Awareness of AI and its Uses in Education Among General Education Schools Teachers in Kuwait | ||||
| المجلة الدولية للتعليم الإلکتروني | ||||
| Volume 13, Issue 2, August 2024, Page 451-511 PDF (619.45 K) | ||||
| Document Type: البحوث والدراسات والمقالات المستوفاة للقواعد العلمية المتعارف عليها، والتى يجريها أو يشارک فى إجرائها أعضاء هيئة التدريس والباحثون فى الجامعات ومراکز البحوث المصرية والعربية، وذلک باللغتين العربية والإنجليزية . | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ijel.2024.410548 | ||||
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| Author | ||||
| Prof. Ammar H. Safar | ||||
| Kuwait University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Teaching Methods. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Abstract The study aimed to measure the artificial intelligence (AI) awareness level of teachers in general education schools in the State of Kuwait. Additionally, it sought to explore the influence of some independent variables such as gender, type of specialization, ICT qualification, AI training courses, ICT proficiency, and professional experience on their perceptions and awareness level. The study used a descriptive analytical quantitative research methodology as its scientific research approach, which was suitable for achieving its research objectives. Data were collected using an online questionnaire, consisting of 36 items after it was validated and tested for reliability, distributed electronically to a purposive stratified sample of 1,924 in-service teachers during the first and second semesters of the 2023/2024 school year. The study revealed that the awareness level of teachers in Kuwait’s general education schools regarding AI and its educational applications was generally categorized as “high/large” (M = 3.81, SD = 0.71, RII = 0.76). The results revealed that their awareness level was “high/large” for the majority of the scale items (21 items), while the remaining scale items (15 items) scored “very high/large”. Furthermore, the findings showed no statistically significant differences at the significance level 0.05 (α ≤ 0.05) among the means of the in-service teachers’ responses attributed to the variable of type of specialization (AHSS/literary, scientific), within the entire instrument/scale. As for the variables of gender (male, female), ICT qualification (holding an international ICT certificate, with no international ICT certificate), participation in AI training courses (attended, did not attend), ICT proficiency level (low/beginner, moderate/intermediate, high/expert/advanced), and years of professional experience (0 to < 10 years, 10 to < 20 years, 20 years and more), the results demonstrated statistically significant differences at the significance level 0.01 (α ≤ 0.01) in the means of participants’ responses, in the overall tool/scale, in favor of the following: (1) the gender variable favored females, (2) the ICT qualification variable favored in-service teachers holding an international ICT certificate, (3) the participation in AI training courses variable favored in-service teachers who attended previous training courses in AI, (4) the ICT proficiency level variable showed differences between three pairwise groups, namely (low/beginner, moderate/intermediate), (low/beginner, high/expert/advanced), and (moderate/intermediate, high/expert/advanced), in favor of participants with higher ICT proficiency levels, and (5) the years of professional experience variable disclosed differences in only one pair, namely (0 to < 10 years, 20 years and more), in favor of participants with higher years of professional experience (20 years and more). The study concluded with some recommendations, including: (1) Promoting awareness and optimal use of AI algorithms, technologies, and applications in education among teachers; (2) Conducting regular training sessions, workshops, and seminars led by experts to teach educators how to use AI algorithms, technologies, and software effectively in teaching and learning; (3) Producing and sharing educational materials like brochures and posters to introduce AI concepts, ethics, applications, and risks through traditional and social media channels; (4) Creating an interactive digital educational guide that explores the applications of AI in education; (5) Integrating AI topics into school and university curricula as well as teacher preparation and professional development and training programs; and (6) Fostering local, regional, and international collaboration among educational institutions, authorities, and AI-specialized organizations to raise awareness and share expertise in the field, enhancing coordination and partnership. Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, awareness level/degree, perceptions/opinions of teachers, PreK-12 education, State of Kuwait. | ||||
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