Preparing Future-Ready Teachers through Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Sustainability Competencies: A Systematic Literature Review

Annas Solihin; Suryanti; Neni Mariana; Wiryanto; Ganes Gunansyah; Ika Rahmawati; Diana Rahmasari

Authors

Annas Solihin State University of Surabaya
Suryanti State University of Surabaya
Neni Mariana State University of Surabaya
Wiryanto State University of Surabaya
Ganes Gunansyah State University of Surabaya
Ika Rahmawati State University of Surabaya
Diana Rahmasari State University of Surabaya

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence Literacy, Sustainability Competencies, Teacher Education, Future-Ready Teachers, Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education, alongside global demands for sustainable development, has created an urgent need for teacher education programs to cultivate both AI literacy and sustainability competencies among future teachers. This study aims to systematically review and synthesize existing literature on the integration of AI literacy and sustainability competencies in teacher education. A systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA 2020 Statement was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor and Francis, and Wiley Online Library, using a structured search string combining terms related to AI literacy, teacher education, and sustainability competencies. Twenty peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2026 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed through descriptive, thematic, and narrative synthesis. The results indicate a marked increase in AI literacy research following the widespread adoption of generative AI, a comparatively slower growth pattern in sustainability competency research, and very limited integration between the two domains within existing teacher education literature. The review proposes a conceptual framework in which AI literacy strengthens digital pedagogical competence, which in turn supports the development of sustainability competencies necessary for future-ready teachers. These findings offer theoretical grounding for bridging the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers with the GreenComp Framework and provide practical direction for curriculum design in teacher education institutions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdulayeva, A., Zhanatbekova, N., Andasbayev, Y. S., & Boribekova, F. (2025). Fostering AI literacy in pre-service physics teachers: Inputs from training and co-variables. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1505420

Abdurrahman, A., Maulina, H., Nurulsari, N., Sukamto, I., Umam, A. N., & Mulyana, K. M. (2023). Impacts of integrating engineering design process into STEM makerspace on renewable energy unit to foster students' system thinking skills. Heliyon, 9(4), e15100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15100

Ahn, Y.-H., & Oh, E. (2024). Effects of the International Training Program for Enhancing Intelligent Capabilities through Blended Learning on Computational Thinking, Artificial Intelligence Competencies, and Core Competencies for the Future Society in Graduate Students. Applied Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14030991

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

Balasa, K. A. (2025). Interplay of ai literacy, readiness-confidence, and acceptance among pre-service teachers in philippine higher education: A gender, discipline, and connectivity perspective. EthAIca. https://doi.org/10.56294/ai2025429

Bamrungsin, P., & Khampirat, B. (2022). Improving professional skills of pre-service teachers using online training: Applying work-integrated learning approaches through a quasi-experimental study. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074362

Bauer, E., Sailer, M., Niklas, F., Greiff, S., Sarbu-Rothsching, S., Zottmann, J. M., Kiesewetter, J., Stadler, M., Fischer, M. R., Seidel, T., Urhahne, D., Sailer, M., & Fischer, F. (2025). AI-based adaptive feedback in simulations for teacher education: An experimental replication in the field. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 41. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.13123

Bircan, M., Seref, I., & Nacaroğlu, O. (2025). The effect of stem themed story writing training with artificial intelligence tools on the digital literacy and 21st century skills of preservice teachers. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 21479-21498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13625-2

Bokan, M., Abdimalikkyzy, J., Babaeva, A., Keldibekova, A., Makpyr, S., & Smagulov, Y. (2025). Enhancing logical thinking skills of future informatics teachers through artificial intelligence. Qubahan Academic Journal. https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v5n1a1329

Brennan, C., & Molloy, O. (2020). A system dynamics approach to sustainability education. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 37, 875-879. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2755

Conradty, C., & Bogner, F. (2022). Education for sustainable development: How seminar design and time structure of teacher professional development affect students' motivation and creativity. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12050296

Coşgun, G. E. (2025). Artificial intelligence literacy in assessment: Empowering pre-service teachers to design effective exam questions for language learning. British Educational Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.4177

Han, X. (2025). Improving pre-service teachers' AI competencies: a quasi experimental study. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1642465

Karaduman, C. (2025). Pre-Service efl teachers' perceived ai literacy and competency: The integration of chatgpt into english language teacher education. SAGE Open, 15. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251379712

Kushki, A., Garcia, A., Lowell, V. L., & Wright, W. E. (2026). Investigating pre-service teachers' AI literacy for ELL instruction: A mixed-methods study. Language Teaching Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688261426620

