FROM AI LITERACY TO RESPONSIBLE CLASSROOM INTEGRATION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGICAL AND ETHICAL COMPETENCE

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into education has intensified the need for teachers who can use AI not only proficiently but also pedagogically and ethically. However, the evidence remains fragmented across overlapping constructs, measurement approaches, teacher populations, and adoption outcomes. This systematic review examined how AI literacy and AI competence are conceptualized and operationalized among pre-service and in-service teachers, how these capacities relate to pedagogical and ethical competence, and which factors facilitate or hinder responsible AI integration. Following PRISMA 2020, the review synthesized 51 empirical studies identified through Scopus. Qualitative content analysis and descriptive mapping were used to examine construct definitions and operationalization, narrative relationship synthesis was applied to analyse associations with pedagogical and ethical competence, and thematic synthesis was conducted to identify facilitators and barriers. The findings show that teachers’ AI literacy and competence are multidimensional constructs comprising AI knowledge, technical application, critical evaluation, pedagogical integration, ethical and responsible use, and reflective professional judgement. AI literacy generally functions as a foundational capacity, whereas AI competence represents the professional ability to translate this foundation into instructional design, assessment, classroom integration, and ethical decision-making. Stronger AI literacy was consistently associated with more developed pedagogical and ethical competence, although this relationship was frequently mediated or conditioned by TPACK, self-efficacy, attitudes, professional development, and institutional support. Professional development emerged as the most consistent facilitator, while anxiety, weak pedagogical alignment, unreliable technology, insufficient infrastructure, workload, and unclear policy constrained adoption. The review proposes an integrated evidence architecture in which AI literacy supports pedagogical and ethical competence, which subsequently shapes readiness, intention, ability, and responsible classroom integration. These findings provide a theoretical and practical basis for teacher education, professional development, institutional governance, and future measurement research.