AI and Media Literacy in Teacher Preparation: Navigating Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Teaching Multilingual Students

• In Event: Exploring AI’s Role in Educational Leadership, Teacher Preparation and Program Development

Proposal

Media shapes societal perceptions, making its role in education critical (Kellner & Share, 2019). Grounded in Critical Media Literacy (CML), this study explored how media reflects ideologies, affects power dynamics, and reinforces biases in education (Trope et al., 2021), influencing teachers’ instruction and interactions with multilingual students (Freeman et al., 2021). In Southwest Florida, where the study was conducted, half the public-school students come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (The School District of Lee County, 2023), educators must be trained in media literacy to understand how media and artificial intelligence (AI) perpetuate stereotypes and shape teaching practices toward multilingual learners, rather than focusing solely on core subjects (Lee et al., 2024; Lucas et al., 2024). While research on CML in teacher preparation is expanding (Author, 2024; Marlatt, 2020), studies on its intersection with AI are still limited (Batista, 2024; Söken & Nygreen, 2024). This study examined how AI and media shape pre-service teachers’ views on teaching multilingual learners. It was guided by the question: How do pre-service teachers perceive the role of media and AI in shaping their views on multilingual students?

Method
We employed an instrumental case study approach (Stake, 2005) to explore broader issues through a specific case: an upper-level Foundations of ESOL course at a Southwest Florida university (IRB Protocol #2020-10). The course covered second language acquisition, bilingual education, ESOL policies, and cultural issues, with a unit on teacher attitudes that introduced media literacy and AI. Students participated in discussions, wrote reflections, and prepared case studies based on K-12 observations, providing insights into their perceptions of teaching in diverse classrooms.
The 38 participants were students enrolled in the course in Spring 2024. All but one were female; 28 were monolingual English speakers, and 10 participants were bilingual. They were majoring in Elementary Education (20), Child and Youth Studies (16), and Special Education (2). Informed consent was obtained for using course assignments in research, with provisions for withdrawal from the study without penalty, voluntary participation, and anonymity.
Data collection focused on two assignments selected for their relevance to the research question and purpose of the study: a reading reflection paper (RRP) and responses to a class discussion and activity (CDA) on teacher attitudes, media literacy, and AI. Content analysis was used to organize, code, and categorize data, identifying patterns, relationships, and discourses (Grbich, 2013). Researchers analyzed the data independently and later compared their views to enhance credibility and minimize bias (Denzin, 1989).

Findings
This study identified five themes highlighting the challenges and opportunities of media literacy in teacher education, showing the gaps in teacher preparation and the critical role media and AI play in shaping teachers’ perceptions and classroom practices.

Theme 1: Media’s Role in Shaping Biases and Stereotypes
Pre-service teachers recognized the influence of the media in shaping societal views, especially regarding biases and stereotypes about multilingual students and immigration: “Teachers who lack media literacy skills can indirectly harm their students, especially if teachers believe the fake representation of immigrant students and families” (Student-1, RRP). Participants stressed that media literacy is essential for educators, as media-informed perceptions shape how teachers interact with diverse students: “News stories flood the media with coverage of illegal immigration and the association of immigrants with drugs and terrorism. Someone without strong media literacy skills will be swayed by mainstream media, which affects how we teach these students” (Student-7, CDA).

Theme 2: Is This the Real Life or AI?
The rise of AI-generated content has made distinguishing fact from fake news increasingly difficult. Participants shared instances of struggling to identify real versus AI-created content, highlighting the need for media literacy: “Media literacy would have been helpful when looking at images on social media, like the picture of Donald Trump getting arrested that [the guest teacher] showed in class. It looked so real that anyone could believe it” (Student-4, CDA). Participants emphasized the importance of developing critical analysis skills, recognizing their role as future educators in guiding students through this complex media landscape.

Theme 3: Technology or Media Literacy?
Participants expressed frustration over the lack of media literacy in their education, noting that schools prioritize technology over critical media skills: “I had never heard the term media literacy until our last class. We had computer classes but never learned to critically evaluate information or how it shapes perceptions” (Student-10, CDA). This gap left them unprepared for handling misinformation during events like COVID-19: “Media literacy would have been helpful during COVID. It was hard to tell what was true or fake, especially when things became very political” (Student-8, RRP).

Theme 4: The Impact of Misinformation
Media literacy is crucial for teachers of multilingual students, as lacking these skills perpetuates stereotypes and mis/disinformation, leading to unequal treatment: “Media literacy prevents me from making biased judgments about a student based on media portrayals of their religion or country” (Student-15, CDA). In contrast, teachers with media literacy can challenge stereotypes and create inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms: “Media literacy helps teachers recognize misinformation and foster diversity, leading to more equitable classrooms” (Student-19, RRP).

Theme 5: From Modeling to Classroom Application
Participants stressed the importance of teaching media literacy to students: “One activity can involve students reading three articles on the same event from different perspectives, then discussing overlaps, contradictions, and biases” (Student-3, CDA). Most suggested methods mirrored activities from the media literacy and AI activity, highlighting the role of modeling. Others suggested integrating media literacy into teacher preparation standards: “Integrating media literacy into educator standards would share the responsibility of teaching critical thinking among all educators” (Student-38, RRP).

Significance of the Study
Given media and AI’s influence on pre-service teachers’ perceptions of multilingual students, this study emphasizes the need to integrate CML into teacher education. It contributes to research on media literacy in teacher preparation, highlighting its role in fostering inclusive environments for multilingual learners. The findings suggest that teacher education programs should raise awareness of media and AI influence and provide strategies to incorporate CML, promoting culturally responsive, critical practices for all students.

Authors

• Bruno Halpern, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Clarisse Halpern, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Hasan Aydin, Florida Gulf Coast University