TEACHERS' READINESS TO IMPLEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS IN TEACHING PRACTICES AND FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Abstract

This study examines teacher readiness to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) tools into teaching practices and professional skill development across two higher education institutions in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Using a descriptive survey methodology, 152 teachers (76 from each institution (University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and Government College University, Faisalabad) completed a quantitative assessment across ten readiness dimensions including AI awareness, technical skills, confidence, and ethical understanding. Data were analyzed using SPSS with independent samples t-tests (α = 0.05). Government College University, Faisalabad teachers demonstrated significantly higher readiness across nine of ten dimensions, with the largest effect sizes observed in knowledge of educationally relevant AI tools (t = −7.14, p = 0.008) and teaching confidence (t = −7.06, p = 0.008). ChatGPT and Grammarly dominated tool accessibility (50–60.53% adoption), while specialized educational AI applications remained largely inaccessible. Institutional barriers included inadequate infrastructure, limited professional development access, knowledge gaps regarding pedagogically-optimized tools, and insufficient ethical framework development. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad teachers reported lower training access (M = 3.27 vs. 3.59), technical competence, and confidence in AI implementation, while Government College University, Faisalabad teachers benefited from greater institutional support and resources. These findings indicate that teacher readiness operates as a multidimensional construct shaped substantially by institutional context, infrastructure investment, and organized professional development rather than individual teacher characteristics alone. The research highlights the necessity of coordinated institutional action spanning policy development, tool ecosystem expansion, and comprehensive professional development to enable effective AI integration across heterogeneous higher education contexts.