Exploring Integration of 4IR Technologies in Nigerian Universities: Implications for Pedagogy and Skills Development
Keywords:
Abstract
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is reshaping education around the world. It presents innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of things (IoT) and big data. Such resources are also being implemented in several educational systems. But Nigerian universities have been slow in adopting them to train students for skills. In this conceptual paper, we discuss the ways in which 4IR technologies (and particularly AI) are being employed within Nigerian higher education. It investigates quality and potential to support teaching and learning of future-ready skills. The TPACK and UTAUT models are used in the paper to evaluate technology use. The results indicate that it is too soon to say if these tools are being used to teach well, serving local needs or showing clear gains. The study follows a conceptual and interpretive approach. It is based on a narrative review of academic literature, policy documents and theoretical works. The sources were retrieved from Scopus, the Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The thematic analysis identified obstacles at three levels: national (absence of policy and finance), institutional (infrastructure and planning) and personal (digital skills, resistance). The paper ends with concluding remarks. This includes building local strategies to embrace the 4IR, training teachers in digital approaches, and upgrading infrastructure for skills development in Nigerian universities.
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