Attitudes Towards the Role of Artificial Intelligence Among Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers: The Moderating Role of Their Self-Directed Learning

Abstract

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), educators’ attitudes towards the role of AI in teaching and learning have been receiving increasing attention in the field of education both in China and abroad. The purpose of this study is to examine pre-service elementary school teachers’ attitudes towards the role of AI in the classroom and whether their selfdirected learning moderates the impact of AI literacy on their attitudes. Two hundred seventy-seven teacher candidates participated in this study. The results show that pre-service teachers have a higher level of AI literacy. However, they lack knowledge of the concepts or technology related to AI. Then, most participants do not believe that the application of AI in teaching involves risks. Males are more skeptical of applying AI in teaching compared to their female counterparts. Finally, AI literacy and self-directed learning are two strong predictors of participants’ attitudes towards AI. Moreover, participants’ self-directed learning moderates the impact of their AI literacy on their attitudes. This study has both theoretical and practical significance, as it explores the factors contributing to participants’ attitudes towards the role of AI in teaching and offers suggestions for AI-integrated teacher training programs.

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