Reconceptualizing student teachers’ AI literacy in the Global South: Towards a teacher AI-readiness mapping framework

Abstract

The responsible use of AI in the classroom begins with teachers’ knowledge and skills needed to integrate AI into the educational context. This study used a qualitative single-case study design to examine AI literacy and readiness among pre-service teachers in the Global South. Grounded in a conceptual framework combining AI literacy and technology acceptance, the study explores how pre-service teachers perceive, use, evaluate, and envision AI as their professional roles evolve. Data were generated from open-ended questionnaire responses from 197 first-year Bachelor of Education students enrolled at the University of South Africa, an open distance e-learning institution. Through iterative engagement with the data, six interrelated themes emerged: AI knowledge, AI skills, AI ethics, AI confidence, AI critical reflection, and AI pedagogical imagination. The findings indicate that AI readiness extends beyond technical competence or familiarity with tools. It is developmental, uneven, and shaped by contextual conditions such as access, language, and institutional guidance. Based on these insights, a framework is proposed to map teacher AI readiness and identify readiness gaps. The findings emphasise that teacher education programmes should go beyond tool training to include ethical clarity, policy guidance, confidence, critical thinking, pedagogical design, and equitable access.