Volume 11 - Issue 54
/ June 2022
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https:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.28
How to Cite:
Alzahrani, A. (2022). A systematic review of artificial intelligence in education in the arab world. Amazonia Investiga, 11(54), 293-
305. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2022.54.06.28
A systematic review of artificial intelligence in education in the arab
world
Received: July 7, 2022 Accepted: August 15, 2022
Abstract
In recent years, many technological innovations that have contributed to the success of the
educational process, and artificial intelligence is one of these recent innovations. Artificial
intelligence has become one of the technological tools used in education and demonstrated a
successful emergency strategy during the pandemic of Covid-19. This study aimed to focus on
the role artificial intelligence played in education in Arabs world during the last five years. This
study conducted a comprehensive survey of the research published in three databases (Google
Scholar, ERIC, and IEEE) to reach the goal of this study. The total number were found in three
databases was 436 and 29 of them are related to “Artificial Intelligence and Learning and
Teaching and Arab world”, the abstracts of these studies were checked according to adopted
methodology. The methodology was applied to select the studies is where these studies applied,
the specialization of the researcher, and the research methodology followed. Moreover, the goals
of the selected papers, the results, and similarities and differences among these studies were
discussed. Recommendations and future studies also discussed.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Learning, Teaching, Arab world.
Covid-19
Google Scholar, ERIC, IEEE
29
.
Introduction
Innovation is vital to societal well-being and the
fostering of economic progress. The world has
witnessed and continues to witness the
integration of many cutting-edge technologies in
the market, which is shaping business strategies
113
Associate Professor of Instructional Technology College of Education, University of Ha’il Saudi Arabia.
(Alastal et al., 2021). New innovative
technologies and the revolution of fourth-
generation (4G) technologies have made
dramatic changes in the world, while also posing
many challenges in different fields that require
Written by:
Abdulaziz Alzahrani113
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8538-5058
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integrated systems and a flexible qualifications
framework (Alraasibia, 2021). The labor sector is
expected to witness changes in professions—the
disappearance of some, and the emergence of
new professions that depend on the technologies
of this revolution (Alraasibia, 2021). Technology
has become an indispensable element in all areas
of life (Alastal et al., 2021). Several systems, as
well as their processes, have undergone major
changes. Aside from that, the 4G revolution has
resulted in new types of jobs and skills in the
technology field that are distinct and advanced
(Fouda, 2020). According to Haneya et al.
(2021), individuals can easily interact with one
another and facilitate workflows using various
communication tools provided by technology.
Tools like Skype, WhatsApp, and others are
becoming more and more popular and are highly
utilized by individuals within all societies
(Haneya et al., 2021).
From the end of the past century to the present,
the programmers' focus has been on creating and
developing algorithms and methodologies that
may be used to gain an advantage in machine
learning (Alastal et al., 2021). Researchers were
able to construct computers capable of
generating judgments based on answers to pre-
programmed issues in the mid-1980s, but those
programmers failed to use their discovery for
practical applications at the time (Alastal et al.,
2021). Since the beginning of the human
relationship with electronic computers, program
developers’ thinking has turned to training these
computers to practice many skills of human
nature. Researchers have sought to develop new
scientific theories and develop techniques based
on them with the aim of making computers
perform the work that humans do, but in a better
way (Abuzakiyeh, 2018). This science is known
as artificial intelligence, and the techniques it
uses depend on defining the concept of human
intelligence and then linking it to the computer’s
capability to perform (Abuzakiyeh, 2018).
For today’s nations, progress is measured not by
the amount of information that a country
possesses, but by its ability to organize and use
that information to help the human race. In fact,
the most developed countries in the field of
informatics have become the most economically
and financially powerful (Alastal et al., 2021). As
we move into the fifth generation of the 5G
Internet, or what is called the "internet of things,"
the world's electronic devices will increasingly
be interconnected through known Internet
protocols, resulting in computerized objects
surrounding us everywhere (Alastal et al., 2021).
Therefore, an integrated approach is required that
designs solutions for each country or region to
address some of the challenges identified in
assimilating new technologies within systems
and processes to achieve the best results
(Sourani, 2019).
The purpose of this paper is to present a literature
review on the concept of AI in the Arab world
and how the researchers integrate AI into their
institutions as new technology. Integrating new
technology is considered an important tool in the
education sector to improve the students’
learning (Elayyan, 2021; Fouda, 2020). In
addition, this paper explores the goal and results
of the selected papers. There are many research
studies, presented at different conferences,
requesting that the use of AI be required in the
Arab world to get the benefit of AI in the process
of learning (Mawad, 2019; Mira & Katie, 2019;
Mohammed, et al, 2021). Moreover, many
ministries of education provided seminaries with
information about AI to encourage the leaders of
schools and the presidents of universities to use
AI in their institutions (Johnson et al., 2022).
This paper sheds light on Arab research in the
field of AI. It presents a panoramic view of the
implementation of AI in Arab countries. The
systematic integration of AI into education will
enable countries to address some of the biggest
challenges in education today, innovate teaching
and learning practices, and ultimately accelerate
progress toward development and sustainability
goals (Ghazi, 2021). It is important to note that
artificial intelligence must not completely
replace teachers; rather, the human mind should
work side by side with the artificial mind in a
calculated way.
