ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A CORNERSTONE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISTANCE LEARNING IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This article examines the concept of Artificial Intelligence in relation to the development of distance learning in Nigeria Universities. The paper discusses some definitions of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in order to provide a good foundation for the paper. The article x-rays the different stages of technological development in the school system and how they have affected the growth and development of education generally. the sequence of such technological development started with the invention of the black board, chalk, slate, pen, computer internet, social media, online teaching, mobile teaching, blended teaching, Artificial Intelligence and the lots of others. The paper goes further to relate the invention of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the development of distance learning in Nigeria Universities such as the National Open University of Nigeria. The article also identifies some challenges to Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a corner stone to the development of distance learning in the Nigeria Universities. These include ignorance about the benefits of AI by both the Lecturers and the students, cost of installation and maintenance, epileptical power supply, limited access to technology, digital literacy gap, digital security and lack of capacity building and infrastructural development among others. The paper recommends the deployment of Artificial Intelligence to the execution of distance learning in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions such as the Nigeria Conventional Universities and specifically the National OpenUniversity of Nigeria (NOUN) which is typically for distance learning in Nigeria.