Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Classroom Use Among Sri Lankan School Teachers

F.M. Nawastheen; N.G.L.S.J. Liyanage; K. S. P. Sisindra; Kartheges Ponniah; Shajahan Shifan

doi:10.63960/sp.2026.sijmds.3.3.102

Authors

F.M. Nawastheen Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Author
N.G.L.S.J. Liyanage Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Author
K. S. P. Sisindra Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Author https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6397-5466
Kartheges Ponniah Faculty of Languages And Communication ,Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI),Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia Author
Shajahan Shifan Department of Teacher Education,National Institute of Education, Maharagama, Sri Lanka Author

https://doi.org/10.63960/sp.2026.sijmds.3.3.102

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, AI Literacy, Educational Technology, Pedagogical Use, School Teachers, Teacher Professional Development, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in school education. However, there is limited evidence on the level of AI literacy among Sri Lankan school teachers and how their AI literacy is related to the pedagogical use of AI. This study examined teachers’ awareness and use of AI tools, their AI literacy across six dimensions, their pedagogical use of AI, differences according to selected demographic characteristics, and the relationship between AI literacy and pedagogical use. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 410 practising teachers from all 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka, recruited through non-probability convenience and snowball sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings revealed that ChatGPT and Gemini were the most widely used AI tools, while the use of specialised educational, research-oriented, and subject-specific AI tools was relatively low. Teachers reported above-midpoint scores across all six dimensions of AI literacy. Societal Awareness recorded the highest mean score (M = 3.87, SD = 1.02), while Critical Evaluation recorded the lowest (M = 3.49, SD = 0.99). In relation to pedagogical use, Pedagogical Application (M = 3.33, SD = 1.09) was slightly higher than Frequency of Use (M = 3.18, SD = 1.04), suggesting that teachers were using AI for particular teaching purposes. However, it had not yet become a regular part of their teaching practice. Differences were found in some dimensions of AI literacy according to gender, age, and teaching experience, while medium of instruction and school location showed only limited differences. All six dimensions of AI literacy were positively related to both Frequency of Use and Pedagogical Application. The strongest relationship was found between AI Use and Application and Pedagogical Application (r = .737, p < .001). Therefore, there is a need for professional development that strengthens teachers’ practical use of AI, critical evaluation of AI-generated information, and responsible application of AI in teaching, together with appropriate institutional guidance and digital infrastructure.

Article Metrics

0 Views

0 Downloads

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

F.M. Nawastheen, Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

Prof. F. M. Nawastheen is a Professor and Head of the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education,Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka. He holds a PhD in Curriculum and Pedagogy from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His academic and research interests include teacher education, open and distance learning, educational technology, artificial intelligence in education, curriculum development, and educational leadership. He has been involved in teaching, research, programme development, supervision, and academic administration, with particular interest in strengthening teachersʼ professional competencies and the effective use of digital technologies in education.

Competing Interests:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
N.G.L.S.J. Liyanage, Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

N. G. L. S. J. Liyanage is a Lecturer in the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education. She has more thanseven years of experience as a government school teacher, which has provided her with practical experiencein school-level teaching and educational practices. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree fromthe University of Colombo and a Master’s degree in Educational Management from the same university.

Competing Interests:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
K. S. P. Sisindra, Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

K.S.P. Sisindra is a Lecturer (Probationary) in the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education, Faculty of Education, The Open University of Sri Lanka. She earned her Bachelor of Education degree with First Class Honours from the University of Colombo, where she developed a strong foundation in professional teaching and educational practice. She subsequently completed her Master of Education degree at The Open University of Sri Lanka. Her academic and professional interests are centred on teacher education, teaching and learning, and the professional development of educators.

Competing Interests:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Kartheges Ponniah, Faculty of Languages And Communication ,Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI),Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia

Associate Professor Dr. Kartheges A/L Ponniah is an academic in the Faculty of Languages and Communication at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Malaysia. He holds a PhD in Classical Tamil Literature and a Master of Arts in Tamil Literature from Universiti Malaya. He also holds qualifications in education and professional translation. His areas of expertise include Tamil language and literature, with extensive involvement in research, postgraduate supervision, teaching, and academic consultancy. His scholarly work reflects a strong interest in Tamil literature, language education, and related areas of teaching and learning.

Competing Interests:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Shajahan Shifan, Department of Teacher Education,National Institute of Education, Maharagama, Sri Lanka

Shajahan Shifan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Teacher Education at the National Institute ofEducation, Maharagama, Sri Lanka. He is engaged in teacher education and contributes to academic andprofessional development activities related to teaching and learning.