Theoretical Framework or Literature Review
Artificial Intelligence advantages and
disadvantages
Introduced by Alan Turing in the 1950s,
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of
computer science that attempts to mimic the
human mind's ability to learn and make decisions
(Haneya et al., 2021). Artificial intelligence
systems aim to build systems that are intelligent
and capable of learning—possessing the ability
to create specialized knowledge and discover
new phenomena (Abuzakiyeh, 2018).
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
(ML) are among the newest innovative
technologies that have changed business
processes and replaced large portions of the
decision-making process traditionally performed
by humans (Haneya et al., 2021). As with any
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new change, the utilization of artificial
intelligence has many advantages as well as
disadvantages. When it comes to the advantages,
artificial intelligence can make up for a general
lack of personnel, including specialized workers,
within a particular field (Ghazi, 2021). For
example, artificial intelligence has contributed to
teaching and evaluating karate skills for students
(Ghazi, 2021). In addition, artificial intelligence
systems can be utilized to illustrate the
differences between traditional methods and
smart teaching methods in the field of education
and learning (Abuzakiyeh, 2018). Moreover,
artificial intelligence has become a tool for
battling COVID-19 as the epidemic continues to
affect people and businesses. With increased
isolation restrictions and social restrictions by
governments, communication and social
interactions became challenging and extremely
limited (Haneya et al., 2021). According to
Haneya et al. (2021), when artificial intelligence
was applied to medical departments, it offered
many advantages, such as faster detection and
reporting of patients' medical images and faster
diagnosis by medical specialists. In addition,
using information from multiple sources such as
radiology, laboratory tests, and clinical
examinations to deliver desired outcomes can be
achieved using artificial intelligence (Haneya et
al., 2021). Moreover, artificial intelligence has a
growing role in telehealth, such as supporting the
remote monitoring of patients by virtual doctors
and improving overall patient experience
(Haneya et al., 2021). Therefore, the application
of artificial intelligence is considered an effective
tool in slowing down and preventing the spread
of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
As for the disadvantages, there is a high overall
cost associated with creating a machine that can
simulate human intelligence and frequently
update it; therefore, not every country can afford
it (Sourani, 2019) and (Mahmoud, 2020).
Another disadvantage reported by faculty
members is that the activation of artificial
intelligence within a system can raise many
obstacles (Mohammed et al., 2021). According to
Mohammed et al. (2021), obstacles related to
issues like scarcity of resources available to
finance, lack of interest of college
administrations, lack of knowledge of successful
experiences in the field, and lack of studies
dealing with artificial intelligence applications
must be discussed and solved before
transitioning to artificial intelligence. In
addition, Aldossary et al. (2020) reported that
“conducting educational research during the
covid pandemic is confronted with scientific,
administrative, psychological, health, and
technological challenges.” Regardless of these
shortcomings, it has been clearly shown that AI
has advantages that outweigh its disadvantages,
and its use is essential for the future.
Information and communication technology
(ICT) is recognized as a core science used in
education and one of the fundamental elements
of modern society. In recent years, artificial
intelligence algorithms and systems have gained
popularity and become one of the most
prominent technology applications, especially in
education (Makhlouf, 2021). Internet-based
learning has become a frequent part of the
learning process, and tablets have largely
replaced books in many educational facilities
(Ghazi, 2021). Fouda (2020) explained that
digital tools have made learning more active and
independent, and they have revolutionized
education. The manner of communication has
also changed as a result of new technologies, so
teachers must find new ways to motivate students
and cope with this new era (Haneya et al., 2021).
Integrated education must adapt to the profound
changes imposed by the Fourth Industrial
Revolution, which is one of the most important
global challenges facing teaching and learning
today (Alraasibia, 2021). In the past, education
systems, teachers, and students have faced many
challenges with traditional classrooms. For
example, Makhlouf (2021) explained that the
lack of interaction and poor speaking practices of
some teachers prevented traditional lessons from
meeting the needs of learners in terms of
enhancing their speaking abilities. However, this
problem can be solved—both learning and
teaching skills can be enhanced when AI is
utilized within an educational system (Makhlouf,
2021). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a
number of schools have closed, making online
education more common. This has caused
numerous challenges in the education sector.
However, new opportunities for teacher
assessment and professional development have
arisen from ground-breaking applications of
technology and educational information
(Al-Zyoud, 2020). Education policymakers and
governments have found that using technology as
a teaching tool is the best approach at this time
(Makhlouf, 2021). Using AI applications that
provide accurate assessments and updated
features can assist teachers as they develop
students' skills and communicate information to
them (Makhlouf, 2021).
AI can open new horizons in curricula, teaching
strategies, and educational technologies for all
fields of knowledge (Mahmoud, 2020). The
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utilization of AI within the educational sector has
been the focus of many studies in various fields
and aspects of education. For example,
Mohammed et al. (2021) used artificial
intelligence techniques in developing teacher
preparation programs. Another study by
Al-Zyoud (2020) emphasized the role artificial
intelligence plays in enhancing teachers’
professional development. Furthermore, by
developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based
model, the University College of Science and
Technology was able to measurably improve its
programming skills (Alastal et al., 2021).
