AI Revolution: Traditional teaching no longer enough —Don

The Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, has called on Nigerian universities to adapt their teaching methods to the realities of artificial intelligence, saying lecturers can no longer rely solely on traditional approaches to impart knowledge.

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, said the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, as well as online learning platforms, had fundamentally changed the relationship between students and knowledge.

According to him, students can now obtain information, generate learning materials, and seek explanations of difficult concepts through digital platforms without necessarily relying exclusively on classroom lectures.

He, therefore, urged lecturers to rethink their approaches and develop more interactive classrooms that would enable students to participate actively in the learning process.

“We have to develop ways of meeting the students of today halfway,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor said lecturers could no longer operate on the assumption that they were the sole repositories of knowledge, noting that students could readily verify information presented in the classroom through the internet.

He explained that he had adopted a more interactive approach to teaching, distinguishing between merely delivering lectures and engaging students in classroom discussions and activities.

“When you make the classes interesting, then they will be willing to come. If the classes are boring, they would rather go and stay in their rooms and have ChatGPT or watch videos,” he said.

Olorunnisola, however, stressed that the adoption of technology should not eliminate the classroom or undermine academic discipline.

He said universities must find a balance between physical classroom engagement and the responsible use of technology, as they seek to prepare students for examinations and the world of work.

He also called for stronger digital infrastructure in Nigerian universities, particularly public institutions, saying inadequate infrastructure had made it difficult for many institutions to sustain teaching and learning during disruptions such as industrial actions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, universities with robust digital systems would be better positioned to continue academic activities when students and lecturers could not physically access campuses.

The Bells University of Technology VC also linked the transformation of university education to increased funding, stating that adequate investment was essential if Nigerian universities were to compete effectively with institutions globally.

He identified inadequate funding as one of the major impediments to the development of the nation’s public higher education sector.

He said government must recognise universities as strategic institutions critical to national development and provide resources for infrastructure, research, human capital development, and digital learning.

Olorunnisola noted that producing globally competitive professionals required substantial investment, including modern infrastructure, competitive remuneration, and conducive working environments capable of attracting and retaining quality academics.

He said despite the challenges, Nigerian universities had demonstrated their capacity to produce professionals who compete successfully on the global stage.

The Vice-Chancellor cited Nigerian doctors, engineers, software developers, and other professionals working across the world as evidence of the quality of talent produced by the country’s higher education system.

He, however, said the government and other stakeholders needed to create an enabling environment for universities to maximise their potential.

Olorunnisola also expressed concern over the welfare of university academics, saying stagnant salaries had significantly reduced the purchasing power of lecturers amid rising inflation and living costs.

He argued that improving the welfare of academics was crucial to sustaining quality teaching, research, and international engagement.

The Vice-Chancellor also noted that the economic situation had placed enormous pressure on students and their parents, particularly those attending private universities.

He said the challenge went beyond tuition fees to the overall cost of maintaining students, including feeding, accommodation, and other daily expenses.

Olorunnisola disclosed that while serving as Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, the institution introduced flexible payment arrangements to reduce the financial pressure on students and their parents.

On his agenda at Bells University, the Vice-Chancellor said his administration would focus on strengthening the institution’s reputation, developing human capital, improving infrastructure, and identifying areas that would distinguish the university from its competitors.

He said no two universities could be exactly the same, stressing that each institution must determine what it wants to be known for.

“Reputation is number one. If the reputation is bad, students will not want to go, staff will not want to come, and parents will not want to send their children,” he said.

Olorunnisola said Nigerian universities must, therefore, combine academic excellence with innovation, technology, sound leadership, and institutional integrity if they are to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive global education environment.