INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 2173
DEVELOPING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
THROUGH THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Adashova Sarvinoz Rasuljon qizi
Namangan State Pedagogical Institute junior researcher (PhD candidate)
Phone number; +998936723491
Abstract:
In the era of rapid technological advancement, the integration of artificial
intelligence (AI) into the education system is becoming increasingly essential. This article
explores the impact of AI-based tools and platforms on the development of professional
competence among pre-service teachers. The research emphasizes how AI can enhance
pedagogical, digital, and reflective competencies by offering personalized learning experiences,
intelligent tutoring systems, and real-time feedback mechanisms.
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, professional competence, pre-service teachers, teacher
education, digital pedagogy, AI in education, personalized learning, educational technology.
Introduction:
The unprecedented advancement of digital technologies over the past two
decades has fundamentally transformed the landscape of education worldwide. Among these
technological innovations, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a particularly powerful
tool, revolutionizing the ways in which information is disseminated, absorbed, and assessed. As
societies shift toward knowledge-based economies, the integration of AI into educational
environments is no longer optional but imperative. This evolution is particularly critical in
teacher education, where the cultivation of professional competence is central to preparing
future educators to meet the complex demands of 21st-century classrooms. The term
"professional competence" in the context of pre-service teacher education encapsulates a broad
set of cognitive, technical, ethical, and reflective capacities that empower educators to perform
their duties effectively and adaptively. According to the European Commission [1], teacher
competence comprises three principal domains: subject knowledge, pedagogical expertise, and
professional attitudes and values. The rapid digitization of education has added a new layer to
this framework—digital competence—which is now indispensable in modern pedagogical
practice. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to reinforce and accelerate competence
development across all these domains, particularly through personalized learning environments,
real-time performance feedback, adaptive assessment systems, and intelligent tutoring
platforms. The World Economic Forum’s "Future of Jobs Report" (2023) identified that over 85
million jobs may be displaced by automation and AI by 2025, while 97 million new roles more
adapted to the new division of labor between humans, machines, and algorithms will emerge.
Education, particularly teacher training, is at the nexus of this transformation. Teachers are not
only expected to impart knowledge but also to prepare students for careers that may not yet
exist. As such, it becomes paramount that teacher preparation programs leverage AI-driven
methodologies to enrich pre-service teachers’ capabilities in navigating both current and future
pedagogical contexts. Globally, the integration of AI in education is gaining momentum. In the
United States, approximately 60% of higher education institutions reported incorporating AI
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 2174
tools in teacher training curricula by 2022 [2]. In China, AI-supported educational systems have
been piloted across 300 schools, leading to a measurable improvement in student performance
and teacher efficacy [3]. In Finland—a country renowned for its educational innovation—the
national teacher education strategy now mandates exposure to AI-based technologies as part of
pre-service training. Such global trends underscore the transformative role of AI and the
urgency of aligning teacher education programs with these emerging realities. Despite growing
recognition of AI’s potential, there remains a substantial gap in literature and practice regarding
its systematic application in developing professional competencies among pre-service teachers.
Most teacher education programs remain anchored in traditional didactic models, which often
fail to leverage the benefits of adaptive, data-driven technologies. Consequently, many
graduates enter the workforce ill-prepared for the digitally mediated environments they will
encounter. This disconnect is particularly concerning given the findings of the UNESCO Global
Education Monitoring Report [4], which warned that failure to integrate digital tools in teacher
preparation could exacerbate educational inequalities and undermine quality standards.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed profound vulnerabilities in global education
systems, pushing institutions toward emergency remote teaching. During this period, AI
technologies such as automated grading systems, AI tutors, and natural language processing
chatbots played a crucial role in ensuring learning continuity. However, the lack of pre-existing
digital competence among many educators—particularly novice teachers—significantly
impeded their ability to utilize these tools effectively. This crisis emphasized the urgent need
for forward-thinking pedagogical models that embed AI literacy as a foundational component
of teacher education. To conceptualize the integration of AI in teacher training, it is necessary
to understand the multidimensional nature of both professional competence and AI applications.
Professional competence, as conceptualized by Shulman [5], includes pedagogical content
knowledge (PCK), curricular knowledge, and knowledge of learners. AI can augment each of
these components. For example, intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) can simulate diverse learning
profiles, enabling pre-service teachers to practice differentiated instruction in virtual
environments. Similarly, machine learning algorithms can analyze teaching performance data to
provide tailored feedback, thereby fostering reflective practice and continuous improvement.
Moreover, AI-driven platforms such as IBM Watson Education, Squirrel AI, and Google’s AI
Experiments offer scalable opportunities for pre-service teachers to engage in experiential
learning. These tools can support lesson planning, student assessment, and classroom
management—core competencies essential to professional practice. Research by Holmes et al.
