AI Literacy, Perceived Usefulness, and Readiness to Integrate Generative AI into Teaching Among Cambodian Pre-Service Teachers

Authors

  • Chhen Sela Build Bright University, Cambodia
  • Por Sovattha Battambang Teacher Education College, Cambodia
  • Phorn Phian National University of Battambang, Cambodia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v6i6.587

Keywords:

AI Literacy, Perceived Usefulness, Generative Artificial Intelligence, Pre-Service Teachers, Cambodia

Abstract

Teacher education must prepare future teachers to evaluate and responsibly integrate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as it becomes more accessible, and this study examined the relationships among AI literacy, perceived usefulness, and readiness to integrate GenAI into teaching among Cambodian pre-service teachers. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey involving 207 respondents (205 of whom had experience with AI) was conducted, and responses to a four-point agreement scale were analyzed using descriptive statistics, internal consistency estimates, Pearson and Spearman correlations, and multiple regression with heteroskedasticity-consistent standard errors. Participants reported moderately favorable AI literacy (M = 2.95, SD = 0.30), perceived usefulness (M = 2.89, SD = 0.32), and integration readiness (M = 2.95, SD = 0.27). Internal consistency coefficients ranged from .66 to .84. Both AI literacy and perceived usefulness were positively associated with readiness, but only perceived usefulness was a statistically significant focal predictor after controlling for gender, age category, and program cohort (β = .48, p < .001), and the adjusted model explained 38.0% of the variance in readiness. These findings suggest that teacher education should connect critical and ethical AI literacy with authentic pedagogical applications that demonstrate instructional value. The results reflect perceived readiness rather than demonstrated GenAI teaching competence, and performance-based assessments and longitudinal research are needed to establish how these perceptions translate into classroom practice.

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Published

2026-11-03

How to Cite

Sela, C., Sovattha, P., & Phian, P. (2026). AI Literacy, Perceived Usefulness, and Readiness to Integrate Generative AI into Teaching Among Cambodian Pre-Service Teachers. Canadian Journal of Educational and Social Studies, 6(6), 61–76. https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v6i6.587

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Articles