An Exploration of Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of ChatGPT-4 for Developing Explicit Instruction Lesson Plans

To address the growing teacher shortage and educator burnout, Teacher Preparation Programs are not only intensifying their efforts to attract new candidates, but they are also looking to leverage technology to better equip and support future teachers throughout their careers. With its potential to automate non-instructional tasks, Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained momentum as a tool for teachers. This study adopts a qualitative methodology, utilizing grounded theory triangulated with document analysis to explore how graduate students in a special education teacher preparation program perceive the effectiveness of ChatGPT-4 in developing and revising lesson plans with explicit instruction for reading and mathematics. This study is part of a larger, multi-campus study within SUNY, contributing to a broader understanding of AI’s role in supporting future educators.