Self-efficacy (SE) enables pre-service teachers to manage learning tasks and solve problems with confidence, which is essential for professional development and for addressing real-world teaching challenges. This study aimed to enhance SE through an integrated approach combining Lesson Study and Community of Practice (CoP plus LS) to better prepare pre-service teachers for classroom practice. Thirteen pre-service teachers in a teaching practicum were assigned to either an experimental group (CoP plus LS, n = 7) or a control group receiving conventional training (n = 6). A mixed-methods design was employed: SE was measured quantitatively using validated questionnaires at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and 8-week follow-up), and qualitative data were collected through semi-structured group interviews. Quantitative results showed that the CoP plus LS group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in SE compared to the control group. Within the CoP plus LS group, SE increased significantly from pre-test to post-test, with scores at follow-up remaining higher than baseline despite a slight decline. Qualitative findings revealed four themes: (1) enhanced classroom management and instructional design, (2) stronger professional identity and commitment, (3) recognition of real-world teaching challenges, and (4) growth through collaborative reflection and learning. Overall, the findings indicate that CoP plus LS effectively strengthens SE among pre-service teachers. Incorporating this approach into teacher education is recommended to enhance psychological readiness and foster sustainable professional growth.

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education has created new expectations for teachers to possess AI literacy, particularly in instructional design. To meet this requirement, this study sought to develop and evaluate a scale to assess in-service teachers’ AI literacy in instructional design. The study included 115 Thai in-service teachers. The instrument comprised five dimensions and 30 items, assessing knowledge and understanding of AI, application of AI in teaching, evaluation and creation with AI, the ethical and responsible use of AI, and instructional design with AI integration. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was employed to examine construct validity and assess the adequacy of the proposed model. The results indicated that the second-order model was satisfactory and showed fit indices that were highly comparable to those of the correlated-factors model (χ²(368) = 412.535, p = 0.054, RMSEA = 0.032, SRMR = 0.041, CFI = 0.985, AIC = 4608.183, BIC = 4874.441). All factor loadings were significant at the .05 level. Internal consistency, average variance extracted, and composite reliability of all components were satisfactory. This empirically grounded scale provides a valid psychometric measure for assessing teachers’ AI literacy in instructional design, with implications for professional development and educational decision-making.

Digital literacy is an essential competency for pre-service teachers in addressing the challenges of 21st-century learning, particularly in integrating technology with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) combined with problem based learning (STEM-PBL) approach. This study aims to map the digital literacy skills of pre-service biology teachers as a foundation for designing interactive learning media in the form of STEM-PBL-based liveworksheets. The research employed a descriptive quantitative approach involving students from a biology education program at an Indonesian university. The instrument used was a digital literacy questionnaire consisting of four main indicators: internet searching, hypertextual navigation, content evaluation, and knowledge assembly. The findings indicate that the participants’ digital literacy skills fall within the moderate to high categories, with varying results across indicators. The highest score was obtained in internet searching at 77% (high), followed by content evaluation at 71% (high). Meanwhile, hypertextual navigation reached only 56% (moderate), and knowledge assembly recorded the lowest score at 51% (moderate). These results suggest that while students are relatively proficient in accessing digital information, they still face challenges in navigating hypertext links and synthesizing diverse sources into new knowledge products. This mapping provides an empirical foundation for designing STEM-PBL-integrated liveworksheets that are adaptive to students’ needs. The implications highlight the necessity of strengthening hypertext navigation and knowledge assembly skills to enable pre-service biology teachers to fully leverage digital technologies in science education