Day, Michael James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9612-2595 (2026) Can artificial intelligence replace human teachers? Preservice teachers’ perspectives on AI in education through the TPACK framework. Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2 (1). pp. 147-168. ISSN 3049-5474 (Online) (doi:10.1108/AIIE-08-2025-0216)

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Abstract

Purpose
This study investigates how preservice teachers perceive the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a non-human instructor in both higher education (HE) and mainstream school contexts. It also examines their views on the potential for AI to replace human teachers in the professional workforce and the broader impact of AI on teaching and learning delivery.
Design/methodology/approach
A participatory research design was employed with preservice teachers enrolled in a postgraduate education degree programme at a university in China. Data collected from 76 participants via a virtual learning environment (VLE) classroom online forum were analysed through thematic analysis. 48 comments and discussion threads were identified to capture prevailing attitudes, with the TPACK framework serving as a heuristic analytical lens.
Findings
Preservice teachers expressed interest in the pedagogical possibilities of AI, particularly its capacity to support and enhance instructional practices. However, they remained sceptical about AI’s ability to replicate the nuanced, relational and context-sensitive roles of human educators. The study, therefore, recommends positioning AI as a collaborative tool in teaching, rather than as a replacement for human teachers. These findings are drawn from a larger study examining participants’ views of their future as educators alongside their evolving uses of AI technologies, online habits and gamification practices. This means responses reported were contextualised within a broader pattern of AI literacy and digital nativity.
Originality/value
This research contributes to emerging discourse on AI integration in education by providing context-specific insights into how preservice teachers in global educational contexts envision the future of teaching in a post-digital era. It highlights the importance of balancing technological innovation with the irreplaceable human elements of education.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Artificial Intelligence, preservice teachers, TPACK framework, AI literacy, Higher Education
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Professional Workforce Development Information & Library Services
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2026 08:43
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52883

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