Adoption of AI in universities in Central America and the Dominican Republic: knowledge, attitudes, and teaching challenges

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2026-2766

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, higher education, teacher training, attitudes, Central America, El Salvador, digital divide, technological adoption

Abstract

Introduction: The study analyzed the knowledge, use, and attitudes of university faculty regarding the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), identifying key benefits and limitations across six countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design was implemented. The quantitative phase included a survey administered to 280 faculty members from 42 universities, while the qualitative phase incorporated interviews with five regional specialists to deepen the understanding of perceptions and challenges. Results: Findings show a high conceptual familiarity with AI, although only 41.1% reported applied mastery of its tools. Despite this gap, attitudes are overwhelmingly positive (97.9%), and educators acknowledge benefits such as increased access to information and enhanced productivity. However, structural limitations emerge: 85.4% consider that the lack of continuous training affects proper use, and a risk of inequality is identified due to economic and geographic factors. Discussions: Progress is recognized in the acceptance of AI, but gaps persist that hinder its full pedagogical integration. Conclusions: There are no substantial or significant differences in overall attitudes toward AI when comparing faculty across different countries of origin.

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Author Biographies

Armando Briñis Zambrano, Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador

Doctor of Historical Sciences. Academic degree awarded by the University of Havana and registered with the Council for Academic Degrees of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Cuba. Full-time researcher at the Latin American Technical University of El Salvador. Professor and researcher at the Evangelical University of El Salvador. Member of the thesis supervision team at the International Ibero-American University of Mexico. Professor on the Doctorate in Theology programme at Don Bosco University in El Salvador. Professor at the Technological University of El Salvador, the Open Modular University of El Salvador and Doctor Andrés Bello University in El Salvador. Founding member of the Amilcar Cabral Multidisciplinary Chair for African and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Havana. He has published 21 books and over 40 articles in indexed journals.

David Alberto Quintana Pérez, Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Social Research Methods and Techniques. He is currently a PhD candidate in Education. He works as a researcher and lecturer at the Technological University of El Salvador, where he leads the course on Research Methods and Techniques. He has conducted research on educational issues, gender-based violence, and childhood and adolescence. He has published two books, over 40 opinion pieces, and more than 10 academic articles in both print and digital journals. His research focuses on education and gender. He has presented research findings at national and international conferences.

Herberth Alberto Santos Guzmán, Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador

He is a specialist in virtual learning environments who has served as a dean and director in higher education, with over seven years’ experience. He has led the virtualisation, instructional design and management of postgraduate course portfolios on LMS platforms such as Moodle. His strategic experience includes the coordination of 8 master’s programmes and the standardised migration of over 70 modules, aligning pedagogical strategy with quality and efficiency metrics. He led the virtualisation of foundation courses, undergraduate modules and postgraduate modules, impacting hundreds of students and lecturers. He possesses skills in digital transformation, strategic planning and project management, integrating Artificial Intelligence tools (Copilot, Gemini, Claude) into technological innovation processes. Furthermore, he has coordinated the implementation of over 80 Virtual Learning Objects and has trained more than 80 lecturers in the development of pedagogical content.

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Published

2026-04-09

How to Cite

Briñis Zambrano, A., Quintana Pérez, D. A., & Santos Guzmán, H. A. (2026). Adoption of AI in universities in Central America and the Dominican Republic: knowledge, attitudes, and teaching challenges. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 11, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2026-2766

Issue

Vol. 11 (2026)

Section

Cover articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Armando Briñis Zambrano, David Alberto Quintana Pérez, Herberth Alberto Santos Guzmán

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