THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) LITERACY IN PREPARING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into educational contexts has created an urgent imperative for teacher education programs to prepare pre-service teachers who are not merely consumers of AI tools but critical, ethical, and pedagogically adept users. This study investigates the role of AI literacy in preparing pre-service teachers for contemporary classrooms, addressing a critical gap in teacher education research. Employing a mixed-methods case study design grounded in the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and AI Literacy frameworks, the research examines how a structured AI literacy intervention influences pre-service teachers' competencies across technological proficiency, pedagogical compatibility, ethical use, and professional work domains. Data were collected from 75 pre-service teachers across a 14-week intervention using validated instruments and qualitative artifacts. Findings reveal significant gains across all AI literacy dimensions, with the integrated i-TPACK approach demonstrating particular effectiveness in developing ethical discernment and pedagogical reasoning. The study contributes a theoretically grounded model for AI literacy integration in teacher education, offering practical implications for curriculum design, professional development, and policy formulation. Recommendations emphasize embedding AI literacy as a core practice rather than an add-on component, centering professional identity development, and fostering critical engagement with AI technologies.
Keywords: AI Literacy, Pre-Service Teacher Education, TPACK, Generative AI, Teacher Preparation, Ethical AI Integration