Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Pre-Service Early Childhood Teacher Education: Implementation and Early Outcomes in the United Arab Emirates

Introduction:

The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has prompted the need for future teachers to balance innovation and creativity with ethics, child safety and responsible classroom practice. This study reports on the design and initial implementation of AI in Education, an undergraduate course for second-year pre-service early childhood education (ECE) students at a federal university in the United Arab Emirates. The course aims to support ethical and pedagogically grounded AI integration in future ECE classrooms and was launched in early 2026.

Methods:
A design-based implementation approach has been used. The course combines interactive lectures, guided workshops, sandbox experimentation, and a simulated teaching practicum in which students explore child-facing and teacher-facing AI tools. This study examines course artefacts, simulated practicum evidence, student-generated lesson projects, and individually designed AI toolkits, along with students’ ethical reflections. Qualitative thematic analysis examines evidence of AI literacy development, ethical awareness, and practical classroom application.

Results:
Findings indicate that structured exposure to AI concepts, ethical frameworks, and supervised simulated practicum experimentation support measurable growth in students’ conceptual understanding, critical evaluation of risks and benefits, and ability to design developmentally appropriate AI-supported learning activities. Ethical reflection emerges as a central mechanism linking technological competence with responsible professional practice.

Conclusions:
Embedding ethical AI integration within teacher education through practice-based coursework offers a viable model for preparing future educators in rapidly evolving digital contexts. This course model demonstrates how structured design, supervised experimentation, and reflective artefacts can support responsible AI adoption in pre-service educators and provides a transferable framework for similar programs internationally.