TEACHING THE TEACHERS: GENAI AS A CATALYST FOR DIGITAL COMPETENCE IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

Pre-service teachers must acquire critical knowledge and skills to navigate the complexities of teaching and the challenges of their initial professional experiences. Incorporating multimedia formats, such as digital self-representations, as tools for assessment can foster deeper reflection on their emerging professional identities. The growing presence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in content creation introduces new opportunities for enhancing teacher education. GenAI can stimulate metaphorical thinking, enabling students to conceptualise and express their professional roles more creatively and meaningfully. Moreover, introducing GenAI to future teachers lays the foundation for developing essential digital skills, which are increasingly central to modern teaching and learning environments. This study builds on previous research involving 26 final-year education students who engaged with GenAI in a blended learning context to create multimedia representations of themselves as teacher-researchers. Students received an online introduction to GenAI, followed by a hands-on workshop. Findings from the initial phase revealed that most students chose not to use GenAI, citing personal preference, limited knowledge, and trust in traditional tools. These students valued originality and manual creation, preferring familiar platforms. In contrast, a smaller group adopted GenAI, driven by curiosity and perceived benefits such as ease of use, creative support, and opportunities to enhance digital literacy. Further analysis of survey data provides insights into participants' engagement with course resources and experiences. While 92% viewed the introductory video, only 42% attended the workshop; of these, 63% subsequently used GenAI in their projects. Qualitative responses highlight varying perceptions: some students found the video inspiring and used it to explore AI in educational or personal contexts, while others, despite interest, reverted to known tools. The workshop experience was widely appreciated for introducing new platforms and offering practical experimentation. Students recognized the importance of crafting clear, detailed prompts to communicate effectively with AI tools and achieve desired results. However, the significant time required for learning and experimenting with GenAI was noted as a key barrier. Importantly, students expressed awareness of GenAI's broader potential in education, particularly for designing engaging and explanatory content. Positive feedback on peer presentations and instructor guidance underscores the value of collaborative, supported learning in building GenAI competence. This study highlights the urgent need to embed GenAI literacy and digital competence development into initial teacher education. As AI tools become more integrated into educational practice, equipping pre-service teachers with the skills to critically and creatively engage with these technologies is essential. Beyond technical proficiency, fostering reflective, ethical, and pedagogical understanding of GenAI use will prepare future educators to harness its full potential in dynamic, learner-centred ways.