Learning from learners: a mixed-methods assessment of implementation of artificial intelligence curriculum at secondary schools

The proliferation of cognitive learning technologies, such as AI, has not only challenged governments in most developed and some developing countries to not adopt them as learning tools in schools but to foster citizen literacy by incorporating them in their school curriculum at every level of education. However, governments of most African countries seem to have a high level of indifference to this trend, but contrary to their indifference, some private education stakeholders have advanced its usage and developed and implemented curricula in that regard. The dearth of research on the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) curricula in African countries, particularly Nigeria, motivated this study. The diffusion of innovations framework guided the researchers in examining how AI-focused educational content was being introduced and disseminated within the Nigerian school system. By employing a mixed-methods design, the study was able to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights from the sample of 327 students who had directly experienced the AI lessons over the past two years. Qualitative data was collected from teachers at selected schools, and the AI learning manager. Data collected was analysed using multiple regression and thematic analysis. The result included that students’ response to curriculum implementation was encouraging but the differential capacity of computers for learning could elicit negative feedback. Students’ application of AI knowledge highly predicted problem-solving (β=0.033, t=0.84, p<0.05) and critical thinking (β=0.141, t=4.20, p<0.05) skills. It can be deduced that learners and other education stakeholders in Nigeria are adapting well to different stages of AI curriculum implementation. Therefore, it was recommended that the government should replicate it at public secondary schools.