Al-Quds Open University Research Articles

The Effectiveness of a Program Based on Post-Constructivist Theory Using Web Applications to Develop English Language Proficiency among Al-Quds Open University Students

The Effectiveness of a Program Based on Post-Constructivist Theory Using Web Applications to Develop English Language Proficiency among Al-Quds Open University Students

STUDENTS AND FACULTY LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IN DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

COVID-19 pandemic has changed the education landscape and increased the acceptance and adoption of distance educations by both individuals and academic institutions. The rise in e-learning and distance education and the increased access to the Internet and learning technology, it becomes critical that provide positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavioural online. While COVID 19 acerated the use and adoption of online learning, it also highlighted the importance of fostering effective digital citizenship given the level of misinformation and conspiracy theories generated spread on the Internet and social media about the pandemic. In this study, the researcher examined the students and faculty perception of digital citizenship practices in distance learning environments at Al-Quds Open University. The study used a mix method approach with 8 faculty participating in the qualitative interview and 559 students participating in the quantitative survey. The study's findings revealed that while students and teachers were aware of digital citizenship principles, they lacked in-depth understanding and knowledge of topics like digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics. Faculty and students both believed that digital citizenship is vital and required for protecting students' privacy and cultivating ethical technology use. Students and faculty both agreed on the importance of incorporating digital citizenship skills like digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics within e-learning curricula.

Establishing Norms Levels For Physical Fitness For The Students Admission Exam In The Physical Education Departments In Palestinians Universities.


 The studyinvestigates the possibility of building up standard levels of physical and in testing students who apply for the entrance exam in the faculties of physical education in Palestinian universities . To achieve this goal , the study was conducted on a random sample of 190,174 male and female studentsrespectively in four Palestinian universities ( Al-Najah university ,Khadouri university , Al-Quds Open university and Arab American university – Jenin ).Those students are first- years who underwent ability test in their universities .The tool of the study consists of a number of physical skill examinations that focus on flexibility , agility , speed , muscular strength, fortitude and precision , The data was collected and analysed using the program (spss). The study finds that the students, level in both physical and tactical skill examinations was average. Physical fitness tests for male and female students were founded on standard levels in which the results were illustrated as: flexibility (bending the trunk of the body) , agility (hurdle zigzag race ) , speed ( 30m race ) , fortitude (1500m race), precision ( aiming by the hand at the interlocked circle).The researcher recommends that it is necessary to adopt standard levels the study arrived at in the selection and acceptance of first-year students in the faculties and sections of physical education in Palestinian universities ,provided that there need be a unified system based on scientific standards in all universities in Palestine .
 

Impact of Implementing Blended Learning on EFL Students’ Attitudes in HEIs in Palestine: Lessons learned from TEFL-ePAL project

The present study addresses the impact of implementing blended learning, interactive learning materials, and 21st-century teaching methods on students' attitudes toward learning EFL at Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Palestine. Moreover, it aims to highlight the efficacy of digital resources as supportive education, which can be relied on to achieve the goals of education. To achieve the purposes of this study, the researcher developed a 5 Likert scale questionnaire. The validity and the reliability of this instrument were tested and assured. The sample of the study consisted of 208 EFL students joining 4 Palestinian universities: Al-Quds Open University (QOU), Palestine Ahliya University (PAU), Palestine Technical University/ Kadoori (PTUK), and Al-Istiqlal University (PASS) during the first semester of the academic year 2021-2022. The quasi-experimental method was used. The results indicated that implementing 21st-century methods of teaching and using interactive learning materials developed positive attitudes toward learning English as a foreign language in higher education. The results also revealed several barriers that students face, that hinder adopting educational technology and enhancing professional and sustainable development in higher education in Palestine, including usability concerns, technical issues, digital literacy gaps, etc. The researcher offers recommendations on ways to foster adopting student-centered approaches and educational technology to enhance sustainability in teacher development in Palestine.

فاعلية برنامج إرشادي يستند إلى نظريات الاختيار الزواجي في اختيار الشريك المناسب لدى عينة من المقبلين على الزواج

The study investigates the effectiveness of a counseling program in approaching partner selection to minimize future divorce rates for prospective spouses. The study was applied to a group of students from al-Quds Open University in the Jericho Governorate in the academic year 2021-2022. A purposive sample comprising 24 unmarried students was chosen, of which 14 were females. The researcher used the quasi-experimental approach with pre- and post-measurements. The sample was divided into a control and an experimental group, consisting of 12 students each. The researcher developed a questionnaire including the appropriate partner selection methods and a counseling program. The validity and reliability of the study tools were verified using appropriate means. The study results revealed statistically significant differences in the degree of appropriate methods for partner selection for the experimental group due to the counseling program in favor of the post-measurement. The study recommends employing the developed counseling program for prospective spouses and generalizing it to benefit from its results.

