Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence within the UTAUT Model

Abstract

This study aims to examine pre-service teachers’ perceptions of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their learning processes and their intentions to utilize these technologies as future teachers within the framework of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Adopting a qualitative approach, the participants of this research consist of education faculty students studying at a public university in Türkiye. In this context, data were collected from 109 pre-service teachers via written opinion forms and from 6 pre-service teachers through semi-structured interviews. Descriptive findings indicate that all participants reported using AI tools, and half of them reported using these tools a few times a week. Content analysis was employed to derive codes from the data. Codes derived from both written responses and interview data were organized under the themes of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, behavioral intention, and risks and concerns. The findings reveal that students primarily associate the performance expectancy of AI tools with "fast and easy access to information" and "simplified understanding." In terms of effort expectancy, most students found AI tools easy to use, while some students also reported expending effort to verify the accuracy of AI responses. Regarding social influence, participants reported that their AI awareness and usage are shaped significantly by their social environment, particularly by peers and social media. Concerning facilitating conditions, despite the widespread adoption of AI across all fields today, participants emphasized the need for training and curriculum integration to support informed AI use. Although pre-service teachers most frequently intend to use AI for content generation and activity/task design in their future teaching, they expressed significant concerns. These include the potential for AI to promote cognitive laziness, disseminate inaccurate or biased information, negatively affect creativity, and pose risks to data privacy and security. The study concludes that while future educators utilize AI and are willing to integrate it into their practice, they remain cautious, particularly regarding the risk of cognitive laziness. Consequently, it is recommended that AI literacy be integrated into education programs to better prepare future educators for AI-enhanced classrooms.