Chua Kah Heng, Renuka V. Sathasivam, Nofouz Mafarja, Suzieleez Syrene Abdul Rahim
The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools into education has gained momentum, yet their role in teacher education remains underexplored. This study investigated how preservice science teachers engage with ChatGPT during lesson planning and the perceived benefits and challenges of its use. Fourteen postgraduate chemistry education students were tasked with designing lesson plan using AI assistance and subsequently completed open-ended questionnaires reflecting on their experiences. Thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes: Perceived benefits included support in structuring lesson content, organizing instructional flow, generating activities, and saving time. However, participants also identified key challenges such as the need for precise prompting, occasional factual inaccuracies, misalignment with the Malaysian curriculum, and impractical suggestions. The findings highlight that while ChatGPT can serve as a valuable cognitive scaffold and pedagogical partner, its effectiveness is constrained by users' critical literacy and contextual judgment. This study underscores the necessity of integrating AI-pedagogical literacy into teacher education programs, enabling future educators to use AI tools reflectively and responsibly. Rather than replacing professional expertise, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT should be framed as augmentative resources within a broader pedagogical framework.