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Fostering Critical Thinking in Early Childhood Teacher Education: The Roles of Teaching Materials, Media Literacy, and AI-Enhanced Learning

Nurmalina N, Asilestari P, Gusman D, Bujdosó G · 4 Sept 2026

Abstract

Abstract The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has expanded opportunities for adaptive and personalized learning; however, its effectiveness in promoting critical thinking depends on instructional quality and learners' digital competencies. This study examines the relationships among teaching materials, media literacy, AI-enhanced learning, short story learning effectiveness, and critical thinking skills among 318 Early Childhood Teacher Education undergraduates in Indonesia. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), findings reveal that teaching materials and media literacy significantly predict both AI-enhanced learning and narrative learning outcomes. Both AI-enhanced learning and short story learning effectiveness positively influenced critical thinking, with the latter emerging as the strongest predictor. The model demonstrated substantial explanatory power across all endogenous constructs. These findings advance an integrated pedagogical framework connecting instructional quality, digital competence, and narrative-based learning as interconnected determinants of critical thinking development within AI-supported teacher education contexts.