The Role of Integrated TPACK in Empowering Pre-Service Teachers and Shaping Their Attitudes Toward Generative AI in Teaching

This study examined whether pre-service teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) integrated with generative AI is associated with their attitudes toward generative AI. Using a cross-sectional questionnaire, data were collected from a convenience sample of 988 pre-service teachers in Egypt and Oman. A 33-item instrument measured Technological Knowledge (TK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), integrated TPACK, and, with a single item, attitudes toward generative AI. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted. The four-factor model showed acceptable fit and convergent validity, but discriminant validity was not supported (HTMT = 0.92–0.99), and the predictors were highly collinear (VIF up to 10.42). TCK (β = 0.67, p < 0.001) and TPK (β = 0.41, p = 0.025) predicted integrated TPACK, whereas TK did not (β = −0.10, p = 0.066); given the overlap among constructs, these individual paths are tentative. Integrated TPACK was strongly associated with the single-item attitude measure (β = 0.75, p < 0.001; R2 = 0.563). Gender differences did not survive Holm correction, and academic-year differences were medium in size. Teacher preparation programs may benefit from integrating AI with pedagogy and content, and future work should use performance-based measures and multi-item attitude scales.