TEACHERS’ PREPAREDNESS TO INTEGRATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO LIFE ORIENTATION CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING PHASE
| Authors | Contact |
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Julia Khumalo Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa |
ORCiD: 0000-0002-2831-4453 |
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Dr Valencia Mabalane Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa |
valenciam@uj.ac.za ORCiD: 000-0003-4492-0098 |
Abstract
The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education presents opportunities to enhance teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum implementation. However, effective integration depends on teachers’ preparedness to translate technological awareness into meaningful pedagogical practice, particularly in Life Orientation (LO), a human-centred subject addressing personal, social, ethical and career-related development. This study aimed to assess teachers’ preparedness for integrating AI into LO curriculum implementation in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. The study was informed by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which explains technology acceptance through perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, while recognising the influence of contextual factors. A generic qualitative research design was adopted. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations involving 15 purposively selected LO teachers from 15 schools across the five school quantiles in Gauteng Province. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify patterns and themes. Findings revealed six dimensions of preparedness: basic AI awareness and limited AI competence, general digital literacy, prior exposure to educational technologies, professional development opportunities, institutional support, and teaching experience and subject background. Although teachers demonstrated awareness of AI, foundational digital skills and willingness to experiment, their AI use remained largely exploratory rather than pedagogically embedded. The study contributes by conceptualising AI preparedness as a dynamic interaction between technological competence, professional learning, institutional conditions and subject-specific pedagogical expertise. It recommends continuous LO-specific AI professional development, stronger institutional support, an LO-specific AI competency framework, equitable infrastructure, and collaborative reflective practice. The study concludes that sustainable AI integration requires coordinated capacity development rather than technology acquisition alone.
Keywords
Artificial intelligence, Digital literacy, Life Orientation, Professional development, Teacher preparedness, Technology Acceptance Model, Technological integration.
