Lecturer Perceptions of AI Integration in Maritime Vocational Curricula: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Maritime vocational curricula cannot meaningfully integrate artificial intelligence without the active engagement of the lecturers who design, deliver, and evaluate instructional content — yet the perceptions, attitudes, and pedagogical concerns of maritime lecturers regarding AI integration have received no empirical attention in the Indonesian maritime education literature. This study examines lecturer perceptions of AI integration in maritime vocational curricula at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Pelayaran (STIP) Jakarta through a qualitative thematic analysis of focus group discussions with 30 lecturers across Port and Shipping Management (PSM), Deck Nautical (DN), and Marine Engineering (ENG) programs. Four dominant thematic categories emerged from systematic coding of FGD transcripts: Bifurcated Role Identity, distinguishing lecturers' practitioner and educator self-conceptions of AI relevance; Institutional Readiness Perception, characterizing lecturers' assessments of STIP Jakarta's organizational capacity to support AI integration; Pedagogical Uncertainty, capturing specific curriculum design and instructional delivery concerns; and Resistance-Adoption Continuum, mapping the range of lecturer orientations from skeptical rejection to enthusiastic endorsement of AI curriculum integration. Cross-major analysis reveals that PSM lecturers exhibit the most proactive integration orientation while DN lecturers exhibit the most pronounced bifurcated role tension. The study contributes the first educator-side empirical account of AI integration readiness in Indonesian maritime vocational education and identifies institutional support priorities for effective AI curriculum implementation.