Lademann, J., Henze, J., Honke, N., Wollny, C., & Becker-Genschow, S. (2025). Teacher training in the age of AI: Impact on ai literacy and teachers' attitudes. ArXiv, abs/2507.03011. https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2507.03011

Laru, J., Çelik, I., Jokela, I., & Mäkitalo, K. (2025). The antecedents of pre-service teachers' AI literacy: Perceptions about own AI driven applications, attitude towards AI and knowledge in machine learning. European Journal of Teacher Education, 48, 964-986. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2025.2535623

Le, T. H., Huynh, L., Dang, B., Pham, H., Nguyen, N. T., & Nguyen, A. (2026). Development and evaluation of artificial intelligence literacy training for teacher education students. British Journal of Educational Technology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70047

Lee, H., & Bryan, L. M. (2025). Integrating ai in teacher education: Exploring the impact on preservice teacher competencies. Professional Development in Education, 51, 478-494. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2025.2490000

Li, X.-Z., Chen, C.-C., & Kang, X. (2022). Research on the cultivation of sustainable development ability of higher vocational students by creative thinking teaching method. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.979913

Meinlschmidt, G., Koc, S., Boerner, E., Tegethoff, M., Simacek, T., Schirmer, L., & Schneider, M. (2025). Enhancing professional communication training in higher education through artificial intelligence (ai)-integrated exercises: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC Medical Education, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07307-3

Nuangchalerm, P., Prachagool, V., Saregar, A., & Yunus, Y. M. (2024). Fostering pre-service teachers' ai literacy through school implications. Journal of Philology and Educational Sciences. https://doi.org/10.53898/jpes2024327

Özüdogru, G., & Durak, H. Y. (2025). Conceptualizing pre-service teachers' artificial intelligence readiness and examining its relationship with various variables. Information Development, 41, 916-932. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669251335657

Pei, B., Lu, J., & Jing, X. (2025). Empowering preservice teachers' ai literacy: Current understanding, influential factors, and strategies for improvement. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100406

Pu, S., Ahmad, N., Khambari, M. N. M., Yap, N. K., & Ahrari, S. (2021). Improvement of pre-service teachers' practical knowledge and motivation about artificial intelligence through a service-learning-based module in guizhou, china: A quasi-experimental study. Asian Journal of University Education. https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v17i3.14499

Reher, A., Ziegler, M., Blumberg, E., Tegani, M. E., Peperkorn, C., Röllke, K., Schwedler, S., Stinken-Rösner, L., Wassing, J. L., & Kirchhoff, T. (2025). Impact of digitalization-related stem in-service teacher trainings in cooperation with out-of-school student labs on teachers' professional knowledge, self-efficacy and technology commitment. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1656648

Rogge, T., & Herzig, B. (2025). Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Reflective Competence Through Structured Video Annotation. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15091146

Samantray, A., Behera, R., & Acharya, A. (2024). Effectiveness of ICT-integrated pedagogy on pre-service teachers' teaching competence in mathematics. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1401188

Shi, Y. R., Sin, K. F. K., & Wang, Y. Q. (2025). Teacher professional development of digital pedagogy for inclusive education in post-pandemic era. Teaching and Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105230

Sidiropoulos, E. (2018). The personal context of student learning for sustainability: Results of a multi-university research study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 181, 537-554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.083

Silor, A. C., & Silor, F. S. (2025). Harnessing TVET for new literacies: An experimental study on enhancing 21st century competencies. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.11.7

Song, D., Zhang, P., Zhu, Y., Qi, S., Yang, Y., Gong, L., & Zhou, L. (2025). Effects of generative artificial intelligence on higher-order thinking skills and artificial intelligence literacy in nursing undergraduates: A quasi-experimental study. Nurse Education in Practice, 88, 104549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104549

Sperling, K., Stenberg, C.-J., McGrath, C., Åkerfeldt, A., Heintz, F., & Stenliden, L. (2024). In search of artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in teacher education: A scoping review. Computers and Education Open. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2024.100169

Tunjera, N., & Chigona, A. (2025). AI Literacy in Preservice Teachers Preparation Programs: Global Meta-Analysis. European Conference on e-Learning. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecel.24.1.4174

Wei, X., Wang, L., Lee, L.-K., & Liu, R. (2025). The effects of generative AI on collaborative problem-solving and team creativity performance in digital story creation: an experimental study. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-025-00526-0

Younis, B. (2024). Effectiveness of a professional development program based on the instructional design framework for AI literacy in developing AI literacy skills among pre-service teachers. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 40, 142-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2024.2365663