SHAPING THE FUTURE OF AI IN EDUCATION: ANALYZING KEY INFLUENCERS ON ROMANIAN TEACHER TRAINEES' WILLINGNESS TO INTEGRATE AI

Аннотация

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have prompted global initiatives, such as UNESCO's 2019 Beijing Consensus, to recommend the integration of AI in educational policies and practices. While existing research often highlights the perspectives of students and teachers on AI in education (AIEd), this study uniquely focuses on the factors influencing the behavioral intention to adopt AI among future primary and secondary school teachers in Romania. Using exploratory quantitative research, data from 270 students at the Faculty of Education, Social Sciences, and Psychology were analyzed through binary logistic regression to examine how their interactions with AI shape their intention to integrate AIEd into their teaching practices. The results reveal that "confidence in personal ability to use AI" and "perception of AI’s advantages" significantly increase the willingness to adopt AI in education, surpassing factors like "prior use," "knowledge level," or "student demands." These insights are critical for revising teacher training programs and shaping educational policies that build future teachers' confidence in using AI, addressing any misconceptions or fears surrounding its implementation.