What drives Generation Z pre-service teachers’ acceptance of ChatGPT-assisted teaching practicum? The roles of enjoyment and trust

Authors

  • Laily Rahmatika Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta
  • M Monjurul Islam Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
  • Ghadah Al Murshidi United Arab Emirates University
  • Samsudeen Sabraz Nawaz South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
  • Eka Mustika Riantina ekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Baturaja

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i3.5273

Keywords:

ChatGPT, Generation Z, pre-service teachers, Technology Acceptance Model, teaching practicum

Abstract

The growing presence of generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT is reshaping teacher education, yet there is still limited empirical attention to the emotional and relational aspects that shape their willingness to adopt. This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by incorporating perceived enjoyment and trust to examine how Generation Z pre-service teachers (PSTs) in Indonesia accept and use ChatGPT-assisted teaching practicums. A survey involving 445 participants was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The results reveal that perceived enjoyment significantly predicts both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, while trust primarily affects perceived usefulness. Moreover, perceived enjoyment, trust, and perceived usefulness significantly shape Generation Z PSTs’ attitudes toward ChatGPT, which subsequently predict their intention to use it. Interestingly, trust does not significantly influence perceived ease of use, and perceived ease of use shows no direct effect on attitude. The extended model explains 60.2% of the variance in perceived usefulness, 46.0% in perceived ease of use, 49.0% in attitude, and 45.6% in intention to use, indicating moderate explanatory power. These results demonstrate that affective and relational dimensions significantly shape how pre-service teachers embrace ChatGPT, offering practical insights for the design of AI-supported practicum models that encourage ethical awareness, emotional engagement, and the long-term advancement of pedagogical innovation.

Author Biographies

M Monjurul Islam, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

  1. Monjurul Islam, PhD, is a senior lecturer in TESL at the Faculty of Languages and Communication at Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia. Dr. Islam, a TESL PhD holder from the University of Malaya, has published in esteemed journals like English Teaching & Learning, Teaching and Teacher Education, Asia TEFL, The Qualitative Report and Smart Learning Environments. His research interests include language policy and planning, professional development, English education, applied linguistics, curriculum and instruction, materials development, and technology integration in ESL. He serves on the editorial boards/reviewers of the Journal of Educators Online, Journal of Teaching and Learning, Education and Information Technologies, Educational Research and Evaluation, Interchange and International Journal of Educational Research. He can be contacted via email at monj0603@gamil.com. His ORCID ID is 0000-0002-0036-7174.

Ghadah Al Murshidi, United Arab Emirates University

Dr. Ghadah Al Murshidi is an Associate Professor at the College of Education, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), with expertise in language and literacy, curriculum and instruction, and applied linguistics. She has led major national and international projects, including a UAEU-funded study on Emirati students and a KSA-backed project on global citizenship education. Her awards include the Young Emirati Researcher Prize, Best Young Researcher Award, and the Emirati Women Award. Her book The Guide of Creativity and Innovation in the UAE was recognized by H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi.

Samsudeen Sabraz Nawaz, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

SAMSUDEEN. SABRAZ NAWAZ is a Professor in Management and IT at the Department of Management and IT, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (SEUSL). He graduated with Distinction from the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) with an MSc. in Information Systems and from SEUSL with a BBA (Hons.) in Information Systems, where he received First Class honours. The renowned Outstanding Paper Award that Prof. Sabraz Nawaz received in 2020 from Emerald Publishing, which recognises his devotion to cutting-edge research and innovation, is evidence of his commitment to excellence. His numerous academic accomplishments are demonstrated by the over fifty research articles he has published in reputable, indexed, peer-reviewed publications. He has also written books on various topics, including management information systems and electronic commerce.

Eka Mustika Riantina, ekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Baturaja

Dr. Eka mustika Riantina. SE.MSi. is a lecturer in Islamic religious education and a lecturer in sharia economics at the College of Islamic Religion Baturaja, South Sumatra. Her research is about the religious education system, religious tolerance, about religious teachers who teach religious education according to the religion of each student, about the facilities and infrastructure available at school according to the type of religion professed by each student. Some journals that have been published and some textbooks. can be contacted via email: ekamustika101973@gmail.com   

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Published

2026-09-01

How to Cite

Rahmatika, L., Islam, M. M., Al Murshidi, G., Nawaz, S. S. N., & Riantina, E. M. (2026). What drives Generation Z pre-service teachers’ acceptance of ChatGPT-assisted teaching practicum? The roles of enjoyment and trust. Online Learning, 30(3), 452–481. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i3.5273

Issue

Vol. 30 No. 3 (2026): Online Learning

Section

Section II

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Copyright (c) 2026 Laily Rahmatika, M Monjurul Islam, Ghadah Al Murshidi, Samsudeen Sabraz Nawaz, Eka Mustika Riantina

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