Lecturers’ Awareness and Attitudes Towards the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Abstract

The increasing availability of artificial intelligence (AI) tools presents new opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning in higher education. This study examined lecturers’ awareness of and attitudes towards the use of AI tools at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A descriptive survey design was adopted. Four research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised academic staff in the Department of Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, from whom 49 lecturers participated in the study. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Questionnaire on Lecturers’ Awareness Level and Attitude to AI Tools (QLALAAIT). The instrument was subjected to face validation and trial testing, and its overall reliability coefficient, determined using Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.83. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that lecturers demonstrated awareness of selected AI tools, including ChatGPT, Turnitin, and QuillBot, and generally expressed positive attitudes towards their use in educational contexts. Further analysis showed that years of teaching experience did not significantly influence lecturers’ awareness of or attitudes towards AI tools. The study highlights the need for structured professional development, institutional support, and access to appropriate resources to facilitate informed and effective use of AI tools in university teaching and related academic activities.