Exploring the mediating roles of self-control, management, and meaningful learning self-awareness in the relationship between academic self-discipline and GAI acceptance

Abstract This study investigated the relationships between academic self-discipline, self-control and management, meaningful learning self-awareness, and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) acceptance among 597 teacher candidates at nine Turkish universities. A serial mediation model was proposed, hypothesizing that academic self-discipline influences GAI acceptance indirectly through self-control and management and meaningful learning self-awareness. Data were collected using four established scales. Structural equation modeling, employing robust maximum likelihood estimation due to non-normality of the data, revealed an excellent fit between the hypothesized model and the data. Results supported the serial mediation model: academic self-discipline positively predicted self-control and management, which in turn positively predicted meaningful learning self-awareness, which subsequently positively predicted GAI acceptance. The findings highlight the important roles of self-control, management and meaningful learning in shaping teacher candidates' acceptance of GAI. Implications for teacher education programs and future research are discussed.