Saudi Electronic University Research Articles

The Influence of Social Media on Improving the Pragmatic Skills of EFL Saudi University Students

Social media platforms can be a gateway through which English as a foreign language (EFL) students gain access to the world of the target language, communicate with native speakers, and learn more about their culture. Against this background, the present study aims to investigate whether EFL students’ use of social media has impacted the development of their pragmatic competence and conversational skills. Sixty Saudi EFL students, aged 17 or older, studying in the English Language and Translation Department at the Saudi Electronic University participated in the study. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that assessed the participants’ perceptions of using social media networks to practice their English conversation skills. The results showed that social media use had a positive impact on the students’ pragmatic and conversational skills. Specifically, a significant proportion of the participants reported an awareness of conversational and pragmatic improvements resulting from social media use that may not be available in traditional classroom settings. These findings suggest that technology-assisted language learning, particularly learning using social media, should be incorporated into language instruction to improve EFL students’ pragmatic and conversational knowledge. In this regard, social media networks are especially valuable in providing authentic and meaningful language and interaction opportunities. Future research could examine other forms of technology-assisted language learning beyond social media and employ a mixed-methods approach to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) on EFL learners’ pragmatic and conversational proficiency.

Attitudes of Teaching stuff and administrators at Saudi electronic university towards electronic tests and the extent to which they apply universal design standards UDL, difficulties and suggestions

هدف هذا البحث لاستشراف توجهات هيئة التدريس والإداريين في الجامعة السعودية الإلكترونية نحو الاختبارات الإلكترونية ومدى تطبيقها لمعايير التصميم الشامل UDL والصعوبات والمقترحات، فتم اعتماد المنهج الوصفي التحليلي في تصميم استبانة إلكترونية كأداة؛ تم توزيعها على عينة قصدية من هيئة التدريس والكادر الإداري في الجامعة وبلغ عددهم (84) في جميع الفروع بالمملكة العربية السعودية. وكشفت نتائج الدراسة أن توجهات أعضاء هيئة التدريس نحو تطبيق الاختبارات الإلكترونية بالجامعة وتفضيلهم لها بالمقارنة بالاختبارات الورقية حصلت على متوسط كلي (4.11 من5)؛ بدرجة (كبيرة)، وحصلت الصعوبات والتحديات المواجهة لأعضاء هيئة التدريس أثناء تطبيق الاختبارات الإلكترونية على متوسط كلي (3.74 من 5)؛ بدرجة (كبيرة)، وأخيراً أتت مقترحات هيئة التدريس بأهمية توفير أجهزة الحاسب البديلة للطلبة وأهمية ظهور النتائج الفورية للطالب، وحصلت على متوسط كلي (4.64 من 5)؛ بدرجة (كبيرة). وبناء على النتائج أوصت الباحثات بضرورة توفير دورات تدريبية لأعضاء هيئة التدريس والطلبة بخصوص حل مشكلات الأجهزة والتعامل مع المنصات التعليمية، ضرورة أخذ رأي أعضاء هيئة التدريس في عملية تطوير المنصة التعليمية والالتزام بمعايير التصميم الشامل كمرجع، وضرورة توفير بدائل للطلبة والاهتمام بالبنية التحتية للاتصالات، إضافة إلى مقترحات بعمل دراسات مكملة في الموضوع.

Perceptions of Social Networks Impact on Countering Violent Extremism Among University Students

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of Saudi students at the Saudi Electronic University regarding the impacts of social networks on countering violent extremism and their relationship with variables such as gender, academic year, and type of college. The sample for this study comprised 110 male and female students at the Saudi Electronic University. To collect data, a cross-sectional questionnaire was used and distributed to the research participants. Descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to analyze the data. This research revealed that social networks, including platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others, encompass thoughts and beliefs that highlight positive impacts on countering violent extremism. However, they also include misleading thoughts and beliefs that emphasize negative impacts, promoting violent extremism. This implies the efficient role social networks play in the life of individuals. Moreover, the findings revealed that there were no statistically significant differences among Saudi Electronic University students in their perceptions of the impact of social networks on countering violent extremism, based on the variables of academic year, type of college, and gender. Given the rapid growth of technology as well as the acceleration of online activities, the study recommends increasing community awareness on how to Seleguard gaist in Social networks.