(2022) indicates that pre-service teachers who engage with AI-supported simulations
demonstrate greater confidence in instructional decision-making and a deeper understanding of
learner variability. Nonetheless, the integration of AI into teacher education is not without
challenges. Ethical considerations concerning data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the
dehumanization of the educational process warrant careful scrutiny. For instance, Binns et al. [6]
emphasize that uncritical adoption of AI may reinforce existing inequities if the underlying data
sets reflect historical biases. Thus, fostering AI literacy among pre-service teachers must go
beyond technical proficiency and include critical engagement with the ethical dimensions of
technology use. In addition, institutional barriers such as limited infrastructure, lack of trained
faculty, and insufficient policy frameworks often hinder the effective implementation of AI in
teacher education, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The Digital Education
Readiness Index (DERI) published by the OECD (2022) ranked over 45% of teacher education
programs in developing countries as "digitally underprepared." These findings indicate that the
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 2175
success of AI integration depends on systemic reforms and sustained investment in educational
technology ecosystems[7]. Another pressing concern is the digital divide. The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) reported in 2022 that approximately 2.9 billion people—
primarily from developing regions—remain offline. This digital exclusion disproportionately
affects pre-service teachers in rural and marginalized communities, limiting their access to AI-
based training tools.
Literature Review:
Seiji Isotani and Allison Littlejohn have each made substantial
scholarly contributions to the discourse on employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for
strengthening professional competencies of pre-service teachers. Although their foci vary—
from the design of intelligent tutoring systems to broader AI literacy frameworks—their
findings converge on the necessity of embedding AI systematically into teacher education and
rigorously evaluating its efficacy. Seiji Isotani, a Japanese–Brazilian computer scientist and
educator at the University of São Paulo and Harvard University, has authored over 200 peer-
reviewed articles in AI in education[8]. His research demonstrates that well-designed AI-driven
pedagogies can narrow achievement gaps, especially among underserved communities, by up to
35% in controlled trials that use intelligent tutoring systems and gamified learning
environments. His studies emphasize a data-driven, contextualized approach, where adaptive
feedback loops not only reinforce content mastery but also nurture students’ metacognitive and
motivational skills—competencies vital for pre-service teachers preparing to foster autonomy in
learners. Moreover, Isotani’s leadership in the International Society for Artificial Intelligence in
Education underscores his role in shaping policy around equitable, evidence-based AI in
education[9]. While Isotani’s work focuses on technological scaffolding for learner-centered
outcomes, Allison Littlejohn, Professor of Learning Technology at University College London,
offers a complementary perspective by examining how AI literacy integrates with professional
identity and digital competence in teacher education. Her research indicates that digital learning
ecosystems incorporating AI components lead to a statistically significant 27% increase in pre-
service teachers’ self-efficacy regarding technology integration—especially when situated in
communities of practice involving peer collaboration, reflection, and mentorship[10].
According to her surveys across five British institutions, pre-service teachers who engaged in at
least four AI-enhanced modules reported a 22% higher likelihood of planning AI-infused
lessons during practicum, as compared to those exposed to traditional face-to-face instruction.
Methodology:
This study employed a mixed-methods research design to investigate the
effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in developing professional competence among
pre-service teachers. The methodology was selected to provide both statistical validation and
rich, contextual understanding of how AI contributes to competence formation across cognitive,
pedagogical, and technological domains. The research was conducted over a 12-week period at
two pedagogical universities, involving a total of 64 pre-service teachers, who were divided
equally into an experimental group and a control group using stratified sampling techniques to
ensure demographic balance. The quantitative component of the study followed a quasi-
experimental pre-test/post-test design. Participants in the experimental group were exposed to
AI-assisted instructional modules, including intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), automated
feedback platforms, and virtual classroom simulations. The control group followed traditional
teacher education methods without AI integration. Competency development was measured
using a validated rubric based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 2176
framework and the European Commission’s DigCompEdu model. Data analysis included
paired t-tests and ANOVA to determine statistical significance, with results indicating a 29.4%
improvement (p < 0.01) in overall competence scores in the experimental group compared to a
10.7% improvement in the control group. The qualitative component involved semi-structured
interviews with 20 participants from the experimental group to gather in-depth perceptions of
their experiences with AI tools. Interview questions explored themes such as perceived skill
improvement, reflective practices, technological confidence, and ethical concerns. Data were
transcribed and coded using NVivo software, and analyzed through grounded theory
methodology. Emerging themes suggested that AI-enhanced training increased pre-service
teachers’ confidence in lesson planning, classroom decision-making, and differentiated
instruction. In addition, learning analytics collected from the AI platforms (e.g., average
engagement time, error rates, and adaptive response data) were used to triangulate quantitative
and qualitative findings. For instance, session log data revealed that participants using adaptive
AI platforms spent on average 34% more time on reflective teaching modules compared to
those in the control group. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review boards
of the participating universities, and all participants provided informed consent. To ensure
reliability and validity, instruments were piloted and reviewed by a panel of experts in
educational technology and pedagogy. This multi-dimensional methodological approach
allowed the study to not only assess the measurable impact of AI on professional competence
but also understand the nuanced ways in which pre-service teachers interact with, and are
shaped by, intelligent educational technologies.
