Artificial intelligence as a factor in the formation of digital competence of future primary school teachers

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to empirically substantiate the role of artificial intelligence as a factor in the formation of digital competence of future primary school teachers, as well as to determine the relationship between the level of use of artificial intelligence tools and the development of technical, methodological, communicative, ethical, and safety components of digital competence among students majoring in Primary Education. To achieve this purpose, a set of complementary empirical research methods was applied, including questionnaires and self-assessment of students aimed at identifying their subjective perception of digital competence and attitudes toward the use of artificial intelligence tools; diagnostic testing of digital literacy developed on the basis of the European DigCompEdu framework and adapted to the training of future primary school teachers; and analysis of students’ learning activities, in particular digital didactic materials, lesson plans, educational cases, and project-based works created using artificial intelligence tools. The research results showed that 76.9% of students use artificial intelligence tools in their learning activities. Among them, the proportion of students with a high level of digital competence reached 52.8%, whereas among students with minimal experience in using artificial intelligence this figure was only 14.7%. Diagnostic testing demonstrated that the average integrated indicator of digital competence among active users of artificial intelligence was 79.2%, compared to 58.6% among students who do not systematically use such tools. The greatest differences were observed in the ability to pedagogically appropriate use of digital tools, critical analysis of results generated by artificial intelligence, and adherence to ethical and safety principles of digital activity. The analysis of learning activities confirmed that students with active experience in using artificial intelligence demonstrate a higher ability to create high-quality educational materials and independently improve them. It has been proven that artificial intelligence is a significant factor in the formation of digital competence of future primary school teachers, contributing to the development of critical thinking, practical digital skills, and readiness for pedagogically justified use of innovative technologies in professional activities. The research findings confirm the expediency of systematic integration of artificial intelligence tools into educational programs for the training of primary school teachers.