Artificial Intelligence in Physical Education: Redefining Teaching Practice, Professional Well-being, and Ethical Challenges of Student Teachers

Abstract

This study explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming teaching practices in Education. It analyzes the impact of integration of AI-Driven support use on Physical Education student teachers (PE-ST) well-being, including workload, autonomy, and role conception during their internship period. It reports ethical challenges associated with the integration of AI in education, such as data privacy, bias, and responsibility believed to be important for a successful preparatory traineeship and training device in the professional life. However, it remains uncertain to how well Higher Education Institutions effectively equip PE-ST with pedagogical, technological, and ethical competencies required to teach and make informed decisions in AI-enhanced educational contexts. Adopting a descriptive/exploratory methods research design, the study used quantitative data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 100 student teachers (age 21±2) before professional training. The value of Cronbach alpha index is 0.826. The quantitative findings indicate statistically significant relationships between AI-Driven support tools and conceived competence, sense of autonomy, and emotional readiness. results reveal that AI is conceived as a support pedagogical resource, particularly effective in streamlining lesson planning, instructional organization, and classroom management while fostering pedagogical innovation. The findings suggest that AI integration can bolster professional confidence and adaptability, it introduces a new set of pedagogical and ethical complexities that must be addressed to ensure successful adoption. the absence of these multifaceted competencies, AI is liable to be marginalized as a peripheral technological supplement rather than embraced as a pedagogical collaborator. Such a disconnect not only hinders innovation but also risks exacerbating professional stress and eroding the PE-ST sense of agency. Addressing the evolving requirements of modern pedagogy, this study will encourage teacher’s and special educator’s to reflect on professional training and the ethical imperatives of the profession within an increasingly automated educational landscape. It also examines the specific skills and emotional responses that emerge within AI-enhanced digital ecosystems.