Reading Skills Learning in the "Arabic-Online.net" Application by Saudi Electronic University Based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

This research focuses on analyzing learning qira’ah (reading) skills in the Arabic-Online.net program within the learning assessment evaluation framework, especially the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as one of the international standards in foreign language learning. This research is qualitative research, and the primary data in this research is reading text in qira'ah material from all 16 levels in Arabic-Online.net. In the analysis, the researchers focused on the reading texts provided at each level in the program through the CEFR framework. Data analysis in this research used data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions based on Miles and Huberman’s method. The research findings indicate that the reading skills instruction in the "Arabic-Online.net" application offers a diverse range of instructional materials. These materials are designed to help participants comprehensively master reading skills. The content, vocabulary, and exercises within this program align with the CEFR standards. This is demonstrated not only in the selection of themes with higher levels of difficulty but also through the inclusion of more complex questions and exercises. The chosen themes are systematically organized, starting from topics closely related to the participants' experiences and progressing to subjects further removed from daily life, such as transportation, administration, and legal issues. These diverse themes not only require a strong language proficiency with a command of vocabulary related to the themes but also demand critical and exploratory thinking from learners to grasp the discourse and main points of the reading materials.

Teaching Research Methodology to Undergraduate Students Using Collaborative Learning Approach in a Blended Learning Environment at Saudi Electronic University

Research methodology courses have become an important requirement for students in many undergraduate programs in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this case study is to explore students’ perceptions of using collaborative learning (CL) in a research methodology course. This course is an undergraduate-level course that is taught in the Department of English Language and Translation at Saudi Electronic University (SEU) in a blended learning environment. Also, this study aims at understanding the effects of introducing group projects into the curriculum on students’ learning experiences from their points of view. In addition, this research sheds light on how students perceived the distribution of workload within groups. The current study employed qualitative methods to collect data by distributing a qualitative questionnaire with open-ended questions. The data were collected from 137 students enrolled in three different branches of SEU in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The data were analyzed by using thematic analysis to provide a rich description and generate themes. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of the participants believed that CL in a blended learning environment had a positive impact on their learning experience. The participants perceived CL as both beneficial and challenging. In addition, most of the participants felt that the workload was distributed equally among the group members. Based on the findings, recommendations are discussed to promote effective CL in higher education.

Blended Learning: An Evaluation of Learner Perceptions at Saudi Electronic University

Blended Learning: An Evaluation of Learner Perceptions at Saudi Electronic University

Sustainable Development and Saudi Vision 2030: Entrepreneurial Orientation of Students Toward E-Businesses and Proposed Model of “Virtual Business Incubator” for SEU

This study aims to explore Saudi students’ entrepreneurial orientation (EO) toward e-businesses in the line of achieving the strategic objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. Saudi Vision 2030 (hereafter, Vision 2030) is a strategic framework to attain the sustainable development of Saudi Arabia. It was first announced by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in April 2016. Authors have proposed a Saudi Vision Linkages Model to show the role and importance of university education (UE) and entrepreneurial culture in fulfilling the specific requirements of the Saudi labor market to attain the ultimate strategic objectives of Vision 2030. The authors also proposed a conceptual model of the study to depict the relationships of EO with their entrepreneurial intention toward online businesses (e-EI). The study used a multidimensional model of the EO where three subdimensions, namely risk-taking propensities (RTP), innovativeness (INV), and pro-activeness (P-ACT), are used. The conceptual model of the study also shows UE and gender (GEN) as moderating variables. The authors used convenience sampling to collect cross-sectional data and conducted an online survey among the students at Saudi Electronic University (SEU) using a 5-point Likert-type scale to collect the data through a questionnaire, observing a total of 17 items and 408 filled questionnaires were received. Authors proposed six hypotheses where four hypotheses build the direct relations, namely, RTP (H1), INV (H2), P-ACT (H3), and UE (H4) with e-EI and hypotheses H5 and H6 are further divided into the subhypotheses, respectively, in H5a, H5b, H5c and H6a, H6b, H6c to show the moderating effect of UE (H5) and GEN (H6). SmartPLS 4.0 software is used to apply structural equation modeling for the analysis of data. Reliability, composite validity, discriminant validity, and model-fit indices of the measurement model are assessed before running a bootstrapping to measure the significance and standardized β estimates of the paths of hypotheses (structural model analysis). After analyzing the results, in the suggestions section, the authors have suggested that the university build a university business incubator for the students to promote entrepreneurial activities on all the campuses with a head office in the Riyadh campus.

