Exploring socio-cultural influences on generative AI engagement in Nigerian higher education: an activity theory analysis

Aniekan Essien, Adewale Salami, Olubunmi Ajala, Bamidele Adebisi, Adesina Shodiya, Grace Essien

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)
84 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study explores how socio-cultural dynamics influence student engagement with Generative AI technology in Nigerian higher education, using activity theory as theoretical underpinning. By examining the roles of community norms, technological accessibility, and educational objectives, the research identifies critical factors that impact the adoption and utilisation of GenAI. We employ quantitative analysis to analyse 899 survey responses from students across seventeen (17) Nigerian universities to derive interesting insights. Findings reveal that the ease of use of GenAI tools and their alignment with educational goals enhance student engagement. Conversely, regular need for technical support negatively affect engagement, suggesting underlying technological issues. These insights provide actionable recommendations for educators, administrators, and policymakers, emphasising the importance of user-friendly GenAI tools, comprehensive training programs, and robust support systems. This study contributes to the understanding of technology adoption in culturally diverse educational settings and offers strategies to improve educational practices and outcomes both in Nigerian higher education and also potentially in other African (developing countries), where similar socio-cultural dynamics might influence technology integration and educational advancements.

Original languageEnglish
Article number63
Number of pages17
JournalSmart Learning Environments
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Dec 2024
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Keywords

  • Activity theory
  • Generative AI
  • Higher education
  • Socio-cultural dynamics
  • Technology adoption

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Computer Science Applications

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Exploring socio-cultural influences on generative AI engagement in Nigerian higher education: an activity theory analysis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this