Innovative Pedagogies: The Impact of Interactive Learning on EFL Students’ Attitudes and Individualized Learning Opportunities in HE

The sudden transition from a face-to-face learning environment into a flipped classroom due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education process (Fanounna, 2021). This study aims to examine the impact of adopting innovative pedagogies and interactive learning on developing EFL students’ attitudes toward learning the English language and to investigate how students feel about the effectiveness of interactive learning in developing individualized learning and a good learning process. In addition, the study aims to identify the most common challenges, that students face when using educational technology. To achieve the purposes of this study, the researcher developed a 5 Likert scale questionnaire consisting of three parts. The validity and the reliability of this instrument were tested and assured. The selected sample consisted of 112 freshman students distributed randomly in the two available sections at the Nablus branch of Al-Quds Open University during the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023. These two sections were randomly distributed into two groups, control and experimental. Therefore, the quasi-experimental method was used. The results of the study revealed that the interactive teaching/learning method had positively influenced students’ attitudes towards the English language. In addition, the results showed that the use of educational technologies offers a better opportunity to support individualized learning processes. Moreover, the results of the study revealed the most common difficulties and challenges associated with adopting interactive learning. Finally, the study recommended developing and including more interactive content and adopting new methodologies that focus on boosting language proficiency in HE in Palestine.

THE STRATEGIC THINKING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT AMONG THE STUDENTS OF AL-QUDS OPEN UNIVERSITY

This study aimed to learn the level of the relationship between strategic thinking and psychological conflict among the university students in Palestine, and the difference in each of them according to the following variables: sex, place of residence and the economical level. In this study, the descriptive correlative approach was used by applying the two scales of strategic thinking and psychological conflict on an available sample of (50) male and female students from Al-Quds Open University, (18 males and 32 females). The results of the study showed that there are statistically significant differences at the significance level (a ≥.05) between the averages of strategic thinking and psychological conflict among the university in Palestine in favor of females, and there are no statistically significant differences at the significance level (a ≥.05) between the averages of strategic thinking and psychological conflict among the university students in Palestine due to the variable of specialization or academic year. The results also showed that there is a statistically significant relationship at the significance level (0.05) between the strategic thinking and psychological conflict among the university students in Palestine.

The Predictive Ability of Social Media Addiction and Social Isolation in Loneliness among Al-Quds Open University Students

هدف البحث التعرف إلى القدرة التنبؤية لإدمان وسائل التواصل والعزلة الاجتماعية في الشعور بالوحدة النفسية لدى طلبة جامعة القدس المفتوحة، باستخدام المنهج الوصفي الارتباطي، وتطبيق أدوات البحث على عينة عنقودية عشوائية، بلغ حجمها (282) طالباً وطالبة. أظهرت النتائج مستوى متوسط لكل من إدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، والعزلة الاجتماعية، والشعور بالوحدة النفسية، بمتوسط (3.21، 2.66، 2.58) على التوالي. وأشارت النتائج إلى عدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً في إدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، والعزلة الاجتماعية، والشعور بالوحدة النفسية، تعزى إلى متغير: الجنس، مكان السكن. وكشفت النتائج عن وجود علاقة ارتباط طردية دالة إحصائياً بين الشعور بالوحدة النفسية وكل من إدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي والعزلة الاجتماعية؛ إذ بلغت قيمة معامل ارتباط بيرسون (.440،.846) على التوالي. وأوضحت النتائج وجود أثر دال إحصائياً للعزلة الاجتماعية في التنبؤ بالشعور بالوحدة النفسية، فقد وضحت العزلة الاجتماعية (71.6%) من نسبة التباين في الشعور بالوحدة النفسية؛ أي أن متغير العزلة الاجتماعية له دور مهم وأساس في التنبؤ بالشعور بالوحدة النفسية، بينما لم يسهم متغير إدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي بشكل دال إحصائياً في التنبؤ بمستوى الشعور بالوحدة النفسية. وأوصت الدراسة بتوفير مراكز إرشاد نفسي في الجامعات للكشف عن الطلبة المدمنين على شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي، ويعانون من الشعور بالوحدة النفسية، وتوفير برامج إرشادية مناسبة لاحتياجاتهم، واقتراح إجراء مزيد من البحوث حول الشعور بالوحدة النفسية وارتباطه بإدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي لدى فئات عمرية مختلفة.

