The antecedents of pre-service teachers’ AI literacy: perceptions about own AI driven applications, attitude towards AI and knowledge in machine learning
Jari Laru, İsmail Çelik, Iiris Jokela, Kati Mäkitalo
Abstract
This study explores the relationships between pre-service teachers’ perceptions of AI tools, their attitudes towards AI, and their AI literacy competencies. Specifically, it examines how perceived characteristics of the GenAI Teachable Machine (GenAI TM) and attitudes towards AI influence key dimensions of AI literacy, including technical understanding, critical evaluation, and practical application. Findings indicate that technical understanding and critical evaluation significantly contribute to the practical application of AI. Additionally, a positive attitude towards AI enhances its integration into daily and professional life, while fear does not significantly hinder AI literacy. Perceived usefulness fosters critical appraisal, and acceptance of AI positively influences its practical application. These results offer insights into the factors shaping AI literacy and provide guidance for designing teacher education programmes that effectively integrate AI-related competencies into pre-service teacher training.