Developing and Assessing a Social Networking Framework for Universities in Saudi Arabia

The interactive capacities of social networking have unleashed the potential for enhancing teaching and learning in the higher education sector. This research focuses on Saudi Arabia in order to determine the factors that must be considered for developing a social networking framework for the use in universities. The main research outcome is a social networking framework for higher education in Saudi Arabia which can be used by a range of stakeholders within higher educatio

The Impact of E-Readiness on ELearning Success in Saudi Arabian Higher Education Institutions

This research investigates how e-readiness impacts the success of e-learning initiatives in Saudi Arabia’s higher education institutions. The research model assesses this relationship taking into account the unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator in higher education institutions. Seven dimensions constituting the component factors of e-readiness were identified including policy and institutional business strategy, pedagogy, technology, interface design, management, administrative and resource support as well as evaluation and continual improvement. Also six dimensions which constitute the component factors of e-learning success including system, information and service qualities, use and user satisfaction as well as net benefits were also identified. The research hypothesizes, construct and test structural equation models (SEM) on the current levels of e-readiness of Saudi Arabian higher education institutions to successfully implement e-learning initiatives. Research instrument was developed using a pool of items generated from literature. The instruments used were verified and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results of EFA, CFA indicated the measurement scale can serve as reliable and valid tool to assess the relationship between e-readiness and e-learning success in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. Structural equation modelling was used to test this relationship and to assess the applicability of the study’s theoretical framework to different and multiple groups. The unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator to achieve meaningful comparisons across groups were considered and the results exhibit adequate cross-group equivalence which was achieved at different levels. Finding confirmed the universality of the five dimensions of e-readiness to have significant effects on the six dimensions of e-learning success. Additionally, the findings indicated stability of the relationships among the variables within the structural equation model and it isn’t influenced by differences of teachers, students, and administrators either conceptually or psychometrically. The current work contributes to our knowledge of e-learning through the lens of theoretical insights and empirical findings. The implications of the research in the context of Saudi Arabia are discussed and it is intended that the findings from this research can be used to inform strategic decision making towards harnessing the power of e-learning in the country’s higher institutions of learning

Gender Differences In Social Presence In Gender-Segregated And Blended Learning Environments In Saudi Arabia

The present study aimed to achieve one of the goals of the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which is the improvement of the quality of teaching approaches and learning outcomes. Additionally, the vision strives for equality among students in all educational institutions, including equality among men and women, who are mostly segregated in all aspects of life (e.g., education). One of the major issues in the online portion of blended learning environments is the lack of social presence. Therefore, the present study used a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to investigate the influence of gender on the perception of social presence levels in gender- segregated and blended learning environments in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this study revealed that the independent variable (gender) had an insignificant impact on dependent variable (social presence levels) in single-gender segregated and blended learning environments. Moreover, gender was not related to any of social presence four constructs (social context, privacy, interactivity, and online communication). The discussion of this study revealed that COVID-19 pandemic and technology evolution in the last decade could be two major factors that impacted the results of this study. The implications of this study are also included in the discussion section

Investigating University Instructors’ Experiences And Uses Of Mobile Technology In Teaching And Learning In Saudi Arabia

