Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the impact of distance education on the learning outcome of students in computer skills course in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in Al-Sulail, Saudi Arabia. In this study, the learning outcome is represented in the students’ academic achievement. The researcher adopted an experimental approach. He selected a sample consisting from 80 male students from 4 sections of a computer skills course. Those students were divided equally into control and experimental groups. The members of the control group were taught through adopting a face-to-face instructional approach. They attended 4 face-to-face lectures. The members of the experimental group were taught online through using the Blackboard system. The researcher used a pre-test and a post-test for assessing students’ academic achievement. SPSS program was used. It was found that both groups share similar levels of computer literacy. It was found that distance education has a significant positive impact on students’ academic achievement in the computer skills course. The researcher recommends adding online instructional activities to the curricula used in Saudi universities.
Highlights
Distance education may be defined as a type of education that in which the learners and instructors are spatially separated and interactive telecommunications systems are used for communication
Significance of the Study The present study is significant due to the following reasons: -The present study provides the officials at the Saudi Ministry of Higher education with evidence-based information. Such information enables those officials to develop effective policies for improving the quality of higher education. -The present study provides faculty members with knowledge about the advantages of distance education. - The present study enables the management of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University to identify the effectiveness of Blackboard-distance education
-Distance education: It refers to teaching students in the computer skills course in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University through using the Blackboard system
Summary
Distance education may be defined as a type of education that in which the learners and instructors are spatially separated and interactive telecommunications systems are used for communication. Distance education can meet the educational needs of several categories of learners It can meet the educational needs of the females who aren’t allowed to leave their house due to the cultural beliefs of some families and communities. It can meet the educational needs of the ones living in remote areas Those people can receive distance without having to travel for a long distance nor pay much money for renting a house near an academic institution (Pant, 2014). Distance education can meet the educational needs of the students who are not capable of paying the costs of travelling to get enrolled in an academic institution. It can meet the educational needs of the ones who suffer from a disability. The learning outcomes are represented in the students’ academic achievement
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