Assessing the relationship between anxiety and the adoption of Artificial Intelligence tools among mathematics preservice teachers

Abstract

Many revelations have been made about the revolution that artificial intelligence (AI) has brought to the education sector, including the opening of opportunities for personalised instruction, boosting the quality of content developed by teachers while preparing for lessons, and improving the quality of classroom evaluations. Despite the many benefits of AI adoption, there have been concerns and apprehensions about its use in the educational sector. A survey was conducted to investigate the relationship between AI anxiety and the adoption of artificial intelligence tools among mathematics preservice teachers who are university undergraduates studying mathematics education in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study sample consisted of 129 mathematics preservice teachers selected through purposive sampling. The AI anxiety scale and AI adoption scale were used for data collection after being tested for reliability. The data collected through the scales were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that the mathematics preservice teachers had a high level of AI anxiety and adopted AI at a moderate level. The study further showed that there is a significant weak relationship between mathematics preservice teachers' AI-Anxiety and AI adoption. Also, there is no significant gender difference in mathematics preservice teachers' AI anxiety and AI adoption. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that teacher education programs include AI and digital literacy in the curriculum to prepare students for the seamless integration of AI. Additionally, targeted interventions should be implemented to reduce the anxiety exhibited by preservice teachers.