AN EXAMINATION OF TURKISH TEACHER CANDIDATES' CONCERNS ABOUT USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS


Sevim O., Uyumaz F.

17th INTERNATIONAL BASKENT CONGRESS ON SOCIAL, HUMANITIES, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES CONGRESS, Ankara, Türkiye, 12 - 14 Şubat 2026, ss.857-867, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Ankara
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.857-867
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study aims to examine the anxieties experienced by Turkish language teacher candidates when

using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, the reasons underlying these anxieties, and the stages of the usage

process where anxiety intensifies, based on participant statements. Despite the increasing prevalence of

generative AI applications in educational settings, it has been observed that teacher candidates are not

entirely opposed to these tools; however, they approach their use critically and cautiously (UNESCO,

2023). The study identified that concerns are particularly concentrated in three dimensions: (i) the

accuracy and reliability of AI outputs (risk of false/misleading information, “persuasive but erroneous”

outputs), (ii) the concern that the use of artificial intelligence could superficialize learning and lead to

cognitive dullness, and (iii) uncertainties regarding the recording, storage, and transfer of data in the

context of privacy/data security. However, some participants indicated that they did not agree with the

view that learning would decrease and that they assessed the situation more as a “change of source,”

showing that perceptions differed. In terms of the timing of the concern, the majority of participants

stated that the concern arose particularly during use; some participants stated that the concern increased

after output due to the need for verification, while a smaller number of participants stated that it was felt

before starting, in relation to self-efficacy.

The research was conducted using the phenomenological approach, one of the qualitative research

designs. The study group consisted of 9 teacher candidates enrolled in the Turkish Language Teaching

Department at Atatürk University's Kazım Karabekir Faculty of Education during the 2025–2026

academic year. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form consisting of five openended

questions administered via Google Forms. The data obtained were analyzed using content

analysis techniques; anxiety themes were created during the coding process. Inter-coder reliability was

calculated using Miles and Huberman's formula, and the reliability rate was determined to be 88%.

The research findings are expected to contribute to the planning of artificial intelligence literacy in

Turkish teacher training programs, ensuring it encompasses verification strategies, critical evaluation,

academic integrity, and data privacy dimensions, rather than being limited to technical usage skills. In

this regard, the study aims to provide a qualitative evidence-based framework for the pedagogically and

ethically responsible use of generative artificial intelligence in the context of Turkish language

education.