Demystifying Lesotho, Rwandan and Nigerian educators’ viewpoints on smart technologies supporting AI in higher education

Abstract

Given the deluge of technology flowing into African countries from the global north, it is not a hyperbole to make a point that developed nations are better equipped to practically integrate Smart Technologies supporting Artificial Intelligence (STAI) into higher education teaching methodologies. However, conversations regarding the application of AI in higher education have been spurred by attempts at its practical implementation in developing countries such as Lesotho, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Furthermore, a dearth of literature exists regarding STAI in higher education within the contexts of higher education in Lesotho, Rwanda, and Nigeria. This dearth points to a necessity for research to be conducted to include the three countries’ higher education contexts in order for researchers to be able to comprehend the perspectives of educators in these countries on their use of STAI in teaching and learning, as well as to identify the challenges associated with integrating STAI into higher education instructional practices. This study examines these three countries as case studies to gain insights into the perspectives of these educators on smart technologies which support AI in their higher education sectors. Vygotsky’s (1978) emphasis on ‘cultural tools’ and social interaction remains crucial in the knowledge-building process, and his social constructivist learning theory underpins the study. An online, semi-structured questionnaire was designed to address the question: What are e the viewpoints of a sampled group of higher education educators from Rwanda, Nigeria and Lesotho on Smart Technologies which support AI in Higher Education? The findings revealed participant from these countries to possess varied technological knowledge of the use of STAI to facilitate content comprehension and achievement of their teaching objectives. However, we argue in this paper that the participating educators’ varied understandings of the use of STAI in higher education needs to expand and to be swiftly accommodated if the three countries are to be on par with developed countries.