Pre-service foreign language teachers' acceptance of ChatGPT in microteaching lesson planning: A sequential mixed-methods study

This study provides context-specific exploratory evidence on how pre-service foreign language teachers perceive ChatGPT during microteaching lesson preparation and generates a qualitatively informed framework for future testing. The participants were 27 undergraduates enrolled in a German Language Teaching program. Using a mixed-methods design with a sequential structure grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model, the study combined a single-group pre-post design with follow-up focus group interviews. Quantitative results indicated no significant changes across most variables, except for a significant increase in self-efficacy. Qualitative findings informed the development of a hypothesized model that positions behavioral intention as central to ChatGPT acceptance, highlighting perceived usefulness, ease of use, and the supportive role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in lesson preparation. Within this specific context-characterized by a single program and relatively prior GenAI experience-participants generally showed positive yet cautious perceptions toward GenAI use. The findings offer context-bound implications for teacher education and underscore the need for research across diverse settings and experience levels.