Another experimental study by Makhlouf (2021)
showed how the application of artificial
intelligence techniques improved students’
learning skills.
Artificial Intelligence in the education sector
in the Arab world
A number of Arabic countries, including Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Libya, Oman, Lebanon, Palestine,
and Egypt, have started researching and utilizing
Artificial Intelligence within their systems and
processes (Haneya et al., 2021). However,
Sourani (2019) emphasized that Artificial
Intelligence remains unprepared to substitute for
teachers because of the various challenges
presented in Arabic countries. It is also important
to note that the challenges faced by Arabic
countries may vary from the challenges faced by
western and other countries (Sourani, 2019).
Upon reviewing the current literature, studies
from countries that have unstable conditions,
such as Libya, Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon,
focused on introducing artificial intelligence
techniques, their role in smart teaching systems,
and the perception of teachers on the utilization
of artificial intelligence rather than on artificial
intelligence applications themselves. For
example, the role of artificial intelligence
techniques was discussed in smart teaching
systems to support their utilization in Libya
(Abuzakiyeh, 2018). Another study in Libya
dealt with the possibilities afforded by the
domains of artificial intelligence and their use to
the best advantage for both students and
professors (Hussin et al., 2021). Furthermore, a
study in Iraq discussed and defined the
applications of artificial intelligence in education
from the point of view of university teachers
(Mira & Katie, 2019). The reason for choosing
these subjects can be explained by war and
unstable conditions in these countries, which
contributed to the fact that people still lack access
to computers and the Internet. This was even
more evident with the closure of schools and
universities during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Mahmoud, 2020). Building artificial
intelligence and integrating it with systems
requires accessible resources and strong research
funding, which was not sufficient in these
countries (Mahmoud, 2020). On the other hand,
more extensive utilization and research on
Artificial Intelligence can be observed in
wealthier, more developed, and more stable
Arabic countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and
Egypt (Alhashmi et al., 2021; Johnson et al.,
2022, Yanes et al., 2020). In Saudi Arabia, Yanes
et al. (2020) proposed a machine learning-based
recommender system to predict suitable actions
for teachers and prevent undesirable and
inappropriate decisions from occurring. In
addition, Alhashmi et al. (2021) employed a
humanoid robot as a teacher assistant in UAE
classrooms to explore its effectiveness in
assessing both the teachers and the students.
Another study by Johnson et al. (2022) created an
Artificial Intelligence learning course to teach
students how to incorporate the technology into
existing business processes. In Egypt, Artificial
Intelligence was utilized in karate training and
was found to be useful in the efficient assessment
and evaluation of specific karate skills performed
by students.
Methodology
The study followed the literature review research
process, and the data was collected by retrieving
research papers from three credible online
databases (IEEE, ERIC, and Google Scholar).
The chosen studies were conducted and
published between January 2018 and July 2022.
The selected studies in this paper were chosen by
entering variations of the keyphrase “artificial
intelligence and teaching and learning in the
Arab world” into the search engines of the three
databases. The total number of studies found in
these three databases was 436; all abstracts were
reviewed to ensure that the studies were relevant
to the purpose of this paper. The final selection
of reviewed studies from the three databases
consisted of 29 papers. Table 1 shows the general
summary of the selected studies. The highest
number of studies were conducted in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (12 studies, or
41.38%), and six papers were conducted in the
United Arab Emirates (6, 20.69%). Four papers
were conducted in Egypt (13.79%), and two
others in Libya and Oman (6.90%). Lastly, one
paper each was applied in Palestine, Iraq, and
Lebanon (3.45%). According to the authors’
affiliation, Table (1) shows that most authors are
from the College of Education (14, 48%), then
the College of Computer of Science (3, or
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10.34%). Three authors did not mention their
college in the papers. Moreover, there were two
authors who are from the College of Arabic
Language, the College of English Language, and
the College of Engineering (6.90%). One author
was from the College of Science (3.45%), one
author was from the College of Business
(3.45%), and one author was from the College of
Media (3.45%).
Results and Discussion
Table 1.
General summary of the selected studies.