The Effect of Using Educational Mapping as a Game in Teaching English Language on University Students' Motivation

This study interrogated the effect of using educational mapping in teaching English language on university students' motivation. A quasi-experimental design (training program), along with a quantitative approach, was used. The study was implemented at Al-Quds Open University in Palestine .The participants comprised 36 master's degree students who were randomly divided into two equal groups: controlled (n=18) and experimental (n=18). The experimental group was taught by using educational mapping while the controlled group was taught by using common and traditional methods of teaching English language. The study questions were: 1) Are there statistically significant differences in students' means responses of English language motivation due to group? 2) Are there statistically significant differences in students' means responses of English language motivation due to gender? The data were analyzed by using SPSS, ANCOVA and MANCOVA. The results of the study showed that using educational mapping in teaching English language positively influenced university students' motivation. In addition, the results of the study indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in students' means responses of motivation according to the variable of gender. Thus, the study recommended using educational mapping as a game to foster students' motivation.

Students’ Perceptions towards the Role of Online Teaching Platforms in Enhancing Online Engagement and Academic Performance Levels in Palestinian Higher Education Institutions

The present research aimed to determine the role of online teaching platforms in enhancing learning and teaching as perceived by bachelor students of English specialization. This study also sought to examine the association between students’ engagement and their academic performance during online learning. In doing so, a quantitative approach was used to collect data, and 423 bachelor students from three Palestinian higher education institutions (Al Quds Open University, An Najah National University, and Arab American University) completed a closed-ended questionnaire. The study’s outcomes demonstrated that the students’ attitudes toward the role of online teaching platforms in enhancing their learning can be classified as positive and negative, and these attitudes varied among the respondents due to problems and challenges during online learning and previous experiences, skills, and learning style. Moreover, about 58.6% of students were dissatisfied with their online learning and had negative attitudes toward online teaching platforms. Therefore, more future studies relating to the design of online courses, resources that are available on the platform, and online teaching strategies that are considered fundamental components for fostering students’ engagement at higher education institutions should be taken into account. Moreover, further studies involving more universities with samples from different specializations will confirm or contrast the findings of the current study.

THE REALITY OF E-LEARNING AND ITS FUTURE AFTER THE CORONA PANDEMIC

The aim of this research is to find out the reality of e-learning and its future after the Corona Covid-19 pandemic, where the study community represented Al-Quds Open University in Yatta, south of Hebron, Palestine. And the study of its expected future and the role that e-learning practices contribute to the effectiveness of the educational process represents a new study, and given the importance of the topic, this research was written. In order to accomplish this research, the descriptive approach was used, and it was applied to a random sample of the faculty, administrators, and university students. The sample number was (250) individuals. Data were collected through personal interviews of focused groups for their suitability for research purposes. The results were extracted through qualitative analysis of the answers interview questions. The most important results of the research were that e-learning heralds a promising future in the field of higher education and scientific research, but it needs requirements that contribute to overcoming difficulties and overcoming them, in order to reach progress in providing high quality in university education. A new model for the development of e-learning that suits everyone . Policy makers, governments, and web site designers must provide the minimum e-learning requirements for students and faculty, and organize projects that contribute to supporting the ability of universities to use modern systems. In addition, holding training courses for the teaching staff on a regular basis, promoting a culture of quality and educating administrators and university staff about the importance of development in the use of modern educational systems in order to raise the potential of qualified cadres and achieve progress in universities.

Effectiveness of Integrating E-Learning Tools on Enhancing Distance Learning to Confront the Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of “Basics of Computer and Programming “Course at Al-Quds Open University

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of integrating of e-learning tools on enhancing distance e-learning to confront the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in “Basics of Computer and Programming" course from the viewpoints of students at Al-Quds Open University The study adopted the descriptive, analytical and correlational approach. The electronic questionnaire was utilized to collect data. The questionnaire consisted of five domains consisting of (35) items. The study sample comprised (102) students in the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021. The sample represented (76%) of the whole population in the various branches of the university spread in the governorates of Palestine. The results showed the nature of e-learning tools, the stages of their development, and how they were employed in synchronous and asynchronous distance education to confront the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also showed that the degree of students' use of these tools was very high. Besides, the results revealed that the degree of the sample's estimation of the effectiveness of integrating e-learning tools was very high on all domains, as well as on the total degree. The study revealed a statistically significant and positive relationship between students’ estimation of the effectiveness of this integration, the degree of using educational videos, the degree attending virtual classes and their recordings, as well as the total degree of using these tools.

