Technology and Artificial Intelligence Literacy in the Digital Age: Insights from a Teacher Mobility Program

Abstract

As digital transformation accelerates, teacher mobility programs must cultivate educators' cross-cultural competencies alongside technological and AI literacy. Yet significant gaps persist: many academics possess only a moderate familiarity with emerging technologies, raising concerns about their capacity to engage meaningfully with digitally mediated pedagogical and research practices. These limitations are exacerbated by ethical considerations, data privacy concerns, and risks of cognitive offloading inherent in AI integration. Addressing these deficiencies is essential to maintaining the relevance and efficacy of teacher mobility programs within global academic contexts. This study examines technology and AI literacy among academics in a teacher mobility program and identifies key themes shaping their perceptions of AI in education and research. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study combined quantitative demographic surveys with qualitative reflections from fourteen participants, balanced by gender and representing diverse age groups and disciplines. The data encompassed professional backgrounds, technological competence, familiarity with AI tools, and a thematic analysis of participant reflections. The findings indicate predominantly average self-assessed levels of technology and AI literacy. However, qualitative data reveals growing recognition of AI's transformative potential, with perceptions evolving from AI as a tool to AI as a collaborative partner in pedagogy, research, and scholarly writing. While opportunities for enhanced academic practice emerge, challenges concerning ethical deployment and overdependence remain salient. These findings underscore the need to integrate structured digital literacy training into teacher mobility programs to prepare educators for the contemporary digital demands.