learning, and how to evaluate workload, quality and equity.
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High Wellbeing But Falling PISA Scores
- Icelandic schools combine high student wellbeing with declining PISA outcomes, signaling a mismatch between wellbeing and measurable achievement.
- Þórdís Jóna highlights strong belonging and trust but notes rapid declines in PISA scores and rising diversity and workload that may drive the gap.
Raise Pay And Create Flexible Teacher Pathways
- Raise teacher pay and create flexible entry routes to rebuild the profession and attract trainees back into teaching.
- Iceland subsidised the fifth year of teacher training, expanded masters pathways, increased salaries, and strengthened mentoring to reduce attrition.
Centralisation Enables Scaled Digital Support
- Centralising some functions and investing in digitalisation can help small, remote municipalities deliver educational support more efficiently.
- Þórdís Jóna explains Iceland's new centralized Directorate and plans to use digital assessment and tools to assist teachers nationwide.