Usage and beliefs of student teachers towards artificial intelligence in writing

Abstract

Generative AI applications are believed to have disruptive potential, not only for academic writing. However, little is known about which AI tools are used to what extent for writing. This is especially true for student teachers who are expected both to learn writing and teach it in the future. Therefore, 505 student teachers were surveyed about their usage of and beliefs regarding writing with AI. The results show that ChatGPT is the most frequently used application, although knowledge of AI does not automatically translate into regular use. Nevertheless, most participants believe that AI applications play a crucial role for writing in school. Considering the extent of AI usage and beliefs about AI in a regression model, AI literacy, the subject studied, self-assessed digital skills, and writing-related self-concept can explain a medium amount of the variance. Based on these findings, the article draws conclusions for further research and teacher training.