#
Author/ Authors
Affiliation of the first author
Country
1
Abalkheel, 2022
English Language and Translation
KSA
2
Abdeen, 2021
Special Education
KSA
3
Abdel Baky, 2022
Education Technology
KSA
4
Abuzakiyeh, 2018
Science
Libya
5
2021Alastal, et al,
Curricula and methods of teaching
educational technology
Palestine
6
Albasalah, et al, 2021
Arabic Language Department
KSA
7
Aldossary, et al, 2020
Educational Foundations
KSA
8
Alhashmi, et al, 2021
Education
UAE
9
Alnaqbi, 2020
Technology Management
UAE
10
Alraasibia, 2021
Education
Oman
11
Zyoud, 2020-Al
Education
UAE
12
Elayyan, 2021
NONE
Oman
13
hajj, 2019-El
Computer Science
UAE
14
Fouda, 2020
Agriculture Engineering
Egypt
15
Ghazi, 2021
Educational Sport
Egypt
16
Haneya et al, 2021
Computer Science
UAE
17
Hussin, et al, 2021
NONE
Libya
18
Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022
Instructional Technology
KSA
19
Johnson et al, 2022
Informatics and Media
UAE
20
Keezhatta, 2019
English
KSA
21
Mahmoud, 2020
Curricula and methods of teaching
Arabic and Islamic education
Egypt
22
Makhlouf, 2021
English Language
KSA
23
Mawad et al, 2019
Educational Technology and
Information
KSA
24
Mira & Katie, 2019
NONE
Iraq
25
Mohammed, et al, 2021
Basic Education
KSA
26
2021Nagro,
Computer Science
KSA
27
Nasif, 2021
Interior Design
Egypt
28
Sourani, 2019
Linguistics and Educational
Technology
Lebanon
29
Yanes et al, 2020
Computer and Information Sciences
KSA
Source (own author)
Finding
Table 2 shows eighteen papers (62.07%) that
used a quantitative method (Abdel Baky, 2022;
Abdeen, 2021; Alastal et al., 2021; Alhashmi et
al., 2021; Al-Zyoud, 2020; Elayyan, 2021;
Fouda, 2020; Ghazi, 2021; Hussin et al., 2021;
Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022; Mahmoud, 2020;
Makhlouf, 2021; Mawad, 2019; Mirat & Katie,
2019; Mohammed et al., 2021; Nagro, 2021;
Nasif, 2021; Yanes et al., 2020). Ten papers
(34.48%) used a qualitative method (Abalkheel,
2022; Abuzakiyeh, 2018; Albasalah et al., 2021;
Alnaqbi, 2020; Alraasibia, 2021; El-hajj, 2019;
Haneya et al., 2021; Johnson et al., 2022;
Keezhatta, 2019; Sourani, 2019). Lastly, one
paper (3.45%) used a mixed method approach
(Aldossary et al., 2020).
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Table 2.
Methodology of the selected studies
Author/Authors
#
%
Quantitative Research
Abdel Baky, 2022; Abdeen, 2021; Alastal et al.,
2021; Alhashmi et al., 2021; Al-Zyoud, 2020;
Elayyan, 2021; Fouda, 2020; Ghazi, 2021; Hussin
et al., 2021; Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022; Mahmoud,
2020; Makhlouf, 2021; Mawad et al., 2019; Mirat
& Katie, 2019; Mohammed et al., 2021; Nagro,
2021; Nasif, 2021; Yanes et al., 2020.
18
62.07
Qualitative Research
Abalkheel, 2022; Abuzakiyeh, 2018;
Albasalah et al., 2021; Alnaqbi, 2020;
Alraasibia, 2021; El-hajj, 2019; Haneya
et al., 2021; Johnson et al., 2022;
Keezhatta, 2019; Sourani, 2019.
10
34.48
Mixed research
Aldossary et al., 2020.
1
3.45
29
100
Source (own author)
The selected papers were searched in Scimago
and Web of Science to recognize the ranking of
journals according to these databases. According
to Scimago’s four categories (Q1, Q2, Q3, and
Q4), the highest rank is Q1 and the lowest rank is
Q4. There were two papers published in Q1 and
Q2. Three papers were published in Q3.
However, eight papers were published on Web of
Science, and seventeen papers were not ranked in
either Scimago or Web of Science as shown in
Table 3.
Table 3
Studies ranking and published journals
#
Author/ Authors
Journal Name
Scimago
Web Of Science
1
Abalkheel, 2022
International Journal of English
Language and Literature Studies
Q2
2
Abdeen, 2021
International Journal of Childhood,
Counselling and Special Education
3
Abdel Baky, 2022
Journal of Education - Sohag
University
4
Abuzakiyeh, 2018
Journal of Faculties of Education,
Zawiya-University of Al
5
Alastal et al., 2021
Journal of the Islamic University of
Educational and Psychological
Studies
6
Albasalah et al., 2021
Linguistica Antverpiensia, New
Series: Themes in Translation Studies
Q1
X
Aldossary et al., 2020
Palarch’s Journal Of Egypt/Egyptology Archaeology Of
Q3
8
Alhashmi et al., 2021
Journal of Information Technology
Education: Research
Q2
X
9
Alnaqbi, 2020
Electronic Interdisciplinary
Journal Miscellaneous
10
Alraasibia, 2021
Al-Andalus Journal for Humanities
Sciencesand Social
11
Zyoud, 2020-Al
Universal Journal of Educational
Research
12
Elayyan, 2021
Journal of Educational Technology &
Online Learning
13
hajj, 2019-El
Innovation Arabia 12 Proceedings
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14
Fouda, 2020
Scientific Papers Series Management,
Economic Engineering in Agriculture
and Rural Development
X
15
Ghazi, 2021
Journal of Sport Science Technology
and Physical Activities
16
Haneya et al., 2021
Procedia Computer Science
17
Hussin et al., 2021
The 1st International Conference of
the Faculties of Sciences
18
Jabli & Alqahtani,
2022
Association of Arab Universities
Journal for Education and
Psychology
19
Johnson et al., 2022
Association for the Advancement of
Artificial Intelligence
X
20
Keezhatta, 2019
Arab World English Journal
X
21
Mahmoud, 2020
International Journal of Research in
Educational Sciences
X
22
Makhlouf, 2021
