Generative Artificial Intelligence and professional learning in initial teacher education: findings from a longitudinal study of PME student teachers during school placement
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Date
2026-08-20
Authors
Neville, Craig
Chadwick, Lorraine
Conlon, Caroline
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Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
Purpose Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), hereinafter referred to as Artificial Intelligence (AI), is becoming an increasingly significant feature of contemporary education, including Initial Teacher Education (ITE). While much attention in higher education has focused on academic integrity, assessment and student use of AI in written assignments, less is known about how student teachers (STs) engage with AI during school placement as part of their professional learning. This report presents findings from the SATLE-funded project ‘Smart Support? AI-Assisted Placement’, which explored how STs use AI, how they perceive its value and risks, and how their AI literacies, competencies, values and attitudes develop across one year of the PME programme at University College Cork. The study focused particularly on AI use in the practicum context, where STs are required to plan lessons, create resources, respond to learner needs, reflect on teaching and engage in professional dialogue with tutors, ITE educators and cooperating teachers (CTs) / (treoraithe). The project was designed to move beyond broad questions about whether STs use AI and instead examine how AI is being used, why it is being used, how it is interpreted across different disciplines and what this means for teacher education. The study focused in depth on three contrasting subject areas: Business Studies (BS), Home Economics (HE) and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). These subjects were selected because they represent different pedagogical traditions and professional demands: content-driven, skills-based and practically oriented. Methodology The project adopted a longitudinal, mixed-methods and multi-stakeholder research design. This design enabled the research team to examine patterns of AI use over time while also capturing the meanings, tensions and professional judgements that participants attached to AI during school placement. Quantitative data were generated through baseline and end-of-year questionnaires with PME students and school placement tutors. These questionnaires explored participants’ technological confidence, AI knowledge, AI literacy, AI competence, AI tool use and future intentions regarding AI. The qualitative component included ST focus groups, AI-integrated assignments, stimulated recall sessions, ITE educator and tutor focus groups, and a collaborative hackathon involving STs and CTs. Three discipline-specific student focus groups were conducted with BS, HE and MFL STs. First year BS, HE and MFL PME students also completed an AI-integrated assignment in which they generated an AI-assisted lesson plan using Microsoft Copilot, adapted that output into their own lesson planning and reflected critically on the opportunities and limitations of AI. Later in the year, stimulated recall sessions used these assignments as prompts to explore STs’ decision-making in greater depth. The project also incorporated the perspectives of ITE educators, school placement tutors and CTs. Tutor questionnaires and focus groups provided insight into how educators interpreted ST AI use, while the hackathon explored how AI might support professional dialogue between CTs and STs. This multi-method design allowed the project to triangulate STs, tutors, ITE educators and CTs perspectives, producing a richer account than would have been possible through any single data source.
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© 2026, the Authors.
Keywords
Generative Artificial Intelligence , Initial Teacher Education , PME programme , [Education]
Citation
Neville, C, Chadwick, L & Conlon, C 2026, Generative Artificial Intelligence and professional learning in initial teacher education: findings from a longitudinal study of PME student teachers during school placement. University College Cork.
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