Pre-service English Teachers’ Perceptions of ChatGPT in a Primary Education Degree Program

The objective of this study was to examine pre-service English teachers’ perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool for supporting academic tasks in their university studies, as well as their views on its potential use in Primary Education. The data were collected via an ad hoc questionnaire administered to a sample of sixty-seven students enrolled in the final year of a Primary Education Degree at a Spanish university. Regarding the main findings, participants reported frequent use of ChatGPT in academic work, mainly when it came to idea generation and understanding academic concepts. While they perceived clear benefits of this tool, they also expressed concern over its impact on their critical thinking and research skills, as well as the reliability of the information provided. Ethical considerations were also a major topic, with widespread agreement on the need for clear guidelines and educating students on the responsible use of this tool. As future teachers, participants supported the supervised use of ChatGPT in primary classrooms, but indicated that there is a need for formal training to use it effectively. These findings show that future teachers must be trained on how to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, or we may risk creating a generation that is overly dependent on technology and unable to think critically.