The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Omani Teachers’ Utilisation and Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence Tools

Abstract

As artificial intelligence emerges in Oman’s education system, it offers personalised learning and data-driven insights. However, teachers face many barriers, including lack of support and inadequate skills, holding back the integration of these technologies. Addressing these challenges, this study aims to design, develop, and implement a professional development program for teachers on artificial intelligence tools for education. It also aims to determine the impact of the professional development program on the participant teachers’ utilisation and attitudes towards the artificial intelligence tools. To achieve that, a descriptive analytical design is utilised, employing quantitative and qualitative data. The research tools, including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, were validated and utilised to collect data needed to answer the research questions. The sample of the study are 35 Omani teachers from a school in Muscat who actively attended and participated in the professional development program. Findings reveal that teachers utilise artificial intelligence tools for diverse purposes, including enhancing student engagement, improving efficiency, saving time, and promoting collaboration among students. Teachers utilised various artificial intelligence tools into their pedagogical practices, including ChatGPT, Adobe Express, Narakeet, Bing Image Creator, and QuizGPT. The findings also revealed that teachers exhibit various proficiency levels in utilising artificial intelligence tools, some of them had moderate level of proficiency, while others struggled to use the tools. Moreover, the majority of participant teachers exhibit positive attitudes towards artificial intelligence tools, time constraints, lack of training, and technological challenges are obstacles that hinder the utilisation of these resources for teachers. In light of the study findings, future research should focus on long-term impact studies, action research involving teachers as active participants, and the development of assessment tools tailored to measure the impact of professional development programs on artificial intelligence utilisation and attitudes. Future professional development programs should integrate theoretical frameworks like the Community of Inquiry, consider long-term sustainability, and provide authentic learning experiences for teachers.