The Effect of WhatsApp Application on Saudi Electronic University Students' and the Role of Student Engagement on Academic Performance

The Effect of WhatsApp Application on Saudi Electronic University Students' and the Role of Student Engagement on Academic Performance

Standard Measuring of E-Learning to Assess the Quality Level of E-Learning Outcomes: Saudi Electronic University Case Study

Education in multiple forms and diverse geographical contexts delivers quality in all aspects of learning in which stakeholders such as students, instructors, and educational institutions play an important role. Quality assurance in higher education ensures the smooth functioning of the teaching and learning process by supporting the attainment of the desired quality levels of learning outcomes. This further leads to educational sustainability, as education has been acknowledged as a strategic constituent of sustainability-focused strategies in many educational contexts. Hence, it has become very important for educational institutions to maintain quality standards through the implementation of appropriate strategies, as quality is the lifeline of both Traditional Learning and E-Learning, and a lack of a suitable assessment standard affects the quality of learning. This research study attempts to address the existing gaps observed following a review of the related literature. This study collected qualitative data using an observation method through the observations and review of online software used at the Saudi Electronic University, namely Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS), Tawkeed Quality Management E-System, and Blue Survey software. In addition to this, the expertise of the research team members was also utilized for this research study in designing E-Learning quality dimensions. The purpose of this study was to propose an E-Learning Quality Assessment Standard that will help third-level educational institutions to assess their current teaching and learning practices of E-Learning and support them in enhancing the overall students’ experiences toward E-Learning within their institutions. As a research outcome, a conceptual quality assessment standard titled “SPECIFIERS” was proposed to offer a helping hand during the E-Learning quality assessment process to ensure sustainable education development of global educational institutions.

Media Pembelajaran Bahasa Arab Berbasis E-Learning

The e-Learning medium is a learning process in which the learning participants are separated from the teacher. There is also the use of electronic technology as a learning medium. The Arabic Online Program is an e-Learning-based Arabic language learning media for foreign speakers. Saudi Electronic University initiated this virtual Arabic learning program. Arabic-Online will enable non-native Arabic speakers to learn the language of the world. This website will also provide learning Arabic as a communication tool, which will include vocabulary as well as language skills.

E-Learning in Saudi Electronic University, KSA: With Special Reference to Employability Skills and Job Opportunities for Students

Employability skills and job opportunities are major factors for addressing employment and national development. Rapid changes and enhancements in technology have forced universities to prepare students to compete in the changing workplace environment. This study tries to analyze the impact of E-learning on the employability skills and job opportunities of students. The mixed approach method was adopted. Three hundred eighty-seven students for quantitative analysis and twenty randomly selected alumni members for qualitative study have been comprised in the sample. The study selected multivariate analysis techniques and results were tested using structural equation modeling technique in IBM-AMOS. The word cloud method helped for the qualitative part of this research. The findings of this research show the positive role of E-learning environment on the employability skills and job opportunities of the students as per the labor market demand. This study is less explored in terms of assessing the role of E-learning and employability of business students in Saudi Arabia. Hence, this research can be of great value to all the stakeholders of universities to upgrade the E-learning environment in enhancing the work skills of students.

Effect of Digital-Based Self-Learned Educational Intervention about COVID-19 Using Protection Motivation Theory on Non-Health Students' Knowledge and Self-Protective Behaviors at Saudi Electronic University.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disastrous impacts that impose the cultivation of knowledge and motivation of self-protection to foster disease containment. Evaluate the effect of digital self-learned educational intervention about COVID-19 using the protection motivation theory (PMT) on non-health students' knowledge and self-protective behaviors at Saudi Electronic University (SEU). A quasi-experimental study was accomplished at three randomly chosen branches of SEU (Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah) using a multistage sampling technique to conveniently select 219 students. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was used, which included three scales for assessing the students' knowledge, self-protective behaviors, and the constructs of the PMT. The educational intervention was designed using four stages: need assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. A peer-reviewed digital educational content was developed after assessing the participants' educational needs using the pretest. Then, distributed through their university emails. A weekly synchronous Zoom cloud meeting and daily key health messages were shared with them. Finally, the post-test was conducted after two months. The mean participants' age (SD) among the experimental group was 28.94 (6.719), and the control group was 27.80 (7.256), with a high female percentage (63.4%, 73.8%) and a previous history of direct contact with verified COVID-19 patients (78.6%, 69.2%), respectively. A significant positive mean change (p = 0.000) was detected in the total COVID-19 knowledge of the experimental group post-intervention, either when it was adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F1 = 630.547) or the pretest (F1 = 8.585) with a large effect size (η2 = 0.745, η2 = 0.268, respectively). The same was proved by the ANCOVA test for the total self-protective behaviors either when it adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F1 = 66.671, p = 0.000) or the pretest (F1 = 5.873, p = 0.020) with a large effect size (η2 = 0.236, η2 = 0.164, respectively). The ANCOVA test proved that post-intervention, all the PMT constructs (perceived threats, reward appraisal, efficacy appraisal, response cost, and protection intention) and the total PMT score were significantly improved (p = 0.000) among the experimental group either when adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F1 = 83.835) or the pretest (F1 = 11.658) with a large effect size (η2 = 0.280, η2 = 0.561, respectively). The digital PMT-based self-learned educational intervention effectively boosts non-health university students' COVID-19 knowledge, protection motivation, and self-protective behaviors. Thus, PMT is highly praised as a basis for COVID-19-related educational intervention and, on similar occasions, future outbreaks.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Predict Students’ Academic Performance in Blended Learning

