Crystal Machado (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) collaborated with Yao Fu (University of Wisconsin, Whitewater), Jiaxi Wang (University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point), and Ozgul Kartal (University of Wisconsin, Whitewater) to present their peer-reviewed paper, “Preservice Teachers’ AI Use and Responsible AI Self‑Efficacy: An Exploratory Study,” at the 2026 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) Conference in Philadelphia.
The study investigated how preservice teachers are engaging with emerging AI tools in their academic and professional work, along with their confidence in using AI responsibly—an area growing rapidly in relevance across teacher preparation programs. Grounded in current research on educational technology, ethical AI use, and teacher development, the authors examined adoption patterns, perceived benefits and challenges, and the pedagogical supports necessary to cultivate responsible AI literacy.