International Journal of English
Language Education
X
23
Mawad et al, 2019
Journal of the College of Education,
Azhar University-Al
24
Mira & Katie, 2019
Journal Intelligence Researches
25
Mohammed et al., 2021
Multicultural Education
Q3
26
Nagro, 2021
International Journal of Education
and Practice
Q3
27
Nasif, 2021
Journal of Art & Architecture
Research Studies
28
Sourani, 2019
AlJinan Unversity -AlJinan Journal
29
Yanes et al., 2020
IEEE Access
Q1
X
Source (own author)
Table 4 showed that there were two types of
institutions where the studies were conducted;
nineteen papers (65.52%) were conducted in
Universities (Abdel Baky, 2022; Abdeen, 2021;
Alastal, et al., 2021; Alhashmi et al., 2021;
Al-Zyoud, 2020; Elayyan, 2021; Fouda, 2020;
Ghazi, 2021; Hussin et al., 2021; Jabli &
Alqahtani, 2022; Mahmoud, 2020; Makhlouf,
2021; Mawad, 2019; Mira & Katie, 2019;
Mohammed et al., 2021; Nagro, 2021; Nasif,
2021; Yanes et al., 2020) and ten papers
(34.48%) originated in schools (Abalkheel, 2022;
Abuzakiyeh, 2018; Albasalah et al., 2021;
Alnaqbi, 2020; Alraasibia, 2021; El-hajj, 2019;
Haneya et al., 2021; Johnson et al., 2022;
Keezhatta, 2019; Sourani, 2019).
Table 4.
Type of Institutions
Author/Authors
#
%
Universities
Abdel Baky, 2022; Abdeen, 2021; Alastal et al., 2021; Alhashmi et al.,
2021; Al-Zyoud, 2020; Elayyan, 2021; Fouda, 2020; Ghazi, 2021;
Hussin et al., 2021; Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022; Mahmoud, 2020;
Makhlouf, 2021; Mawad et al., 2019; Mira & Katie, 2019; Mohammed
et al., 2021; Nagro, 2021; Nasif, 2021; Yanes et al., 2020; Aldossary et
al., 2020.
19
65.52
Schools
Abalkheel, 2022; Abuzakiyeh, 2018; Albasalah et al., 2021; Alnaqbi,
2020; Alraasibia, 2021; El-hajj, 2019; Haneya et al., 2021; Johnson et
al., 2022; Keezhatta, 2019; Sourani, 2019.
10
34.48
Source (own author)
The goal of the studies
The goal of the studies was to assess the
utilization of Artificial Intelligence in the
education sector in the Arab world in four
categories that explored AI usefulness, AI
effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic,
teacher and student views and awareness of AI,
and AI training and program development.
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AI usefulness has been explored in multiple
studies. A 2022 study by Abalkheel questioned
the usefulness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
improving Saudi education quality and
effectiveness. Similar to Abalkheel (2022), an
AI-based learning environment was used by
Abdel Baky (2022) to identify its impact on
student achievement and decision-making skills.
Abdeen (2021) also assessed how the
exploitation strategy enhanced students’ ability
to think concurrently. In addition, El-hajj’s
(2019) study goal was to show how AI and other
technologies are improving educational systems
and speeding up administrative processes
worldwide. Alnaqbi (2020) also assessed the
effectiveness of AI in overcoming military
education challenges. Moreover, Keezhatta’s
(2019) study aimed to know the effect of AI
application in the linguistics field, specifically its
effects on Natural Language Processing (NLP)
platforms. AI was also used to teach and evaluate
some basic karate skills for primary school
students in Ghazi’s study (2021). Furthermore,
Makhlouf (2021) investigated the effect of AI on
the development of non-English major students
in their preparatory year. Additionally, Fouda
(2020) analyzed prior research to assess the uses
of fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies
in the field of agricultural engineering. A
systematic review by Sourani (2019) explored
the role and potentiality of AI in improving
education.
AI effectiveness was also examined during the
COVID-19 pandemic. A study explored the
possibilities provided by AI and its uses, as well
as the optimization of student and professor
performance (Hussin et al., 2021). Haneya et al.
(2021) analyzed the application and impact of AI
on the COVID-19 outbreak and discussed the
contribution of AI in the fight against the
pandemic. Similarly, Nagro (2021) investigated
the role of e-learning and AI in improving faculty
members’ practices when switching to online
education during COVID. Another study aimed
to identify AI and those of its applications that
could be used to enhance the educational process
in light of the imposed COVID-19 challenges in
Egypt (Mahmoud, 2020).
The views and awareness of teachers and
students on using AI in education have also been
examined. In the UAE, Alhashmi et al. (2021)
explored the views of Arab teachers and students
concerning the use of humanoid robots as
teaching assistants. In addition, pre-service
science teachers' perceptions of the impact of
fourth industrial revolution products, including
artificial intelligence, on education are examined
in Elayyan’s (2021) study. Moreover, Albasalah
et al. (2021) analyzed the barriers to the use of AI
and the exploitation of the information revolution
in scientific research in a wide range of fields,
and they also assessed the objectives of scientific
research using AI in universities. Nasif (2021)
also evaluated the current state and challenges
facing students and the role of AI in facing them.
