Exploring AI literacy and Assessing the Usability of an AI-powered Education Tool for Teachers in Tanzania : A Minor Field Study in Kinondoni municipality, Dar es Salaam

Sammanfattning

Generative AI in education offers new opportunities to improve both learning and teaching in developing countries like Tanzania, where learning poverty remains a significant challenge. This study aims to explore the level of AI literacy among secondary school teachers in Kinondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and assesses the usability and potential impact of an AI-powered educational tool called Twiga, a chatbot integrated into WhatsApp. Through surveys, usability testing, and interviews, the study found that while teachers had a positive attitude toward AI, their experience and knowledge were limited. Most participants were estimated to be in the early stages of the Acquire level in UNESCO’s AI competence framework, posing a risk to the ethical and effective use of AI in education. Practical issues that the teachers encountered when using the chatbot included language barriers, misalignment with the curriculum, limited awareness of its capabilities, and missing features. On the other hand, Twiga was especially appreciated for being culturally relevant and easy to access via WhatsApp. The study discusses both challenges, such as limited Internet access and English proficiency, and opportunities, including the need for a Kiswahili-speaking chatbot and the lack of AI regulations. These results underscore the importance of improving AI literacy among teachers and adapting AI tools to local contexts. If these challenges are addressed and the AI tools implemented effectively, AI has the potential to reduce teacher workload and support more equal, high-quality education in low-resource settings.