The Role of ChatGPT in Promoting Islamic Ethical Leadership among Teachers: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) in education has revolutionized how learning is taught, by offering new and interesting tools to support teaching and learning, assessment, and professional development. Of these, ChatGPT is one of the most widely used generative AI applications which can help teachers create instructional content, address pedagogical problems, and engage in reflective professional practice. Despite the instructional and technological advantages of ChatGPT, some research has been conducted on the ethical dimension of teachers' leadership through ChatGPT, especially in Islamic education settings.Though most of the researches in the field have had an instructional and technological perspective, some have been conducted on the ethical dimension of teacher's leadership in the context of Islamic education using ChatGPT. Islamic values of ethical leadership include amanah (trustworthiness), sidq (truthfulness), adl (justice), ihsan (excellence), rahmah (compassion), hikmah (wisdom), and shura (consultation). The principles assist teachers in classroom instruction and in making moral decisions and developing character.This qualitative study examines teachers' perceptions on ChatGPT as a medium to foster Islamic ethical leadership. The qualitative exploratory research method was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with fifteen teachers in secondary schools, college and universities. All the data were analyzed by thematic analysis to help identify the similarities and regularities observed in respect to AI-supported ethical leadership. The results demonstrate the benefits of ChatGPT as a reflective companion for ethical decision-making, professional knowledge enhancement, self-reflection, and the provision of Islamic educational resources. Participants also highlighted issues with misinformation, reliance on AI, context-specific inaccuracies, and the need for proper verification of AI-generated content using original Islamic references.The study finds that the use of ChatGPT is immense potential to enhance the Islamic ethical leadership with proper and responsible use in the hands of qualified educators and authentic Islamic knowledge. AI should not be used to replace teachers' moral judgment but rather as a support tool to professionals to improve their competencies through the use of AI, while not undermining Islamic moral principles. The study provides recommendations on how to effectively implement AI responsibly in Islamic education for teacher training institutions, policymakers, and educational leaders.

Keywords: ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence, Islamic Ethical Leadership, Teachers, Qualitative Research, Educational Technology, Professional Ethics