THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR DEVELOPING FUTURE EDUCATORS’ COMPETENCE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITHIN A WESTERN SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE

Abstract

In contemporary teacher education, the preparation of future teachers who are able to use artificial intelligence technologies for professional purposes is gaining particular scientific and methodological significance. This article examines the issue of developing future educators’ artificial intelligence competence on the basis of theoretical concepts formed within a Western scientific discourse. The relevance of the study is determined by the processes of digital transformation in education, the integration of artificial intelligence tools into teaching and assessment systems, and the need to update the content of professional teacher training. Artificial intelligence competence is interpreted not merely as a set of technological skills, but as the ability of future teachers to apply AI tools in professional practice in a pedagogically appropriate, ethically responsible, and methodologically grounded manner. In Western studies, artificial intelligence is characterized as a means of personalizing learning, designing instructional materials, analyzing students’ learning outcomes, organizing feedback, and improving assessment procedures. At the same time, the use of AI technologies is associated with a number of challenges, including academic integrity, data security, algorithmic errors, excessive dependence on technology, and the potential weakening of teachers’ critical thinking and professional autonomy. The article concludes that the development of future educators’ AI competence should not be limited to technical training, but should be implemented comprehensively, taking into account methodological, ethical, assessment-related, reflective, and safety components.