Keywords
AI training
attitude
reflections on AI use
pre-service teachers
How to Cite
Abstract
Teachers who intend to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their classrooms are expected to possess the necessary competencies and provide appropriate support to their students. Therefore, identifying pre-service teachers’ attitudes and perspectives toward AI is essential for training teachers who can effectively utilize modern technologies. The aim of this study is to determine pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward AI, analyze them across various variables, and reveal the importance of AI use in education from the perspective of the sample. The study was conducted in two sequential phases using a descriptive survey model. In the first phase, the General Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence Scale was administered to 658 pre-service teachers. In the second phase, a group of 90 pre-service teachers selected from the initial sample received a structured AI training program focused on AI literacy, the integration of AI into educational settings, instructional design with AI, and sample classroom applications. Following the training program, the AI Integration Reflection Form, consisting of four open-ended questions, was administered to these 90 participants. While the quantitative data collected from the scale were analyzed using statistical methods, the responses to the AI Integration Reflection Form were analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers had high levels of positive attitudes and low levels of negative attitudes toward AI. In terms of gender, male participants demonstrated more positive attitudes than female participants. The analysis of the open-ended responses revealed that pre-service teachers mainly emphasized the benefits of AI integration in education. Additionally, it was found that although many participants had prior experience with AI, they were positively influenced by the training and believed it would contribute to improving their performance. Furthermore, pre-service teachers reported that they did not perceive AI as a threat in learning environments and believed that it operated with minimal errors.
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