Teaching AI by Hand in Underserved Contexts: Framework and Insights from Nigerian Educators

Abstract

This paper reports findings from four AI literacy workshops conducted with secondary school teachers in Ibadan and Abuja, Nigeria. The workshops introduced foundational AI concepts through interactive lectures, hands-on activities, and group discussions designed for settings with limited digital infrastructure. Teachers expressed interest in integrating AI concepts into their classrooms but identified persistent constraints, including unreliable electricity and internet access, limited device availability, and the absence of locally relevant AI materials. We found that low-tech, analog activities, such as AI-by-hand exercises, supported conceptual understanding without requiring computational tools. Drawing on these findings, we propose a framework for designing AI literacy programs in resource-constrained educational contexts, with attention to infrastructural limitations and sustained teacher support through communities of practice.