ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS IN THE 21ST CENTURY SECONDARY EDUCATION IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study investigated artificial intelligence and the implementation of innovative teaching methods in 21st-century secondary schools in Rivers State. The study adopted the survey research design. The study's population was 8,362 teachers from selected secondary schools (public and private) in Rivers State. The sample size consisted of 367 teachers, comprising 196 digital natives and 171 digital migrants. Simple random sampling procedures were employed to choose the participants. The data was gathered using a standardised questionnaire called the Artificial Intelligence and the Implementation of Innovative Teaching Methods Questionnaire. The questionnaire was subjected to face and content validity, and assessed for reliability, producing an coefficient of 0.812. Mean and standard deviation and the Z-test were used to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance respectively. Among others, the study revealed there is no notable disparity in how digital natives and migrant teachers perceive the current state of artificial intelligence integration in 21st-century classrooms, and there is a notable disparity in how digital natives and migrant teachers perceive the innovative teaching methods that could be implemented with the help of artificial intelligence in 21st-century secondary schools in Rivers State. The study concluded that implementing AI in Rivers State secondary schools could be a game-changing step towards improving educational quality and preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving digital world. The study recommended, among others, that teachers should be trained on how to integrate AI-powered tools into their teaching practices to maximize their benefits for student learning, and the management of schools should consider allocating resources for the purchase of AI tools and software to support the implementation of these methods.