Enhancing District Health Center membership among older adults through intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions: protocol for a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial.

In the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the acceleration of global digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has become an integral part of various aspects of human life, including education (; ; ). Various applications of AI-enabled technologies such as adaptive learning, intelligent tutoring systems, and data-driven learning technologies have been used to make the learning process more personalized, interactive, and driven by the learners (; ; ; ). When using AI in the learning context, there is both application as well as use as the means of learning by which the learners gain certain skills related to thinking, processing, and interacting with technology (; ; ). Several countries, including member states of the OECD, have recognized AI skills as essential for future generations, especially teachers [)]. AI is present in learning activities, such as material recommendation systems, chatbots, and analytics-based learning environments. This is increasingly important for pre-service pre-school teachers, who are expected not only to use technology but also to design and implement AI-based learning activities pedagogically. As such, the role of AI is not limited to reshaping the educational environment, but it requires improving certain digital skills, particularly through the combination of digital literacy and technology-supported learning. In line with this, the creation and implementation of AI-enabled learning activities are crucial in developing and improving the digital literacy skills of prospective teachers amidst the evolving nature of modern-day education. In the educational context, the application of artificial intelligence has grown significantly at various levels, from elementary to higher education, including in teacher education programs for pre-service teachers. In the past decade, developed countries such as the USA, UK, Finland, and Singapore have successfully included AI-based education in their national curriculums. This inclusion is in terms of improving computational skills, digital technologies, and AI in education (); ; ; ). This implementation has even begun at an early age, demonstrating that AI is no longer the exclusive domain of advanced learners but has become part of the early childhood learning ecosystem. However, the AI-based learning approach in early childhood education has fundamentally different characteristics from those in other levels of education. Learning in early childhood emphasizes playing, exploration, and concrete experiences. Thus, when adopting technology, particularly artificial intelligence technology, one should think about the approach from the point of view of instruction and context rather than considering only instructional systems and computer-based tutoring (; ; ). For example, AI technologies that young learners interact with on a regular basis could include voice assistants, systems that offer content recommendations, and learning systems with algorithms embedded in them. All of these technologies shape children's learning experiences and cognitive styles. This situation calls for a more comprehensive training of early childhood education teachers. Apart from learning how to work with AI technologies, educators must learn how to implement AI-assisted learning activities consistent with the principles of early childhood education. Although the potential and benefits of digital technology and artificial intelligence in education have been widely recognized, numerous studies show that many teachers remain unprepared and lack confidence in integrating technology into their teaching practices (; ; ; ). In the education sector, different players such as policymakers, administrators, and educational institutions have a pivotal role to play when it comes to fostering innovation in the learning context. However, teachers are the key players in deciding whether or not technology is going to be implemented successfully within the classroom environment. Therefore,the decision on whether or not technology and even artificial intelligence will be adopted lies in the hands of teachers who implement the teaching process in their classes (; ). Against this backdrop, the pre-service teacher education process emerges as a key phase where prospective teachers are trained on how to make effective use of technology in their practice. One of the key competencies required for this is digital literacy. Digital literacy is also closely linked to the development of 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration, which are the main foundations of learning in the digital era (). In addition to being a key skill set for aspiring students in early childhood education, digital literacy becomes an essential tool for creating educational programs that match the needs of children's development. A high level of digital literacy will influence their attitudes, confidence, and readiness to integrate technology,