Faculty’s Attitudes Towards Integrating Technology and innovation in Higher Education in Saudi Arabian Universities from Literature Review Perspective

Abstract

To summarize, the majority of existing research on technology use in Saudi Arabian universities has framed faculty’s use of technology in the classroom positively. However, each study contains a group of faculties with persistently negative attitudes toward using technology regardless of the reasons or experiences that led them to this attitude Alenezi (2012), in example, observed in his study that certain faculty members who hold unfavorable opinions on e-learning believe that it prioritizes memorization over real-world learning. According to the study's staff, pupils' chances for creativity were diminished by the online learning environment (Alenezi, 2012). Alghamdi and Bayaga (2016) looked at faculty perceptions regarding the use of LMS in their instructional activities. According to the report, even though their universities offer LMS services, some faculty members choose not to use them. However, a lot of teachers are just unwilling to incorporate technology into their lessons, although there are a lot of other reasons for this. The group of faculties considered reluctant may include those who are technologically illiterate and those who believe that traditional teaching methods are preferable (Hagner & Schneebeck, 2001, p. 2-4). Carey and Dorn (1998) pinpoint a specific form of reluctancy as “technophobia,” which describes the fear of using technology for reasons such as a perception that it does not align with their teaching strategies, a lack of usefulness, and a lack of control (p. 71). However, the authors suggested that faculty can overcome technophobia by having greater self-efficacy to use technology and practice with technology so that it may become "familiar, useful, and controllable" Carey & Dorn, 1998, p. 71). Therefore, as Mishra et al. (2007) posit, there are critical issues that face faculty in higher education, such as lack of experience with teaching with technology, as they integrate technology into their teaching technique. Ultimately, the research described throughout this literature review supports the claim that the majority of university faculty in Saudi Arabia perceive technology-based teaching negatively.