University electronic learning (e-learning) has witnessed phenomenal growth, especially in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This type of education is significant because it ensures that all students receive the required learning. The statistical evaluations are limited in providing good predictions of the university’s e-learning quality. That is forcing many universities to go to online and blended learning environments. This paper presents an approach of statistical analysis to identify the most common factors that affect the students’ performance and then use artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict students’ performance within the blended learning environment of Saudi Electronic University (SEU). Accordingly, this dissertation generated a dataset from SEU’s Blackboard learning management system. The student’s performance can be tested using a set of factors: the studying (face-to-face or virtual), percentage of attending live lectures, midterm exam scores, and percentage of solved assessments. The results showed that the four factors are responsible for academic performance. After that, we proposed a new ANN model to predict the students’ performance depending on the four factors. Firefly Algorithm (FFA) was used for training the ANNs. The proposed model’s performance will be evaluated through different statistical tests, such as error functions, statistical hypothesis tests, and ANOVA tests.

Strategies for curriculum design and effective utilization of its systems for blended learning at Saudi Electronic University

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in the way mankind goes along with its day-to-day responsibilities. The world is undergoing a transformation like not been seen for decades before. Academic and educational institutions are also striving to adapt to changing circumstances. IT systems have proved to be a vital tool at hands of academic institutions to continue imparting quality education while ensuring compliance with health and safety guidelines during these times. Blended learning is a new and evolving academic model which emphasizes combining traditional face-to-face learning with the use of IT systems to provide ease of learning while maintaining student-teacher physical interaction intact. The times of the COVID-19 pandemic have compelled Blended Learning institutions to transform their academic strategies as well as increase their reliance on IT systems. Saudi Electronic University (SEU) is one of the largest Blended Learning academic institutions in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. In this paper, we have presented an overview of processes, IT systems, and Infrastructure upgrades carried out at SEU to face the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and maintain the quality of its Blended Learning academic environment.

The relationship between self-regulation learning and online learning adoption

As the online learning environment continues to proliferate and dominate higher education learning systems, more investigation is required to explicate the adoption rate of these systems and the factors influencing students’ adoption. Previous research has demonstrated the learning environment role in self-regulation learning and the association between self-regulation learning and the dropout rate (Kim et al., 2017). But yet there is rare research addressing whether self-regulation learning skills are associated with online learning adoption. This study explicates how self-regulation learning skills associate with the online learning adoption level of university students. A sample of 688 students enrolled in Saudi Electronic University answered a self-administrated questionnaire distributed via their students’ emails. The questionnaire consists of two parts: self-regulation skills and online learning adoption. Chi-square analysis reveals statistically significant positive associations between the overall score of self-regulation skills, goal setting, environment structuring, time management, help-seeking, use of self-regulation strategies, self-evolution and online learning adoption. The results accommodate with the literature that a higher level of self-regulation skills fosters openness to experience. The study recommends fostering students’ self-regulation skills to increase their readiness for online learning environments.
 
 Keywords: Learning environment, online learning adoption, self-regulation learning, time management.

Load balancing scheduling algorithms for virtual computing laboratories in a Desktop-As-A-Service Cloud Computing Services

The present research work is interested in the study of the virtual computing laboratories in a Desktop-As-A-Service (DAAS) scheduling in a cloud computing environment. The issue emanates from a real-world study in which the Saudi Electronic University expresses a need to efficiently schedule the labs in predefined sessions for one of its colleges over all its branches. The problem under investigation consists, on the one hand, in load balancing the assignment of the labs to the sessions regarding the number of participants, and on the other hand, in determining the types and number of hosts required to ensure the best sessions hosts assignments. While the load balancing is evaluated by measuring the distance between the maximum and the minimum number of the virtual machines load, the maximum number of the virtual machines load, and the variance of number of the virtual machines load, the efficiency of the host selection and assignments are assessed in terms of the unbalance of the remaining capacity of each used host. We propose linearized mathematical models for the subproblems and the whole problem with the different objective functions. We firstly suggest a two-stage optimization approach in which the mathematical models via CPLEX are solved. Then, we deal with the combined method which does not divide the whole problem into its two sub-problems. Next, we run the combined model on CPLEX, and we propose two heuristics to have a feasible good solution in reasonable time. Subsequently, we compare the obtained results for diverse sizes of instances we generate according to the University features. The proposed heuristics are therefore proven to be a compelling solution to the powerful software CPLEX’s failure to solve the problem for large-scale cases. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that they outperform those currently in use in the University.

