Social Cognitive Theory and AI Literacy in Secondary Schools in Nigeria: A Quantitative Descriptive Survey

The adoption of AI in Nigerian secondary schools is regarded as an expansion of the country's digital education initiatives and this underscores the need to examine teachers' willingness to use AI tools for effective teaching and learning. Thus, this study seeks to compare AI literacy in public and private secondary schools, find variations in institutional support, and investigate whether gender and teaching experience predict AI competence and integration in teaching. Using a stratified random sampling technique, a total of 414 teachers were analysed from the 7,484 teachers in secondary schools within the Ibadan metropolis. Of the 450 questionnaires distributed, 414 were returned and found valid for analysis, representing a response rate of 92%. Sample selection was based on resource availability in the selected schools. Data were collected using a self-designed quantitative instrument with closed-ended questions on a four-point Likert Scale: AI Literacy, Institutional Support and Teachers’ Demographic Assessment Questionnaire (AILISTDAQ). The reliability of the instrument was tested using Cronbach’s alpha with a coefficient of 0.76. Descriptive statistics of standard deviation, mean and inferential statistics (t-test and One-Way ANOVA) were used for data analysis. The study found that teachers in private schools exhibited greater levels of AI literacy and institutional support than their counterparts in public schools. With the use of Social Cognitive Theory as a guide, the study found that school type and teaching experience are more influential predictors of AI literacy than gender among Nigerian secondary school teachers. It is recommended that AI literacy should be enhanced to develop the self-efficacy of teachers and normalise the pedagogical application of AI.