Pre-service mathematics teachers' experiences of preparing lesson plans in accordance with the 5E learning model through ChatGPT

The aim of this study is to examine the processes of elementary mathematics pre-service teachers in preparing lesson plans in accordance with the 5E learning model; to examine the lesson plans prepared by the pre-service teachers in accordance with the 5E learning model and the lesson plans they created using ChatGPT 3.5 comparatively and to evaluate them with the opinions of the pre-service teachers. This research, in which qualitative paradigm is adopted, is a case study. The study was conducted in a state university in the 2023-2024 academic year. The participants of the study were 10 pre-service teachers who took the Teaching Practice I-II course. According to the research findings, the majority of participating teacher candidates have limited knowledge about artificial intelligence and its usage. There is a small number of participants who are knowledgeable about artificial intelligence, and even fewer who understand the concept of generative artificial intelligence. However, most participants have some level of knowledge about ChatGPT, and there are also those who have prior experience using this tool. Teacher candidates who use ChatGPT typically do so for purposes such as problem-solving, summarizing articles, preparing assignments, and interpreting events. They have provided pre-implementation suggestions for potential applications of ChatGPT in mathematics education, including exploring different solution methods, creating three-dimensional drawings, researching mathematical history, and proving theorems. After the implementation, when asked the same question, the majority of teacher candidates suggested receiving recommendations for materials, activities, or games, different modes of presentation, and concretization. In the analysis of their own prepared lesson plans, it was observed that nine teacher candidates preferred the "Numbers and Operations" domain, while five preferred the "Fractions" domain. In a detailed examination of the components of the lesson plans, it was found that most participants were adequate in providing engaging questions or activities in the introduction section, but some deficiencies were noted in reviving previous knowledge. Additionally, there were few participants who met the required standards in the exploration and explanation stages. Challenges were also encountered in material and visual usage, as well as in the deepening step. In the lesson plans prepared through ChatGPT, the "Numbers and Operations" learning area was the most preferred among teacher candidates. The majority of them presented lesson plans that were either sufficient or partially sufficient in the introduction, exploration, explanation, deepening, and evaluation stages. Most participants regarded ChatGPT as an economical tool, although some highlighted potential difficulties during implementation. When comparing their own lesson plans with those generated by ChatGPT, participants generally praised the practicality and speed of ChatGPT, but raised concerns about potential challenges in classroom implementation, such as not being tailored to the level of the students. In this study, some questions were used to determine the readiness levels of the participating teacher candidates regarding the 5E learning model. Upon examination of the responses provided by teacher candidates, it was found that none of them correctly defined the 5E learning model. When it comes to the level of knowledge about artificial intelligence (AI) among the teacher candidates involved in the study, it was concluded that the majority had a partial understanding. ChatGPT was identified as the most commonly used tool among teacher candidates in the past for AI-related tasks. Regarding their knowledge about ChatGPT, it was observed that most of them were familiar with this tool. Teacher candidates generally preferred to modify the initial lesson plan provided by ChatGPT and requested various adjustments. These adjustments encompassed issues such as lesson duration, number and type of activities, changes in methods, and integration of technology. Most candidates requested ChatGPT to completely redesign the provided plan according to their needs. In the formal review of the prepared lesson plans, it was found that only one teacher candidate filled out a section incorrectly. As for technology use, most of the candidates were limited to using smart boards and requested ChatGPT to prepare lesson plans based on their own topic choices. The evaluations of teacher candidates regarding the process of lesson plan preparation varied. The most common opinion was that ChatGPT is a useful and economical tool that saves time and effort. Overall, teacher candidates expressed positive views, stating that they made progress in using ChatGPT and the 5E learning model, and did not face difficulties in using ChatGPT. When asked to evaluate the lesson plan prepared by ChatGPT, teacher candidates generally believed that ChatGPT had prepared a lesson plan that adhered to the 5E learning model. However, those expressing negative views argued that ChatGPT prepared standardized lesson plans for everyone, without considering individual student profiles. When comparing their own prepared lesson plans with those prepared by ChatGPT, the majority of teacher candidates believed that ChatGPT's plans were theoretically good but could lead to difficulties in implementation. The competencies of teacher candidates in using ChatGPT and their knowledge about the 5E learning model were evaluated at the end of the study. Most candidates stated that they made progress and were partially competent, and positive feedback was received. As a result of examining the opinions of teacher candidates regarding the process of preparing 5E learning model-based lesson plans through ChatGPT, some recommendations were made to researchers: • A new study can be developed by examining the implementation process of lesson plans prepared by teacher candidates using ChatGPT. • Materials can be designed for teacher candidates using ChatGPT, and this process can be presented as a study by obtaining teacher opinions. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Generative Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Teacher Education, Mathematics Education, 5E Learning Model