تطوير الأداء الإداري لدى القيادات الأكاديمية في الجامعة السعودية الإلكترونية في ضوء مدخل الرشاقة التنظيمية

The aim of the study is to identify the reality of administrative performance among the academic leaders at the Saudi Electronic University in light of the entrance of organizational agility from the point of view of academic leaders and faculty members, and to reach the appropriate proposals for the development of performance, and was used the descriptive curriculum survey, and the study community is made up of all academic leaders and faculty at the Saudi Electronic University and reached the sample of study (247) members, The researcher used the questionnaire as a tool to gather information, the study reached the most prominent results: the approval of the sample of the study on the reality of administrative performance among academic leaders at the Saudi Electronic University in light of the entrance of organizational agility to a degree of 'medium', where it came after the organization in the first place as followed guidance in the last place. Their approval of the proposed mechanisms for developing the administrative performance of academic leaders at the Saudi Electronic University ranged from (medium/ high) to encourage administrative creativity with the highest development proposal. There are statistically significant differences between the responses of the study sample towards the dimensions and axes of the study attributable to variables (administrative position and gender).

Behaviors and Associated Factors of Hand Hygiene and Mask-Wearing among Higher Education Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background and Aims: Even though more emphasis has been given to the preventive behavior that includes handwashing and wearing mask during this pandemic situation; not all the people are adhering to it. Therefore the study aimed to evaluate the hand hygiene and mask wearing behavior among the university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the students enrolled in all the branches of Saudi Electronic University that predominantly covers the representative samples of students across the nation. The participants were recruited by using a convenience sampling to participate in this study. A self-reported online questionnaire was used to collect the information and Chi-square test was performed to determine the association between the sociodemographic characteristics and the hand hygiene mask wearing behavior of students. Results: Six hundred and thirty five students from all the branches of Saudi Electronic University were participated in this study. Majority of the students were females and in the age group ranges between 20 to 25 years old. Most of the respondents in the study were living in a joint family and having children in their home. Majority of the students in the study were appropriately practicing the hand washing and mask wearing behavior. A positive correlation was established between the hand hygiene of students and gender, educational level and working sector. The study also highlighted that the mask wearing behavior is influenced by the working status and the working sector among the students. Conclusions: Although most of the students were wearing the mask properly and washing their hands appropriately; it varied based on the sociodemographic characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for continual guidance and training programs on hand hygiene and proper mask wearing behavior, regardless of any factors.

The Effect of E-Learning Sessions on the Development of Reading Comprehension: A Case of EFL Students’ Perceptions at Saudi Electronic University

This study investigated Saudi EFL university students’ perceptions toward the development of reading comprehension through e-learning sessions. A cross-sectional questionnaire was utilized and distributed to a sample of 140 participants at Saudi Electronic University. Descriptive statistics, independent sample paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that EFL university students had positive perceptions of the use of online sessions to practice the reading comprehension skill. The majority agreed that reading comprehension strategies such as skimming and scanning were more appropriate to online sessions. E-learning helped these students to be more motivated and created an atmosphere conducive to independent learning. The participants appreciated the role of online sessions in enhancing their reading comprehension skills and facilitating the level of difficulty of any reading passage. Significant differences were identified relating to the respondents’ gender and academic year. Female students were more satisfied with e-learning than male students. It is recommended that in light of the rapid growth of e-learning in Saudi Arabia, educational institutions should provide online learning programs and develop well-structured courses for e-learning implementation.

Teaching Practices that Develop Positive Attitudes towards Mathematics among Joint First Year Students at the Saudi Electronic University

This study seeks to identify attitudes towards mathematics and teaching practices that develop positive attitudes towards mathematics among students of the joint first year at the Saudi Electronic University, from the students’ perspective. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed. The scale of attitudes toward mathematics was applied to (489) In addition to that, (202) were interviewed to identify the teaching practices that develop positive attitudes towards mathematics. The study has found that the attitudes of joint first year students towards mathematics was neutral. It also found that all teaching practices included in the interview had a high approval rate by the students. The study recommendations highlighted the importance of professional development for teachers to master these teaching practices and encourage them to utilize them in their teaching.