Integrating AI and Big Five Personality Profiling in Curriculum Design: A Case-Based Learning Approach in Teacher Education

This paper presents the design and implementation of an AI-supported curriculum innovation that integrates personality assessment with case-based learning to foster student agency and reflective competence in teacher education. Drawing on the Big Five personality model, the intervention aims to strengthen students’ professional self-awareness and their ability to navigate emotionally and socially complex situations with greater autonomy. The curricular design introduces a web-based system that generates individualized learning materials based on students’ personality profiles, combining standardized feedback with tailored case scenarios grounded in real practicum experiences. The intervention was piloted in physical education teacher education programs at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Pre-service teacher students first completed a validated Big Five inventory and received a personalized report. Reports included trait-based interpretation and static case descriptions adapted to each student’s personality profile. The cases were thematically structured around common practicum challenges identified through peer interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. Implemented through a blend of individual preparation and group-based reflection, the intervention promoted high engagement, perceived relevance, and opportunities for agentic decision-making. Students described the cases as realistic, emotionally resonant, and personally meaningful. While no formal outcome measures were collected, feedback indicated enhanced metacognitive insight, peer dialogue, and perceived professional preparedness. This article offers a transferable model of curriculum design that leverages psychological profiling and AI-supported personalization to support student agency, bridge theory and practice, and foster reflective, context-sensitive learning in professional education.