Application of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Research for Educational Goals Attainment in Public Universities in Rivers State

Abstract

The study examined Application of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Research for Educational Goals attainment in Public Universities in Rivers State. Two research questions and two hypotheses were drawn. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a population of 12,543 lecturers and students, comprising 3,762 lecturers and 8,780 students in public universities in Rivers State, which include University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University. Taro Yamane formular was used to determine the sample size used for the study 373 respondents comprising of 110 lecturers and 263 students. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Application of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Research for Educational Goals attainment in Public Universities in Rivers State Questionnaire”. The instrument was validated by two experts in the field of Measurement and Evaluation in Rivers State University. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha method. A cumulative reliability index of 0.89 was obtained. The mean and standard deviation statistics were used to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that, the use of AI applications influences teaching and research for Educational Goals attainment in Public Universities and the use of AI enhances the conduct of research towards Educational Goals attainment in Public Universities. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that, to fully harness the potential of AI, university administrators should implement regular training programs for faculty members to enhance their knowledge and skills in using AI technologies. This will ensure that lecturers are capable of integrating AI-based teaching methodologies and tools into their curricula, as well as conducting AI-driven research.