In addition to identifying the barriers and
challenges of educational research, Aldossary et
al. (2020) explored the differences in the
perceived challenge between males and females.
Another study aimed to identify IQs applications
(AI) in teaching from university lecturers’ points
of view (Mira & Katie, 2019). A recent study
assessed faculty members' awareness of AI skills
and their relationship with experience and
training (Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022).
When it comes to AI training and program
development, one study discussed aspects of
development that should occur in the educational
system, including AI development (Alraasibia,
2021). Another study in Libya aimed to
understand AI, its applications, and the
components of expert systems, as well as to
explain the advantages of computer-assisted
teaching programs (Abuzakiyeh, 2018).
Mawad’s (2019) goal was to design an
environment that develops digital skills and
technological acceptance among the faculty,
based on their preferred training style. Similarly,
Mohammed et al.’s (2021) study’s goal was to
use AI techniques to develop a university’s
teacher preparation programs. Al-Zyoud (2020)
also explored the development of AI and its
impact on the educational systems and the
teachers’ professional development. Johnson et
al. (2022) developed an AI course that aimed to
provide a broad introduction to AI and give
students enough knowledge to be able to apply
their learning to their work. Yanes et al.’s (2020)
goals were to develop and use a machine-based
recommender system to assess courses and
predict suitable actions. Another study developed
a proposed model based on AI and aimed to
reveal its effectiveness in developing skills in
programming for university students (Alastal et
al., 2021).
Results of the studies
Results from AI usefulness showed a consistent
pattern that supports AI’s positive impact.
Sourani (2019) showed that AI could play an
instrumental role by developing a digital
curriculum and educational activities, along with
adopting Chat-bot related Apps. Abalkheel
(2022) found that AI can help Saudi instructors
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in closing the gaps present in education and
overcoming the challenges caused by the
pandemic. Abdel Baky (2022) also found that an
AI-based learning environment resulted in a
significant difference in college students' mean
achievement scores, as well as a significant
difference in their decision-making skills and
direction toward technology, as compared to
students who were taught in a traditional learning
environment. The results from Abdeen (2021)
showed that the use of exploitation strategy has
significantly enhanced the level of their
concurrent thinking ability and a significant
variation in this level was noted between the
experimental and control groups. In addition,
El-hajj (2019) reported that AI provides
economic, personalized education to a wide
range of learners, which can contribute to the
transformation of the education sector. Similarly,
the study in the UAE demonstrated that AI is
useful in reducing risks and challenges in
education for the military sector (Alnaqbi, 2020).
Keezhatta’s (2019) study results also show that
AI can support NLP tasks, especially when deep
learning techniques are applied to extract
analytical inferences from EFL texts. When it
comes to sports, the use of AI-assisted teaching
and evaluation of some basic karate skills was
effective, as it was in teaching and assessing the
program (Ghazi, 2021). Makhlouf (2021) found
that AI enhanced students’ speaking skills with a
significant difference in scores. In the future,
Fouda (2020) concluded that Arab countries will
need continuous and flexible education, which
can be achieved by increased investment in
education and research.
As for the results of AI effectiveness during the
pandemic, Haneya et al. (2021) found that AI
applications prevented COVID-19 from
spreading, monitored restrictions, and provided
remote healthcare. Another study explained that
the covid pandemic has increased interest in
distance education and the use of artificial
intelligence techniques (Hussin et al., 2021).
Nagro (2021) also found that teachers reported a
statistically significant (α≤ 0.05) effect of AI on
e-learning during the pandemic. However,
another study reported that digital infrastructure
was not readily available in the educational
environment, and teachers and learners were not
trained to use modern technologies, considering
that paper textbooks remain the main mode of
instruction (Mahmoud, 2020).
When it comes to the views and awareness of
teachers and students, inconsistency in results
was reported. Alhashmi et al. (2021) showed that
students were happy with using robots as co-
teachers, unlike teachers, who reported some
concerns and were more suspicious. Moreover,
the results from Elayyan’s (2021) study showed
that some teachers favored their use, whereas
others reported that teaching-learning processes
would occur with little interaction between the
teachers and students. Pre-service science
teachers also perceived the use of AI and
technology differently in Al-Zyoud’s (2020)
study. Another study’s results showed that the
applications of AI had a positive effect on
teaching, and the application of "instant
evaluation" is more effective than others (Mira &
Katie, 2019). On the other hand, Nasif (2021)
noted that AI is still in its beginning stages,
according to the teachers, and its integration for
usage, especially in interior design programs, is
still very limited in Egypt, specifically for
teaching. Albasalah et al. (2021) concluded that
teachers reported the objectives of scientific
research using AI in universities to be a
significant positive predictor of obstacles to
activating AI and exploiting the information
revolution in health and human scientific
research. The obstacles identified include a lack
of qualified faculty members to prepare for
interdisciplinary research using AI, the lack of
educational means and modern educational
technology provided by the university, weak
training of faculty members, and a failure to
follow up. Aldossary et al. (2020) also reported
multiple challenges to conducting educational
research with AI, including scientific,
administrative, psychological, and health factors.