The use of mobile technology in teaching and learning has become a worldwide phenomenon. Many university instructors in Saudi Arabia have also started using their own mobile technology in their teaching and for communication with students. But there is limited research on Saudi Arabian university faculty’s experiences of using mobile technology in their teaching practices. This mixed-method study adapted the R2D2 (Reading, Reflecting, Displaying, and Doing) model (Bonk & Zhang, 2006, 2008) to investigate faculty’s uses of mobile technology in Saudi Arabian universities, including both instructors’ own teaching and learners’ activities. An online survey, with both Likert-scale items and open-ended questions, was conducted to collect data on university instructors’ (a) general experiences in integrating mobile technology in their teaching practices as well as for learner activities, (b) their attitudes toward mobile learning, (c) the specific learning activities in different categories as per the R2D2 model, in and out of class and for communication with students. A total of 372 instructors participated the survey, 241 of them completed the entire survey. Participants represented the 25 public universities in Saudi Arabia, with a highly diverse profile in terms of age, gender, academic major, geographic location, and years of teaching experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with six selected participants, representing different age groups, academic majors and teaching experiences to further investigate instructors’ experiences and contributing factors to their uses of mobile technology for teaching and learning in Saudi Arabian universities. The results of this mixed-method research study (Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and used) concluded that the majority of instructors showed their eagerness and willingness to use mobile technology in their teaching practices. Many instructors were already using them in their teaching and for communication with their students. A number of universities already had the appropriate tools and applications that helped students and instructors to use their mobile technology for content delivery, assignment submission, communication, and more. Some university instructors expressed specific concerns regarding the use of mobile technology by their students, together with the needs for training and professional development to better understand the possibilities that mobile technology can bring to the class and to the university environment. The research has practical implications for university administration and policy-makers for better integration of mobile technology and better applications of mobile learning into the different courses and disciplines. The R2D2 four categories (Reading, reflecting, displaying, and doing) cover many learning activities that may be conducted online and through the use of mobile technologies. Although this model focuses on all categories evenly, this research found that university instructors focused on the learning activities from the reading and displaying categories more than the learning activities from the reflecting or doing categories. Instructors nowadays are considered more as facilitators for their learners’ acquisition of knowledge rather than giving and feeding them with the information. And this R2D2 model is a great framework for university instructors to consider, compare, choose and apply different learning activities via mobile devices, when they facilitate and moderate the new ways of teaching. Similarly, this model may be help students where they can take the steps on their own to follow and complete the wide range of mobile learning activities. The adaption of the R2D2 model and its four categories of varied learning activities, together with the key instructional considerations (Bonk & Zhang, 2008) opens new avenues for university instructors to integrate mobile technologies in their courses, for teaching and for students learning activities. The resources and technologies available to instructors differ from one university to another, and from one country to another, so instructors should select the most suitable learning activities from the four R2D2 categories. As Cartner and Hallas (2009) have found that “the (R2D2) model has been easy to use as the cyclical learning process is one that occurs naturally in everyday life” (p. 114). This study sheds light on future research on mobile learning, as well as mobile learning practices for university instructors, higher education administrators and national policy makers

Experience of blended learning at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia among students, lecturers and academic leaders : implications for educational planning and learning process strategy

This research explores the experiences of blended learning and its implication for higher education planning at King Khalid University (KKU) within the context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study is based on the perspectives of key stakeholders in KSA comprising academic leaders, lecturers and students. KKU was chosen to conduct the case study, and is where the research investigated the views and perceptions of its students, lecturers and academic leaders in order to ascertain their experiences and perceptions of blended learning, and examine its impact. The study is motivated by the need to get insight into the status and implications of blended learning in KSA since it is at an early phase of implementation. The study seeks to provide a contextual assessment of blended learning by exploring the benefits and challenges present in the higher education ecosystem. A mixed method approach has been adopted in which quantitative and qualitative methods have been applied. Data collection includes a survey questionnaire involving 76 students, interviews with six of them, and five further interviews with lecturers and academic leaders. The findings of the study reveal the perceived level of proficiency with blended learning devices affects students’ perceptions of blended learning; that it particularly enhances interactions and communication between lecturers and students since learning was not limited to the physical classroom settings only. Although it saved time for the students and their lecturers at KKU, blended learning was constrained by a weak infrastructure, such as a weak internet connection and lack of devices that limits its applicability. These challenges affected the interaction of the students learning through blended learning, and may be an impediment to its effectiveness in higher education learning. It is imperative that the aforementioned challenges that students and lecturers encounter in blended learning be resolved to motivate students who may be resigned to face-to-face classroom learning due to these challenges. A positive perception of blended learning is informed by its perceived usefulness to lecturers and students notwithstanding the challenges that make students prefer traditional modes of learning. However, given the benefits that the KKU learning community perceives in blended learning, it is imperative that the administrators move swiftly to improve the underlying infrastructure for blended learning to make it more appealing to students. This may motivate more students to embrace blended learning, as it provides benefits of both classroom and distance learning. There is also a need for improving awareness and training of lecturers and students in order to prepare them more adequately for effectively utilising the technology to maintain a blended learning environment

Pre-Service Teachers Awareness of Using WhatsApp as a Pedagogical Tool for The Practicum Program During Coved-19 Pandemic

