METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO INTEGRATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES INTO THE COURSE “INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN PRIMARY EDUCATION”

Abstract

The transformation of teacher education under the influence of generative artificial intelligence requires a methodological reconsideration of how digital tools are introduced into professional preparation. This paper develops a systematic approach to integrating intelligent digital systems into the course “Information Technologies in Primary Education”. The study focuses on the relationship between technological functionality and pedagogical purpose, arguing that effective integration depends on instructional design, critical evaluation, professional judgement and ethical responsibility rather than on the number of digital services used. Recent international frameworks, particularly UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework for Teachers (2024) and the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026, provide the conceptual basis for the proposed approach. The paper develops a five-stage instructional cycle comprising pedagogical problem identification, purposeful functional selection, preliminary production, critical verification and pedagogical adaptation, and application with reflection. The model is complemented by principles of human agency, developmental appropriateness, data protection, academic integrity and transparency. Practical applications are described for lesson planning, differentiated instruction, formative assessment, educational content development, microteaching and reflective practice. The proposed framework may contribute to the systematic development of future primary school teachers’ capacity to use intelligent digital systems as instruments of pedagogical design while preserving independent reasoning and professional responsibility.