Awareness and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence tools for STEM Teaching among Secondary School Teachers in Sabon-Gari, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract                                                                      The integration of AI in education has gained global recognition for its potential to enhance teaching effectiveness and improve learning outcomes. This study examined the awareness and utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among secondary school STEM teachers in Sabon-Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study involving a sample size of 160 randomly selected STEM teachers from public secondary schools during the 2023/2024 academic session. Data were collected using a validated instrument titled Teachers Awareness and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence Questionnaire (TAUAIQ) with reliability coefficient 0.76 which was calculated using Cronbach alpha. Research questions were answered using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation while null hypotheses were tested using PPMC and Chi-square. Results revealed moderate awareness (48.7%) and utilization (49.5%) of AI tools, with teachers more aware of Socratic by Google, Mathway, and Google AI Experiments, while advanced AI tools such as Cognii and Quillionz were less known and utilized. Key challenges identified included inadequate training, high costs, poor internet connectivity, lack of administrative support, and limited instructional time. A significant relationship was found between AI awareness and utilization (p < .05), while no significant relationship existed between the challenges faced and AI tool utilization (p > .05). The study concluded that although AI awareness and utilization are increasing, integration remains limited due to systemic and infrastructural barriers. It recommends targeted capacity-building, improved digital infrastructure, administrative policy support, and AI integration into the STEM curriculum to enhance effective adoption in Nigerian secondary schools. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, STEM education, AI Awareness, AI Utilization