Teachers’ awareness of AI was explored in one
study. The results showed a high level of AI
awareness among teachers, but a significant
difference is noted according to differences in
training received and years of experience (Jabli
& Alqahtani, 2022). Mohammed et al.’s (2021)
results reported that teachers strongly agreed that
there are obstacles to using AI techniques in
developing teacher preparation programs, but
they also agreed to the proposals suggesting
improvements.
When it comes to developing AI and training
programs, Johnson et al. (2022) showed that
developing and delivering AI courses can yield
meaningful student and teachers’ perspectives to
teach AI at different levels. In addition, the use
of AI models has significantly improved
programming skills among students, as noted
through grade variation (Alastal et al., 2021).
Another study reported that 4G will bring about
profound changes in all elements of the
educational system, which will impose new roles
and responsibilities on those working in
education systems (Alraasibia, 2021). Mawad
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(2019) reported that the participatory training
style contributed to the development of digital
competencies and technological acceptance
among faculty members. Additionally, Yanes et
al. (2020) indicated that the use of course
specifications, academic records, and course
result outcomes can help in getting valuable
teaching recommendations. Furthermore, the use
of AI enables the adaptability of learning
materials to the needs of learners and provides
opportunities for group learning (Abuzakiyeh,
2018).
Explanations of the results
Alhashmi et al.’s (2021) results mean that
adopting any change, such as the use of robots
and other methods in teaching, is challenging.
This occurs because E-learning and AI have not
been extensively investigated in various
countries of the Arabic world to assess their
effectiveness. Thus, more research similar to
Alnaqbi’s (2020) paper must be conducted. In
addition, Abdeen’s (2021) results argue the need
to conduct further research on developing
concurrent thinking, suggesting that there is a
need to work on developing specialized AI
strategies for enhancement. Similarly, Albasalah
et al.’s (2021) results mean that universities must
consider the objectives of scientific research and
interdisciplinary research using artificial
intelligence and how they affect AI activation.
As for utilizing AI in the education sector,
Nagro’s (2021) results mean that more education
systems must start shifting toward the use of AI
for e-learning purposes. In addition, results from
the Haneya et al. (2021) study mean that AI must
be employed in all sectors within any country,
especially given the current pandemic. Though
AI has been implemented in some Arabic
countries, Sourani’s results (2019) indicate a lack
of proper trials, testing, and recommendations for
the applicability of AI in the education sector,
regardless of the fact that it has been proven to
overcome educational challenges. Similarly,
El-hajj’s (2019) study results mean that the
adoption of AI and other technologies is still in
its infancy in relation to the higher education
sector. Elayyan's study (2021) specified that the
instructional programs, curricula, learning
environments, liquid instructional skills, and
student roles need further transformation to keep
up with new technology.
As for the countries that have implemented AI
and other e-learning technologies, the results
from Abalkheel (2022) and Al-Zyoud’s (2020)
studies mean that more efforts are needed to
address the challenges caused by e-learning in
Saudi Arabia, and there is a need to consider AI
as a critical tool to overcome these challenges.
Al-Zyoud (2020) specified that efforts such as
designing AI-based educational software,
building AI training pathways, and providing
accurate databases must be implemented. In
addition, the studies conducted in Egypt indicate
that more efforts are needed to support the
movement toward e-learning and AI involvement
(Mahmoud, 2020) and (Nasif, 2021). In addition,
many study results show that AI still needs
improvement in specific educational areas within
Arabic countries. The results from the studies
mean that further utilization of AI must be
achieved in agricultural engineering (Fouda,
2020), sport (Ghazi, 2021), linguistics
(Keezhatta, 2019), and English-speaking skills
(Makhlouf, 2021). Moreover, after reporting
good AI awareness levels among teachers (Jabli
& Alqahtani, 2022), it is time to explore the
adoption of AI and its impact on teaching (Jabli
& Alqahtani, 2022). Likewise, Mohammed et
al.’s (2021) study means that obstacles such as
the ones for developing teachers’ programs must
be addressed and resolved. Similarly, Mawad
(2019) noted that it’s essential to consider the
preferred training pattern when developing
digital skills and technological acceptance
among teachers. Considering all these factors and
other challenges allows teachers and leadership
to properly prepare their students for the 4G
Revolution (Alraasibia, 2021)
When it comes to educational organizations, they
play a critical role in supporting the involvement
of AI within a facility and the students’ easy
adoption, such as seen in awareness program
efforts (Mira & Katie, 2019). Therefore,
universities and educational systems must work
on improving their infrastructure to support the
movement toward remote learning and the
employment of AI techniques (Hussin et al.,
2021). Additionally, further models must be
developed to support improvements in teaching
and student performance (Alastal et al., 2021).
While new theories of this science are still being
developed, some techniques based on it are
becoming more widely used in the scientific
community, meaning that Arabic countries
require additional studies (Abuzakiyeh, 2018).
