Gli atteggiamenti dei futuri insegnanti verso l’IA generativa: opportunità, rischi e bisogni formativi

This paper investigates attitudes towards, and intentions to use, generative transformers among pre-service teachers enrolled in their initial teacher education program in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the 2024/2025 academic year. In a context in which this innovative technology is available and already in use by students, with significant consequences for writing practices and assessment, the study examines the factors and perceptions associated with teachers’ adoption and the potential implications for their initial and in-service professional development. The instrument employed is a questionnaire for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data, based on an adaptation of the Technology Acceptance Model and aimed at revealing the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use of the new technology, the level of trust with respect to risks and limitations, and a number of other related factors. The mixed structure of the sample also allows a comparison between the attitudes of pre-service teachers in the humanities and those in the technical scientific field, while the inclusion of a number of open-ended questions provides space for some qualitative observations. The findings show a favourable orientation towards the use of generative transformers in schools, including for complex language-related tasks requiring semantic awareness, such as text simplification and summarisation. However, concerns regarding limitations and potential risks also coexist, in relation to data privacy but above all for the reliability of the generated information. In light of these observations, a consistent need for specific training emerges, and the paper subsequently concludes by arguing for initial and/or in-service training, oriented to fostering a critical literacy and awareness, also in view of the implications and repercussions for future cohorts of students.