This study explored the extent to which pre-service teachers were aware of using WhatsApp effectively as a pedagogical tool for educational purposes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Saudi Arabias education system switched to distance learning; accordingly, there was a growing reliance on information and communication technology (ICT) for online teaching and learning. Furthermore, the increased use of social networks such as WhatsApp could have many benefits and consequences on students’ learning. Twenty-six female preservice teachers (PSTs) made a WhatsApp group to collaborate with their peers for eight weeks during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each week, the PSTs were required to share a minimum of three posts for a total of twenty-four posts. The instructions given to the PSTs focused on sharing useful posts related to their practicum program. A mixed-method research design was used for this study. First, quantitative data were collected by recording the frequency and range of posts to determine the amount of participation. Second, the qualitative data were gathered by conducting focus group interviews to understand the reasons behind each PST’s participation. Findings revealed that the contribution rate of the entire group was high (77%), with 20 PSTs meeting the minimum required number of posts. Remarkably, these 20 PSTs formed a unique norm of the learning community by regulating their own and other peers’ works as well. Only six pre-service teachers did not meet the required number of useful posts. The reasons behind the contributions, more findings, and further research suggestions and recommendations for educational settings are discussed

An investigation into how Web 2.0 technologies can be used to enhance the educational supervision of teachers

The concept of educational supervision has witnessed significant development in recent years and many studies in this field have demonstrated how computers and the internet have been employed in the process. However, the researcher has found no studies that examined the use of Web 2.0 online platforms and tools that promote interaction among users in educational supervision.The main purpose of this study is to examine the possibility of using Web 2.0 technologies in educational supervision in Saudi Arabia and investigate how these technologies can be used to enhance the educational supervision of teachers. In practical terms I planned to introduce Web 2.0 tools into the educational supervision process to support and enhance activities undertaken by supervisors and teachers.A small-scale four-stage development programme was run with groups of teachers and supervisors with the evaluation of that process making use of a mixed method approach to data collection. In the first stage interviews were held with seven supervisors and seven teachers, in order to explore the possibility of application, to build a picture and to enable me to become acquainted with data collection and analysis procedures and techniques. In the second stage, data was collected from 23 supervisors by focus group and questionnaire regarding the current usage of Web 2.0 technology in educational supervision and to examine how such technologies could facilitate supervisors’ work. In stages three and four, data was collected from thirty teachers through a pre-survey, followed by a Web 2.0 training programme and post-survey. The objectives in these stages were to study teachers’ usage of Web 2.0 technology and to evaluate the effect of the training programme in order to recognise and use the affordances of Web 2.0 tools for supervision.Teachers’ knowledge, awareness and confidence in relation to all of the tools were shown to have increased after the training programme, with the majority showing enthusiasm about employing this technology in educational supervision. The participants generally agreed that using Web 2.0 technologies in educational supervision is crucial and facilitated supervisors’ work

Faculty Members' Attitude, Perceived Barriers, and Motivators toward Using E-Learning in University Education

Context: E-learning is an important trend for faculty members and students' teaching and learning, which needs overcoming barriers and enhancing motivators for the successful implementation of educational programs.Aim: To explore the faculty members' attitudes, perceived barriers, and motivators toward using e-learning in university education. Methods: Descriptive correlational design was used to achieve the study's aim on 110 faculty members in Nursing Faculties at Mansoura, and Zagazig Universities, Egypt. They were chosen through convenience sampling to participate in the study. One questionnaire was used to undertake the study and had four parts: Personal data, faculty attitude towards the e-learning scale, possible barriers, and motivators. Results: 54.5% of the studied sample was from Mansoura University, 92.7% of them were females, 38.2% were lecturers, 31.8% of them were aged from 31-35 years old, and 30% of them had 5-10 years of experience. More than 75% of studied faculty members have a positive attitude toward using e-learning in university education. Access to students was the top-most barrier as perceived by the faculty members (42.7%). Better internet bandwidth at the workplace is the top-most motivating factor and professional incentive to use e-learning. Both were mentioned by 30% of the studied faculty members. Conclusion: There is a highly significant positive correlation between faculty attitude and motivators and a significant negative correlation between perceived barriers and motivators. At the same time, there is no significant correlation between faculty attitude and perceived barriers. No significant correlation between the personal characteristics of the studied sample and faculty members' attitudes, perceived barriers, and motivators toward using E-learning in Mansoura and Zagazig Universities except for gender and faculty barriers only in Mansura University. The study recommended enhancing the basics of e-learning within the plan for dealing with crises, improving infrastructure, and providing a training environment for faculty staff to enhance e-learning, activating interactive education by setting up discussion sessions on the course topics' sidelines—full activation of the e-learning system through assignments and short tests. Paying attention to student feedback and taking the necessary corrective measures are also recommended