Nursing Educators' Perspectives on the Integration of Artificial Intelligence Into Academic Settings

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Technology
• Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) integration in education offers transformative potential for nursing education, combining theoretical and practical knowledge.
• Widespread adoption is hindered by infrastructural limitations, ethical concerns, and inadequate educator preparedness, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing educators' perspectives on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into academic nursing education.
• To understand the lived experiences of nursing educators regarding AI adoption using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative phenomenological study involving 16 nursing educators from three colleges in Bangladesh.
• Data collected through 14 semistructured interviews and three focus group discussions.
• Thematic analysis to identify key insights and trends in AI integration.

Main Results:

• Educators acknowledged AI's potential for enhancing teaching efficiency, personalizing learning, and student engagement through tools like adaptive platforms and simulations.
• Identified barriers include insufficient training, infrastructural challenges, and ethical concerns regarding data privacy and bias.
• Key themes: perceived benefits, integration barriers, ethical considerations, educator readiness, and personalized learning.

Conclusions:

• AI offers significant potential to revolutionize nursing education and prepare future nurses for AI-enhanced clinical practice.
• Effective integration necessitates addressing educator readiness, ethical challenges, and resource limitations.
• Professional development and institutional support are crucial for equipping educators with AI competencies.