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Exploring NAMCOL Academic Staff Perspectives on the Integration of AI in Teaching and Learning
Abstract
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping various sectors, including education, through innovations such as personalised learning, automated assessment, and data-informed decision-making. This study investigates the perspectives of academic staff at the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) on the integration of AI in teaching and learning. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study employed an online questionnaire comprising open-ended questions to gather data. The target population consisted of academic staff who had attended a prior AI integration workshop facilitated by the Commonwealth of Learning, ensuring all respondents had pre-existing exposure to AI tools and concepts. From a total of 26 eligible participants, 16 were purposively selected based on their involvement in the workshop and perceived foundational knowledge of AI. Responses were analysed thematically using a deductive coding framework, structured around the study’s research objectives.
Findings reveal a generally positive outlook on AI's potential to enhance teaching effectiveness, learner engagement, and institutional efficiency. However, participants also identified several challenges, including limited infrastructure, lack of structured training, institutional resistance to change, and ethical concerns such as data privacy and equitable access.
The study recommends comprehensive training initiatives, stakeholder involvement, clear policy development, and pilot projects to guide AI adoption at NAMCOL. These steps are essential to building staff capacity and ensuring the responsible, inclusive, and effective integration of AI into teaching and learning environments.
PCF11 Sub-Theme: Changing Mindsets for Inclusive Open Education
Paper ID: 7004
Country
Namibia
Region
Africa
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Date
2025-09
Author
ORCID
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Publisher
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)