Examination of visual arts teacher candidates' views on artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is a technology that is increasingly influencing fields such as education and stands out with its various application areas. Artificial intelligence, which is mostly known for its language model features, is discussed in this study in the context of generative artificial intelligence, which directly concerns visual arts teacher candidates. Generative artificial intelligence is a technology that can create visual, textual, or other content based on user requests and is increasingly being used in educational settings. In this context, it is considered important to assess visual arts teacher candidates' perceptions and attitudes toward this technology in terms of both teaching processes and professional development. The aim of this study Is to determine the readiness and literacy levels of visual arts teacher candidates studying in relevant departments at universities in Turkey regarding artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence. The research was conducted within the scope of the general survey model, one of the quantitative research designs. The Artificial Intelligence Readiness (AIR) and Artificial Intelligence Literacy (AIL) scales were used as data collection tools, and a large data set was obtained online via Google Forms. The data collected from 330 teacher candidates were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The findings show that teacher candidates generally have a high level of readiness in terms of awareness, competence, ethical approach, and vision regarding artificial intelligence. In addition, it was found that their artificial intelligence literacy levels are similarly positive and that there is a statistically significant relationship between these two variables. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on technology integration in visual arts education and to offer recommendations for the development of teacher candidates' digital competencies.