Awareness, Perception and Adoption of Artificial Intelligence among Library and Information Science Educators in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated awareness, perception, and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology among educators in the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) library school. This is against the backdrop of increased emergence of AI with its unparalleled potential for education, as well as the buzz AI seems to be generating in the academic community, and in view of the demanding research and education processes. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The research adopted a descriptive survey method, while the population of the study consisted of the twenty-four Library and Information Science educators of MOUAU Library School; thus, a census sampling technique was used to capture the entire population. Data for the study were collected with a structured researcher-developed questionnaire titled ‘Awareness and Perception of Artificial Intelligence among Library and Information Science Educators Questionnaire’ (APAILISEQ), which was subjected to validation by two LIS professionals. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that LIS educators' awareness of AI tools was low, while their awareness of its benefits in teaching and research, and its application, was moderate. There is a positive perception of AI technology for teaching and research among the LIS educators. Despite their awareness of the concerns and issues in AI use, there is limited adoption of AI technology in teaching and research among the educators. Based on the findings, the study recommended institutional support through training and retraining, policy, and organizational culture, among others

Keywords: Perception, Artificial Intelligence, Universities, Library School, Library Educators