Integrating UDL and AI in pre‐service teacher education: a pilot study in primary school instructional design

Abstract

This paper presents a university‐based training experience designed to introduce pre‐service primary school teachers to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through the pedagogically guided use of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Grounded in a theoretical framework that integrates UDL, AI literacy and the TPACK model, the activity aimed to support inclusive instructional design practices in technologically mediated environments. Over the course of a 4‐hour laboratory session, 70 students interacted with UDL Lesson Planner, a ChatGPT‐based tool, to design a lesson on the water cycle. The activity was supported by a structured template requiring students to explicitly align each phase of their lesson with UDL principles. Pre‐ and post‐intervention self‐assessment data show a significant increase in students’ perceived competence in applying UDL in practice, as well as in their critical awareness of the challenges involved. The findings suggest that AI, when embedded within a solid pedagogical framework, can be a generative environment for developing inclusive design skills and professional reflection in initial teacher education.