Content Analysis of Study Plans for Bachelor's Social Work in Palestinian Universities

The study aimed to analyze the content of study plans for bachelor’s Social Work programs in Palestinian universities, that is (The Islamic University, Al-Quds Open University, Al-Azhar University, Al-Aqsa University, An-Najah National University, Bethlehem University, Palestine Ahliya University, and Al-Quds University). In light of the quality standards set by the Ministry of Higher Education in Palestine, The study used the qualitative approach to analyze data through the (MAXQDA, 2020) qualitative analysis program, the study used a content analysis tool. Prepared by the researcher to analyze the content of the study plans. After making sure of its validity and reliability. The results of the study found that there is great homogeneity in the number of hours of the study plans for Bachelor's social work programs in Palestinian universities and that there is some homogeneity at the level of the field training courses, and courses of basic and secondary methods of social work, and general courses in the field of social work, while there was homogeneity between the study plans for the Bachelor's of social work programs in Palestinian universities at level of courses in the fields of social work.

The Role of Palestinian Universities in Enhancing Self-management of Myrters’ Wives and Widows among Their Students and Methods to Developing it

The study aims to identify the role of Palestinian universities in enhancing self-management by their student widows and martyrs’ wives from their point of view, and to reveal the presence of differences between the average estimates of the sample members for this role. The researchers used the descriptive analytical approach and designed a questionnaire consisting of (33) items distributed into four areas. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of (200) student widows and martyrs' wives from Islamic University, Al-Quds Open University, Al-Aqsa University, and Al-Azhar University. The constructivist approach was used in order to suggest ways to develop this role through interviews conducted by the researchers with a number of experts. Among the most important findings of the study are the following: The role of the Palestinian universities practice in promoting self-management among widows and martyrs’ wives had a relative weight (72.44%), i.e., to a large degree, and the areas obtained large degrees, arranged in descending order as follows: personal planning, self-confidence, managing social relations, managing emotions. There are no statistically significant differences between the average degrees of the sample members' estimate of the degree to which Palestinian universities practice their role in promoting self-management among widows and wives of martyrs due to the study variables (university, age, cause of death of the husband), while there are significant ones due to the variables of academic qualification, and the differences are in favor of widows and wives of martyrs whose academic qualifications are postgraduate. The study found a set of ways to develop the role of Palestinian universities in promoting self-management of widows and wives of martyrs.

Comparative analysis of students and faculty level of awareness and knowledge of digital citizenship practices in a distance learning environment: case study.

The COVID-19 pandemic increase the use of distance learning while studies have shown that there is insufficient digital knowledge among students in distance leaning as they do not adequately use technology as a digital citizenship indicator, while the awareness and knowledge of digital citizenship among teachers and students remains a key criterion for improving distance learning that mainly depends on information technology. Therefore, this study comes up to examine the awareness and knowledge of students and faculty of digital citizenship in distance environment by focusing on two different higher academic institutions, namely the Al-Quds Open University (QOU) in the Palestinian territories and the University of Kyrenia (KU) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2020, using interview, descriptive analysis, and Z-test Technique. The results revealed that students and faculty in both institutions were aware of the digital citizenship concepts, but lacked the in-depth knowledge and understanding of concepts such as digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics. Furthermore, the awareness and knowledge of digital citizenship among KU students are higher than QOU students. Faculty in both institutions agreed with the importance of integrating digital citizenship practices such as digital rights, digital security, and digital ethics into elearning curriculum.

The role of positive psychological capital in softening the relationship between workplace boycott and job engagement: an analytical study

The role of positive psychological capital in softening the relationship between workplace boycott and job engagement: an analytical study

Level of Utilizing New Media in Spreading Security Awareness among Students of Palestinian Universities in the Governorates of Southern Palestine

The study aimed to identify the degree to which a sample of Palestinian university students in the southern governorates of Palestine appreciated the level of benefits that could be gained from new media in developing their security awareness, and its relationship to the study variables (sex - university - college).To achieve this, the descriptive analytical method was used by applying an electronic questionnaire that included (37) items distributed over (3) dimensions on a sample of (353) students of level four of (Al-Azhar University, Al-Quds Open University, and Israa University) who were selected from a total sample population of (4204) male and female students by the stratified random sampling method. The results showed that the overall assessment of the level of utilization of new media in developing security awareness from the viewpoint of the study sample was average. There were also no statistically significant differences at the level of (α ≤ 0.05) between the mean scores of the participants’ responses regarding the level of benefit of new media in developing security awareness among university students in the southern governorates of Palestine attributed to all study variables (sex, university, college). The most used devices to benefit from the new media was mobile phone, which was mostly used for 3-6 hours a day, while social media networks (Facebook, Twitter) were the most preferred among the study participants. The study recommended creating a supportive legislative and cultural environment that would criminalize any negligence in the role of the media and educational institutions in the field of security awareness.

