English abstract
The study aimed to identify the actual investment of artificial intelligence
applications in Oman higher education institutes. It also aimed at tracing the effect
of application on teaching processes and the challenges facing Oman higher
education institutes when using artificial intelligence applications in teaching.
The study depended on qualitative approach. Semi-codified interviews were data
gathering tool. The study community included a governmental ministry and some
public and private academic institutions affiliated to the ministry that invest the
artificial intelligence application. The sample consisted of the ministry of Higher
Education Research and Innovation and 6 academic institutions: 5 private
institutions and only 1 public. The interviews conducted were 19.
.The study came up with some finding. The main finding was that there is a diverse
investment of artificial intelligence applications among the higher education
institutions in Oman. In addition, the study revealed that ChatGPT is the main
application used in these institutions. These institutions showed more interest in
investing such application although there is no official resolution or requirement of
employing the application but only some recommendation.
The applications of artificial intelligence proved to be effective as a tutor for each
student individually as well as a teaching assistant. These applications also helped
in starting many developed projects and in improving the education system in
several domains. However, the cost of investing these applications is very high and
the current academic plans are to large extent inconvenient with artificial
intelligence technology.
Furthermore, the study results show that ChatGPT is the most commonly used
application, and that the application use depends on the major type and the
application type. Moreover, the study findings clarified that there are no particular
regulations for application investment but only those related to the privacy and
security policy.
According to the study findings, there are some challenges facing the investment of
artificial intelligence applications in higher education institutions such as the lack
of the required skills among the teaching stuff and the high financial cost of using
these applications in training and technology domains.
Thes study ended up with some recommendations. On top of them is that the
Ministry of Higher Education and Research should make an official decision for
the use of artificial intelligence applications in all its academic institutions. It also
should give the needed support for all the projects in these institutes and design
academic courses that match with the implementation of these applications.
