The aim of this study is to examine the attitudes of prospective primary school teachers toward artificial intelligence applications and to explore their perspectives on the use of these technologies. Employing a descriptive survey design, which is one of the quantitative research methods, the study was supported by qualitative data to enhance the depth and scope of the findings. Quantitative data were collected using the “Artificial Intelligence Attitude Scale,” developed by Aktay, Gök, and Yıldırım (2024), comprising 13 items. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interview questions developed by the researcher, consisting of four open-ended items. The quantitative phase of the study involved 165 prospective primary school teachers enrolled at a public university in Turkey. In the qualitative phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants from the same institution. The findings revealed that, overall, the participants exhibited a generally positive and moderate attitude toward artificial intelligence. However, this attitude did not vary significantly based on variables such as gender, year of study, prior exposure to AI education, or use of AI tools in coursework. In contrast, the frequency of encountering AI-related content on social media was found to have a statistically significant influence on participants’ attitudes. Furthermore, the qualitative findings indicated that prospective teachers perceive AI-supported educational tools as beneficial for enhancing learning processes at the primary education level and for reducing teachers’ workload. At the same time, participants demonstrated an emerging awareness of the potential risks associated with these technologies.
Artificial intelligence, educational technologies, pre-service teacher, attitude.