Abstract

This study examines the experiences of 34 elementary preservice teachers who completed both traditional and AI-assisted lesson planning for integrated mathematics and science instruction using the 5E instructional model. Through qualitative analysis of structured reflections and AI interaction logs, we found that the process of crafting effective AI prompts served as a powerful catalyst for pedagogical reflection: preservice teachers who struggled to articulate what they wanted from AI were, in effect, confronting gaps in their own mathematical understanding and instructional planning. Three key findings emerged: (a) prompt engineering functions as a form of mathematical pedagogical reasoning, requiring teachers to decompose learning objectives with precision; (b) evaluating AI-generated mathematics content develops Critical AI Literacy skills specific to the discipline, with important differences between general-purpose and education-specific platforms; and (c) the structured comparison of traditional and AI-assisted plans creates productive cognitive dissonance that deepens professional judgment.

Keywords

artificial intelligence, technology integration, lesson planning, cross-curricular instruction, teacher preparation, educational technology

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