CollabAI: an AI-supported lesson study model for pre-service English teachers' professional development

Purpose This study examines how integrating ChatGPT into a lesson study cycle (CollabAI) influences the professional development of pre-service English teachers, with a focus on pedagogical reasoning, classroom practice and reflective collaboration. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory qualitative case study was conducted with six pre-service English teachers in an eight-week lesson study cycle. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, lesson planning and reflection meeting transcripts, classroom observation notes, and AI interaction logs. The lesson study followed a plan–teach–observe–reflect cycle, with ChatGPT embedded as a mediational resource during planning and reflection. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis supported by qualitative analysis software, with triangulation, member checks and peer debriefing to enhance trustworthiness. Findings The CollabAI model supported more creative and student-centered lesson planning, improved classroom management routines, and deeper reflective dialogue. Participants shifted from surface concerns (e.g. time management and discipline) toward more principled discussions of pedagogy and learner needs. ChatGPT functioned as a cognitive and reflective scaffold, prompting alternatives and justifications, while participants maintained critical judgment over AI suggestions. Collaboration and feedback culture were strengthened across cycles, alongside gains in professional confidence and teacher identity. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on a small, single-context sample and short-term implementation; comparative and longitudinal studies are needed. Practical implications Embedding generative AI within structured collaborative models can enhance planning efficiency, reflective depth, and professional learning in teacher education. Social implications The study highlights how AI-supported collaborative learning models can reduce teacher isolation and anxiety, fostering a culture of shared growth and resilience. Participants built a safe, feedback-rich community that normalized struggles and celebrated successes, enhancing emotional well-being and group efficacy. By reframing AI as a creative partner rather than a threat, the model encourages ethical, human-centered technology integration. The findings suggest that emerging teachers, when supported with AI and peer collaboration, can cultivate reflective and inclusive mindsets essential for 21st-century classrooms. CollabAI contributes to the broader dialogue on equitable, innovative, and sustainable professional development practices in teacher education. Originality/value The study conceptualizes generative AI not merely as a tool but as a mediational “collaborative partner” within a community of practice, offering an original AI-supported lesson study framework (CollabAI) for pre-service teacher education.