International Journal of Recent Advances in Information Technology & Management (Online ISSN: 2581-3609)

Restructuring Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Jamaica: Introducing and Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a Meaningful way in the Curricula

2025-12-26T10:06:23+00:00

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a critical role in national development by producing skilled labour, innovative thinkers, and conceptual leaders capable of addressing complex societal challenges. In Jamaica, HEIs are central to fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. However, many institutions have been slow to integrate emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), into their curricula. AI offers the potential to enhance human creativity, efficiency, and analytical capacity, but resistance persists due to fears about its impact on intellectual development, academic integrity, and traditional pedagogical paradigms. Drawing on Thomas Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shifts, this study examines the tension between conventional educational approaches and the integration of AI in Jamaican HEIs. The current research suggests that resistance to AI stems from fear of the unknown rather than from evidence-based reasoning, and highlights the need to align curricula with technological advancements. Through a conceptual analysis, this study emphasises the importance of embedding AI meaningfully into teaching and learning processes, ensuring that it complements rather than replaces human intellectual contributions. By doing so, HEIs can maintain relevance, enhance the quality of higher-order cognitive skill development, and produce graduates equipped to navigate the evolving technological landscape. This study underscores the need for policy interventions, curriculum redesign, and faculty training to support the ethical, practical, and innovative application of AI in Jamaican HEIs.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leadership: Influence, Cost, and the Way Forward

2025-12-26T10:09:17+00:00

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming contemporary leadership by enhancing decision-making, innovation, and talent management while simultaneously introducing financial, organisational, and ethical challenges. This study examines the influence of AI on leadership, the associated costs of adoption, and strategies for responsible and sustainable integration. Through a review of current literature and empirical insights, the research identifies how AI strengthens strategic insight, supports personalised leadership development, and fosters organisational agility. Key costs include infrastructure investment, workforce disruption, ethical risks, and opportunity costs, all of which require robust governance and change management. The study proposes a strategic framework encompassing capability development, ethical oversight, impact assessment, and organisational alignment to guide AI-enabled leadership. Findings highlight the importance of balancing technological innovation with human-centred values to achieve sustainable, moral, and effective leadership in the digital era.

When Retraction Becomes Harm: Editorial Ethics, Transparency, and Due Process in the Age of AI-Assisted writing (reflection from “Skin Res Technol” and “Am J Transplant” cases)

2026-01-28T09:21:56+00:00

Retraction is a critical mechanism for maintaining the integrity of the scientific record. However, when applied without transparency, due process, or factual accuracy, retraction itself may become a source of ethical concern and reputational harm to authors. This article examines two recent retraction notices issued by major publishers that explicitly or implicitly link perceived deficiencies in scientific contribution to the suspected use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Using these notices as case examples, we analyze key editorial shortcomings, including misrepresentation of disclosed AI use, lack of pre-retraction author engagement, conflation of editorial judgment with ethical misconduct, and the resulting harm to authors. We argue that these practices deviate from established publication ethics principles and underscore the urgent need for clearer, fairer, and more consistent editorial standards in the evaluation of AI-assisted scholarly writing.

Ethical AI and Responsible AI: Preparing for Professional Practice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

2026-01-28T09:25:32+00:00

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly capable and embedded in everyday life, ethical decision-making remains a uniquely human responsibility that technology cannot replace. This article presents an educational framework aligned with the learning session Ethical AI & Responsible AI, designed to prepare learners for professional practice in an AI-driven world. It emphasizes the societal, ethical, and human dimensions of AI, highlighting fairness, transparency, accountability, and respect for human values. By integrating AI fundamentals with ethical principles and future development perspectives, this article aims to cultivate responsible AI awareness and critical thinking among learners.

Statistical Deception and Epistemic Responsibility: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies for Data Consumers

2026-01-28T09:28:21+00:00

Statistics play a central role in knowledge production, public policy, scientific research, and media communication. Their perceived objectivity grants them substantial persuasive authority, yet this same authority renders them susceptible to misuse and deception. This study examines how statistics are used to mislead audiences through selective data practices, inappropriate measures, model manipulation, and misleading visualisation. Drawing on statistical theory, cognitive psychology, and sociology of knowledge, the paper further explores how consumers of data can reduce vulnerability to deception. Emphasis is placed on statistical literacy, critical evaluation practices, transparency norms, and epistemic humility. The study contributes to methodological and policy-oriented debates by reframing statistical integrity as a shared responsibility between data producers and data consumers. The practical implications are outlined for education, research governance, media practice, and evidence-based policymaking.

Designing and Implementing the Data Protection Act (Jamaica 2020) in Jamaican Colleges and Universities: A Compliance Blueprint

2026-04-11T06:29:39+00:00

The enactment of the Data Protection Act, 2020 (DPA 2020) in Jamaica represents a transformative legal framework requiring all entities that process personal data, including higher education institutions, to adopt comprehensive data governance, security, and privacy practices. This Act establishes principles of fair processing, purpose limitation, and data subject rights, necessitating structural adjustments across organisational systems. This study proposes a detailed blueprint for institutional design and implementation of DPA 2020 compliance within Jamaican colleges and universities. It synthesises government guidance and internationally peer-reviewed literature on data protection in education. The framework covers governance, policy, technical safeguards, training, operational procedures, and monitoring, providing institutions that have not yet implemented the Act with a practical, legally grounded, and evidence-based strategy.

International Communication Channels and Cultural Hybridization of Ignatius Ajuru University Students

2026-04-18T05:45:18+00:00

This study examined international communication and cultural hybridization at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Nigeria. The studyanchored on Social Learning Theory (SLT) to drive its theoretical framework. The population of the study comprised 10,000 students in IAUE. The sample size was 370 drawn from the population using Krejcie& Morgan sample size determination table. A total of 370 copies of questionnaire were administered to the respondents in the study area. Data were analysed using mean scores and standard deviation. Findings revealed that international communication exerted a strong influence on students’ dress culture, primarily manifested through identity expression, the adoption of global trends, cultural hybridity, and tension with local norms. Social media platforms were identified as the most prominent channel of influence, significantly outweighing other channels like international media and online shopping. The study identified conflict between globally influenced sartorial choices and the university's dress regulations, which students often viewed as outdated as a major challenge. The study concluded that dress culture at the university is a dynamic site of globalization, where global trends are actively reinterpreted within a local context, creating a need for more adaptive institutional policies. It was recommended among others that the University should incorporate modules on media literacy and cultural identity into general studies courses to help students critically evaluate global fashion influences.