Results:
The empirical findings of this study reveal that the integration of artificial
intelligence-based instructional tools within pre-service teacher training programs produced
statistically significant gains across multiple dimensions of professional competence, with
participants in the experimental group demonstrating a 29.4% increase (p < 0.01) in
pedagogical content knowledge application, a 33.7% enhancement in digital literacy as
measured by the European Digital Competence Framework (DigCompEdu), and a 26.1%
improvement in reflective teaching practices based on post-intervention self-assessment surveys,
while system-generated analytics from AI learning platforms indicated elevated engagement
levels (mean session duration increased from 22 to 37 minutes) and adaptive mastery
progressions across instructional design modules, thereby confirming the hypothesis that AI-
supported environments not only augment pre-service teachers’ instructional planning efficacy
but also catalyze their cognitive flexibility, technological self-efficacy, and capacity for real-
time pedagogical decision-making.
Discussion:
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into teacher education has
sparked considerable academic debate, with divergent views emerging on its pedagogical value
and long-term implications for professional competence development. On one side of the
discourse, Professor Neil Selwyn of Monash University remains cautiously skeptical of the
over-enthusiastic adoption of AI in education. In his widely cited work, Should Robots Replace
Teachers? (2019), Selwyn argues that the use of AI in teacher training risks reducing the
educational process to datafication and algorithmic control, potentially undermining the
relational, ethical, and critically reflective components of teacher identity formation. According
to his empirical survey involving 362 Australian educators, only 41% believed AI enhances
their pedagogical creativity, while 67% expressed concern about increased surveillance and
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 06,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 2177
reduction in professional autonomy (Selwyn, 2020). He posits that although AI may improve
task efficiency, it lacks the capacity to model the emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning, and
social responsiveness that are central to human-centered teaching. Contrastingly, Professor
Rose Luckin of University College London presents an optimistic counter-narrative. In her
book Machine Learning and Human Intelligence (2018), she articulates a framework wherein
AI is not a replacement for teachers but an amplifier of human potential, particularly in
cultivating adaptive expertise and professional self-regulation among pre-service educators.
Drawing upon longitudinal data from the EDUCATE project—a research-to-practice initiative
involving over 100 edtech startups and 1,200 trainee teachers—Luckin demonstrates that AI-
enhanced environments can increase student-teacher diagnostic accuracy by 36% and improve
reflective metacognition by 28% when coupled with mentorship-based interpretive feedback.
Her model of "co-agency," where AI assists rather than directs, encourages pre-service teachers
to make informed decisions, reflect on pedagogical actions in real time, and manage classroom
diversity more effectively. This polemic encapsulates a broader tension within the educational
technology discourse: whether AI serves as an emancipatory tool or a reductive instrument of
control. While Selwyn emphasizes the risks of pedagogical de-skilling and data overreach,
Luckin highlights the transformative potential of AI as a co-constructive partner in professional
growth. The current study’s findings lend partial support to both views—demonstrating
statistically significant gains in competence development through AI-supported modules, yet
also revealing participant concerns over depersonalization and data ethics. Thus, future research
must aim for a balanced integration strategy that promotes both technological fluency and
pedagogical authenticity, ensuring AI is leveraged not at the expense of, but in service to, the
humanistic mission of education.
Conclusion: T
his study has demonstrated that the strategic integration of artificial
intelligence into pre-service teacher education has significant potential to enhance professional
competence across cognitive, technological, and reflective dimensions. The findings underscore
that AI-based tools—when thoughtfully implemented—can facilitate personalized learning
experiences, provide data-informed feedback, and support the development of essential 21st-
century teaching skills such as adaptability, digital literacy, and critical decision-making. The
mixed-methods approach revealed both quantitative improvements in instructional planning and
digital competency, as well as qualitative insights into increased pedagogical confidence and
reflective practice. However, the discourse surrounding AI in teacher education remains
complex and contested.
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ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
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Journal:
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