Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching Digital Technologies for Sustainable Solutions in Senior Secondary School in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area

Abstract

This study investigated the implementation and effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in teaching digital technologies for sustainable solutions in public senior secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised thirty-three public senior secondary schools, from which a sample of nine schools and three hundred (300) respondents were selected using the Taro Yamene formula and quota sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire titled Implementation and Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Teaching Digital Technologies (IEAITTDT), rated on a four-point Likert scale. The instrument was validated by three experts and achieved a reliability coefficient of 0.80 through pilot testing. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that the implementation of AI tools in the sampled schools was critically low, as essential digital infrastructure such as computers, interactive whiteboards, and internet-enabled classrooms is largely unavailable. However, where AI tools were accessible, respondents reported significantly positive impacts, including enhanced personalized learning, improved student engagement, and better comprehension of complex concepts. Respondents also strongly agreed on the need for teacher training, government investment in ICT infrastructure, and provision of computer laboratories as key improvement strategies. The study concluded that while AI tools hold considerable promise for transforming digital technology education, their potential remains largely unrealised due to persistent infrastructural deficits, inadequate funding, and insufficient teacher capacity. It was recommended that policymakers and school administrators make deliberate investments in infrastructure, teacher development, and policy frameworks to enable effective AI integration in secondary schools.