Research Summary: Enhancing pre-service teachers' GenAI literacy and teaching self-efficacy through teacher-guided GenAI use: a quasi-experimental study

A quasi-experimental study published in Frontiers in Education demonstrates that teacher-guided generative AI (GenAI) instruction significantly improves pre-service teachers' GenAI literacy and teaching self-efficacy compared to self-directed use and traditional methods. Evaluating 102 pre-service teachers at a Chinese education college, ANCOVA results confirmed statistically significant treatment effects after adjusting for baseline scores, underscoring the necessity of structured pedagogical intervention over passive technology exposure.

Why it matters

This research demonstrates that access to generative AI tools is insufficient on its own to build professional competence and confidence. Structured, instructor-led frameworks are critical to translating emerging technologies into measurable practitioner capability and self-efficacy. Consequently, institutional strategies must focus on curriculum redesign and guided practice rather than merely provisioning technological access.

Key insights

• Teacher-guided GenAI instruction yielded significant overall positive effects on GenAI literacy (partial η2 = 0.17) and teaching self-efficacy (partial η2 = 0.08) compared to self-directed and traditional conditions.
• The quasi-experimental study evaluated 102 pre-service teachers at a Chinese teacher education college using pretest and posttest measures alongside semi-structured interviews.
• The underlying reporting is partially truncated regarding specific subgroup comparisons ('No signi...'), indicating cautious interpretation is warranted regarding pairwise differences.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1955702