Competing Interests:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

References ▼

Ayanwale, M. A., Adelana, O. P., Molefi, R. R., Adeeko, O., & Ishola, A. M. (2024). Examining artificial intelligence literacy among pre-service teachers for future classrooms. Computers and Education Open, 6, 100179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2024.100179

Badawi, H., & Adiyono, A. (2026). Artificial intelligence in Lebanese upper elementary science classrooms: Readiness, practices, and pedagogical impact. Journal of Elementary Educational Research and Practice, 2(1), 46–59. https://doi.org/10.70376/r2ajk953

Celik, I. (2023). Towards intelligent-TPACK: An empirical study on teachers’ professional knowledge to ethically integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools into education. Computers in Human Behavior, 138, 107468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107468

Celik, I., Dindar, M., Muukkonen, H., & Järvelä, S. (2022). The promises and challenges of artificial intelligence for teachers: A systematic review of research. TechTrends, 66(4), 616–630. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00715-y

Cheah, Y. H., Lu, J., & Kim, J. (2025). Integrating generative artificial intelligence in K-12 education: Examining teachers’ preparedness, practices, and barriers. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100363

Chen, L., Chen, P., & Lin, Z. (2020). Artificial intelligence in education: A review. IEEE Access, 8, 75264–75278. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2988510

Chiu, T. K. F., Xia, Q., Zhou, X., Chai, C. S., & Cheng, M. (2023). Systematic literature review on opportunities, challenges, and future research recommendations of artificial intelligence in education. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100118

Collie, R. J., & Martin, A. J. (2025). Teachers’ early uptake of GenAI in teaching and learning: Important questions and answers. Social Psychology of Education, 28, 93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-025-10052-6

Cotton, D. R. E., Cotton, P. A., & Shipway, J. R. (2024). Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(2), 228–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2023.2190148

Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2023). Artificial intelligence in higher education: The state of the field. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00392-8

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008

Filiz, O., Kaya, M. H., & Adiguzel, T. (2025). Teachers and AI: Understanding the factors influencing AI integration in K-12 education. Education and Information Technologies, 30(13), 17931–17967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13463-2

Henadirage, A., & Gunarathne, N. (2025). Barriers to and opportunities for the adoption of generative artificial intelligence in higher education in the Global South: Insights from Sri Lanka. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 35(1), 245–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-024-00439-5

Holmes, W., Bialik, M., & Fadel, C. (2022). Artificial intelligence in education: Promises and implications for teaching and learning. Center for Curriculum Redesign.

Lee, S. J., & Kwon, K. (2024). A systematic review of AI education in K-12 classrooms from 2018 to 2023: Topics, strategies, and learning outcomes. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100211

Long, D., & Magerko, B. (2020). What is AI literacy? Competencies and design considerations. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1–16). https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376727

Miao, F., & Holmes, W. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.54675/PYTW8189

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054.

Ng, D. T. K., Leung, J. K. L., Chu, S. K. W., & Qiao, M. S. (2021). AI literacy: Definition, teaching, evaluation and ethical issues. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 58(1), 504–509. https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.487

Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Rajapakse, C., Ariyarathna, W., & Selvakan, S. (2024). A self-efficacy theory-based study on the teachers’ readiness to teach artificial intelligence in public schools in Sri Lanka. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 24(4), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3691354

UNESCO. (2024). Artificial intelligence competency framework for teachers. UNESCO. https://doi.org/10.54675/ZJTE2084

Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Classroom Use Among Sri Lankan School Teachers

Authors

Keywords:

Abstract

Article Metrics

Downloads

Author Biographies

References ▼

Downloads

Published

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Agencies

Competing Interests

Crossref Metrics

Recently Cited By:

View your Article in Google Scholar

View your Article in DOAJ

Dimension (Article) Metrics

Plu.mx (Article) Metrics

Issue

Section

Categories

License

How to Cite

Similar Articles

Make a Submission

Payment System

Information

Keywords

Quick Access

Browse

Browse Articles

Visitors

Share

Latest publications

Similar Articles

School Teachers’ Awareness and Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Science Education: A Study of Secondary School

Enhancing ICT Integration: Addressing Teachers’ Perspectives and Institutional Challenges in Schools

Psychosocial Challenges of Students with Visual Impairment in Inclusive Education Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study from Delhi NCR

Digital Competence in Education: A Comparative Analysis of Frameworks and Conceptual Foundations

The Benefits and Challenges of Flipped Learning: A Study on Students’ Perception

Phenomenology Beyond Method: Reclaiming Philosophical Rigour and Ethical Responsibility in Educational Research

The Effectiveness of Brain Gym in Improving Cognitive, Physical, and Social Skills in Children with Special Needs in an Inclusive School: A Qualitative Study

Innovating Education Through Technology: A Pathway to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Context of National Education Policy 2020

Social Media and Adolescents: Exploring Links to Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

The Impact of Anxiety and Depression on Academic Performance in High School Students: A Cognitive Perspectives