Utilizing AI in Pre-service Teachers’ Learning of Multicultural Instruction

• In Event: Exploring the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Objectives or purposes
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into teacher preparation and professional development is rapidly expanding, with generative AI tools like ChatGPT being increasingly utilized for lesson planning and assessment design. However, AI’s potential in fostering reflective practices among pre-service teachers, particularly in multicultural instruction, remains underexplored. This study explored the feasibilities of incorporating AI into an early childhood teaching methods course, where pre-service teachers independently used AI tools to create children’s picture storybooks promoting multicultural understanding. Through an analysis of teachers’ storybooks and reflective essays, the study aimed to (1) describe pre-service teachers’ competencies independently using AI for professional learning, (2) reveal their perceptions of multicultural experience.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework.
This study employed a High Leverage Teaching Practice (HLTP) framework in teacher development, which focuses on accommodating teachers’ background knowledge and experiences into development of core teaching practices. The core practices fit within existing curriculum and are easy for teachers to implement in realistic classroom contexts (Ball et al., 2009; Grossman et al., 2009). With this approach, pre-service teachers’ reflections inform the process of learning new teaching practice (i.e., multi-cultural responsiveness) and new practices are implemented by leveraging existing classroom experience. Teachers’ reflection on their own implementation experience development of PD training, support the implementation of newly introduced practices.

Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry
Forty-eight pre-service teachers enrolled in an early childhood social study/literacy teaching method course. The teachers first reflected on the challenges of multicultural teaching in class (e.g., finding culturally relevant child story books), and then independently used AI tool of their choices to create a child picture story book for preschoolers. The teachers then wrote reflective essays about how the experience may shape their personal and professional growth. The story books and teachers’ reflection essays were collected for content analyses.

Results
Findings revealed varying levels of AI literacy among participants. While over 50% utilized AI for both text and illustration generation, only 12 produced storybooks with coherent and culturally relevant story plots. Teachers with limited AI skills mainly created stories with non-human characters (e.g., animals) to depict diversity (e.g., global cultures) at superficial levels, whereas those with advanced skills addressed complex themes like interracial family members and friendships. Despite developmental appropriateness in story illustrations, some story texts exceeded preschool reading levels. Teachers’ reflections highlighted AI’s role in facilitating the creation of stories featuring minority characters, though iterative prompting was often necessary. Notably, many teachers drew from personal multicultural experiences (e.g., being a minority or immigrant student in a predominantly Caucasian school (Figure1), suggesting AI’s potential in bridging personal and professional knowledge.

Scholarly Significance
The study underscores AI’s capacity to enhance multicultural teaching efficacy by enabling pre-service teachers to experiment with culturally responsive content creation. It also highlights the need for targeted AI literacy training to maximize pedagogical benefits. By leveraging AI for reflective practice, teacher education programs can better prepare educators to navigate multicultural classrooms with confidence and creativity.

Authors

• Chenyi Zhang, Georgia State University

• Lauren Margulieux, Georgia State University