Level of Utilizing New Media in Spreading Security Awareness among Students of Palestinian Universities in the Governorates of Southern Palestine

The study aimed to identify the degree to which a sample of Palestinian university students in the southern governorates of Palestine appreciated the level of benefits that could be gained from new media in developing their security awareness, and its relationship to the study variables (sex - university - college).To achieve this, the descriptive analytical method was used by applying an electronic questionnaire that included (37) items distributed over (3) dimensions on a sample of (353) students of level four of (Al-Azhar University, Al-Quds Open University, and Israa University) who were selected from a total sample population of (4204) male and female students by the stratified random sampling method. The results showed that the overall assessment of the level of utilization of new media in developing security awareness from the viewpoint of the study sample was average. There were also no statistically significant differences at the level of (α ≤ 0.05) between the mean scores of the participants’ responses regarding the level of benefit of new media in developing security awareness among university students in the southern governorates of Palestine attributed to all study variables (sex, university, college). The most used devices to benefit from the new media was mobile phone, which was mostly used for 3-6 hours a day, while social media networks (Facebook, Twitter) were the most preferred among the study participants. The study recommended creating a supportive legislative and cultural environment that would criminalize any negligence in the role of the media and educational institutions in the field of security awareness.

A comparison between the performance of teachers; who graduated from Al-Quds Open University and the teachers who graduated from regular studies in universities from the viewpoint of the supervisor and the school principal: مقارنة بين أداء المعلمين؛ خريجي جامعة القدس المفتوحة وخريجي الدراسة المنتظمة في الجامعات من وجهة نظر المشرف التربوي ومدير المدرسة وفقا لمعايير هيئة تطوير مهنة التعليم الفلسطينية

The research aims to identify the performance of teachers, graduates of Al-Quds Open University, and the performance of teachers who are graduates of formal education, according to the standards in Palestinian Commission for Developing the Teaching Profession in the fields of "knowledge and understanding", "professional skills" and "professional trends and values." The researcher used the descriptive and analytical method for its suitability for the objectives of the research. A questionnaire was distributed to the sample of (268) distributed among (182) school principals and (86) educational supervisors. The study found that there are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the point of view of the educational supervisor and the school principal in favor of the school principal in terms of the availability of professional standards for the teacher and for all these skills. The study also found that teachers who graduated from regular universities possess more knowledge, understanding and professional skills than al-Quds Open University graduates do, while the standards related to professional trends and values ​​were difficult to differentiate between them. The study recommended the need on creating a compulsory educational qualification program in regular and open universities for everyone who wants to work in the teaching profession and to coordinate between universities and the Palestinian Commission for Developing the Teaching Profession on the skills that should be trained and focus on them in university courses related to the teaching profession.

The Extent of Adherence to the Precautionary Measures Among University Students in Palestine During COVID-19 Pandemic

(COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread across the globe causing massive disruptions to everyday life. This study aimed to assess the extent of adherence to the Precautionary measures among university students in Palestine during COVID-19 Pandemic. Research design: A cross-sectional sample survey consisted of 2094 male and female university students. Setting: the study was conducted at Modern University College, An-Najah National University, Palestine Polytechnic University, Al-Quds Open University, Ibn Sina College of Health Sciences and Arab American of University /West Bank / Palestine. The data collected was from the participant university students and started in first November 2020 to late November 2020 Subjects: A convenience sample consisted of 2094 female and male students with different Bachelor degree programs. Tools: A self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection and included the following parts. Part 1: demographic particulars of the university students, Part II. Knowledge of university students about Coronavirus, knowledge among isolation for patient with COVID-19 at home, also their knowledge regarding following for Precautionary measures outside home, Part III: precaution practices were assessed for university students outside home Part IV: assessed University student attitude toward COVID-19. Results: the current study reveals that 80.2% of the studied sample of students had a satisfactory total knowledge regarding precaution measures outside home, 91% of them had a satisfactory total knowledge regarding precaution measures inside home among patient with COVID-19, and 95.5% of them had a satisfactory total knowledge regarding COVID-19 disease. There was a statistically highly significant relation between total knowledge and total practices outside home (p-value<0.001), and statistically significant relation between total knowledge and total attitudes (p-value 0.005). Conclusion: based on the current study, students were observed to have substantial knowledge, practices for precautionary measures, and a positive attitude toward COVID-19. Recommendation: continuing Government programs should aim to educate individuals from other sectors of the society to ensure the proper dissemination of knowledge on preventive safety measures, as this will help restrict and control the pandemic.