As Yanes et al. (2020) showed, countries are
developing new artificial intelligence systems, so
proposing new systems can lead to new
recommendations that will further enhance
learning.
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Similarities and differences among these
studies
The assessed studies have many similarities.
First, the studies are conducted in Arabic
countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
Lebanon and discuss the topic of Artificial
Intelligence in the education sector (Mohammed
et al., 2021; Alhashmi et al., 2021; Sourani,
2019). Second, the main focus of the studies,
whether they explore artificial intelligence
usefulness, teacher and students’ perspectives, or
artificial intelligence development programs, is
to focus on the new challenges and gaps that exist
at different levels and could possibly affect the
future implementation of artificial intelligence in
education systems of Arabic countries (Yanes et
al., 2020; Alastal et al., 2021; Mira & Katie,
2019). Third, the studies explore artificial
intelligence as a new science offering a variety of
possible applications and impacts; thus, all the
studies provided an introduction and exploration
of artificial intelligence, how it works, and its
importance during the COVID-19 pandemic,
before proceeding with their main topic
(Abuzakiyeh, 2018; Alraasibia, 2021; Mahmoud,
2020). Fourth, all the articles involve teachers in
their sample, considering that teachers are the
most valuable resource of any educational
system, and the success of educating the
population heavily relies on them (Mohammed et
al., 2021; Nagro, 2021). Fifth, the articles agree
that Arabic countries’ infrastructure and
utilization of available resources still need lots of
work in order for artificial intelligence to be
properly and efficiently utilized within
educational systems (Hussin et al., 2021; Mira &
Katie, 2019).
The studies, though they discuss the main general
topic, reported many differences. First, the
studies were conducted in different countries,
including the KSA, UAE, Libya, Oman, and
Egypt. Second, the research papers explored
different subtopics, such as AI usefulness, AI
effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic,
AI training and program development, as well as
the views and awareness of teachers and students
on using AI in education. Third, the studies show
variation in the setting, the sample selected, and
the study variables. For example, the sample was
teachers in some studies (Al-Zyoud, 2020;
Elayyan, 2021), while others included both
teachers and students. In addition, the gender of
the study samples varied, as studies included
females, males, or a mix of both. Other studies,
such as Aldossary et al. (2020), explored the
difference in challenges between males and
females. In addition, the majority of articles
either used the control-experimental research
design (Abdeen, 2021; Abdel Baky, 2022;
Makhlouf, 2021) or the descriptive research
design (Aldossary et al., 2020; Fouda, 2020) to
achieve their goals. Other authors chose to write
a literary review (Alnaqbi, 2020), while some,
like El-hajj (2019) and Alhashmi, Mubin &
Baroud (2021), followed different qualitative
methodologies. Moreover, Sourani (2019) and
Haneya et al. (2021) used a systematic review
and a meta-analysis, respectively, to collect the
data from all the studies on artificial intelligence.
Other differences include the use of different
learning models and systems in the studies. The
Kolb model was adopted in the learning system
in Saudi Arabia (Abalkheel, 2022; Abdel Baky,
2022), while a machine-based recommender
system was adopted in the Yanes et al. (2020)
study. The majority of the other remaining
studies constructed their own questionnaire to
achieve their study objectives. In addition, the
studies explored the utilization of artificial
intelligence in different educational fields. For
example, Alnaqbi (2020) explored the utilization
of AI in military education. Fouda (2020)
explored 4G technology implementation in the
field of agricultural engineering, while Keezhatta
(2019) explored the relationship between AI
application and the linguistics field, specifically
Natural Language Processing (NLP) platforms.
Conclusions
This study presented how artificial intelligence
was used in education research from January
2018 to July 2022 to have a clearer view of AI in
the Arab world. This systematic literature review
explores selected papers that applied artificial
intelligence in the education sector in different
Arabic countries. The study also analyzed 29
selected studies according to the goal of the
studies, methodology, and results. Similarities
and differences were discussed among the
selected papers. Each of these topics was
explored in depth to have a clear view of AI in
education in Arabic countries. Four other
categories were also discussed: the countries of
the selected studies and field of the first author,
types of methodology, ranking journals that
published these studies, and types of institutions.
Many scholars reported that AI is considered a
new technology that is helpful in the learning
process. Therefore, it was applied in different
subjects, such as applied languages, medicine,
and science (Jabli & Alqahtani, 2022; Mahmoud,
2020; Makhlouf, 2021; Mawad, 2019; Mira &
Katie, 2019; Mohammed et al., 2021). AI was
also a good solution during the COVID-19
pandemic for supporting students in their
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learning. In addition, Arab governments
supported Universities in using this new method
of learning in their academic programs, and also
provided developmental training courses for
various technologies during the pandemic
(Abdeen, 2021; Alastal, et al., 2021; Alhashmi et
al., 2021; Al-Zyoud, 2020; Elayyan, 2021;
Fouda, 2020).
To conclude, there will be many aspects of
education where artificial intelligence will
continue to assist humans in the future. Thus,
more research, resources, and funding are needed
by governments. Arabic countries must continue
to invest in and utilize AI within their systems to
keep up with the quickly-changing world.
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