Saudi Higher Education Research Articles

Understanding LMS Use in Saudi Higher Education: A Case Study of Blackboard at King Abdulaziz University

Blackboard is the most recognized integrated e-learning management system. It has been proven especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when all businesses shifted online. It manages the educational process synchronously and asynchronously and provides a safe learning environment for students and faculty. This survey-based study aims to understand the use of learning management systems (Blackboard) among higher education students and faculty at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) by exploring different aspects of the system features and determining whether mobile devices and social media influence the use of Blackboard. The findings confirm the importance of improving the quality of LMS already in use by providing more knowledge about effective utilities of LMS tools and technical support for LMS use with mobile devices. Furthermore, this study validates the importance of making the most of LMS, especially in situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study’s implications indicate a positive correlation between mobile blackboard use and social media if solely used for the learning process rather than for distractions.

Investigating Student Satisfaction and Adoption of Technology-Enhanced Learning to Improve Educational Outcomes in Saudi Higher Education

The current tendency in education is to deliver high-quality instruction with the use of technology in order to increase students’ global competitiveness. Currently, few empirical studies in the literature examine the significance and implications of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) in Saudi higher education. Therefore, the current study aims to develop a new model by examining the impact of a number of variables, including students’ perceived support, virtual social skills, subjective norms, information quality, subjective interest, and resource availability, on students’ self-efficacy and students’ perceived benefits of TEL enrolled in various public and private educational institutions in Saudi Arabia. The method is based on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A survey question on the idea of students’ self-efficacy and students’ perceived benefits of TEL was used as the main method of data collection, and 274 valid responses from undergraduate and graduate students at King Faisal University, particularly those who have been using TEL for at least a year, were obtained. The results of the student self-efficacy survey show that TEL adoption and student satisfaction are both positively impacted. The finding of this study was that all of the TEL characteristics were significantly and favorably mediated by perceptions of the TEL benefits. Student satisfaction is influenced by students’ perceptions of support, virtual social skills, subjective norms, informational quality, subjective interest, resource accessibility, and TEL uptake by students.

Changes in Assessment Modality in Saudi Higher Education: Lessons Learnt Post-COVID-19

This article examines the changes in academics' assessment practices, the contributing variables in response to the transition to the online modality during the pandemic, and the most important 21st-century skills that academic programs should assess post-COVID. The study used a descriptive methodology with both quantitative and qualitative analyses via survey-based research. A total of 225 faculty members from different academic clusters, of different educational levels, genders, and assessment-related work experiences completed the questionnaire. The findings of this research identified interesting shifts in the academics' assessment practices upon 100% transition to the online modality. Specifically, most of the academics modified their assessment plans by lowering the workload of assessment tasks while retaining the same assessment methods. Additionally, a higher weightage of marks was allocated to the use of alternative/ authentic assessment. There was a noticeable increase in the employment of online assessment methods such as examinations, oral exams, assignments, and participation. Furthermore, both the academic cluster and course type had impacts on the utilization of online assessment methods. Lastly, the study identified critical thinking and problem-solving skills, information and computer technology-related skills, and creativity as the top skills to be assessed post-COVID-19. By examining the academics' assessment practices in response to the complete transition to the online modality, this research contributes to the sustainability of best practices in online assessment modalities in higher education. Finally, this study provides recommendations for academics: collaborative assignments, valued as a high-impact assessment practice, should be used to embed and sustain learning. Additionally, academics should be encouraged to adopt authentic assessment methods for online assessment.

Flipped Learning in Saudi Higher Education during Pandemics

Flipped Learning in Saudi Higher Education during Pandemics

Faculty readiness for online teaching at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during the COVID-19 crisis: a cross-sectional study

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector around the world. In order to control the spread of the virus, eLearning practice has been introduced in Saudi higher education. Such online communication has become an important tool to narrow the teaching practice gap. This study assessed the characteristics of eLearning and distance learning and the inclination of Imam Abdulrahman BinFaisal University (IAU) faculty members in terms of skills, and managing classes and tests using online learning tools. Methods: A QuestionPro questionnaire with 22 questions on eLearning experience, training experience, and skills and knowledge in the educational process of IAU teaching faculty was conducted through the online university e-mail domain. The questionnaire was sent to the IAU’s teaching faculty. The questionnaire’s reliability was studied using Cronbach’s a coefficient. The criterion value was statistically studied using the KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett’s test. The variables associated with the present survey model were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results: The study showed positive responses and readiness (skills and abilities) and the effectiveness of IAU’s faculty members to perform e-learning activities during COVID-19. IAU faculty received a strong positive response, and the respondents were also impressed with and agreed on trainer knowledge, session management, communication and expertise on training topics. Conclusions: The positive response indicates the readiness of IAU to provide the necessary support (tools, information and updates) required for a successful online educational process.

The Descriptive Data Analysis for the Adoption of Community Cloud in Saudi HEI-Based Factor Adoption.

Due to its increased reliability, adaptability, scalability, availability, and processing capacity, cloud computing is rapidly becoming a popular trend around the world. One of the major issues with cloud computing is making informed decision about adoption of community cloud (CC) computing (ACCC). To date, there are various technology acceptance theories and models to validate perspective of ACCC at both organizational and individual levels. However, no experimental studies have been carried out to provide a comprehensive assessment of the factors of ACCC, specifically in the area of the Saudi Higher Education (HEI) Institution. Thus, this research was aimed at exploring the factors of ACCC and the relationship to the experiences of the employees. The analysis of the employee context was driven by the success factors of technological, organizational, environmental, human, security, and advantage contexts on community cloud computing adoption in HEI. The data collection was a questionnaire-based survey based on 106 responses. We present findings based on descriptive analysis in identifying the significant component that contributed to the effective implementation of ACCC. Security concerns are a significant influencing element in the adoption of community cloud technology.

Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Benefits and Challenges for EFL Students

Online learning has been a vital tool to be used during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many research studies have been conducted on this topic from different perspectives. However, it can be argued that it is important to identify and evaluate the students’ experience especially those of them who are experiencing online learning for the first time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate Saudi EFL learners’ experience towards the rapid shift to an entirely online learning environment. Specifically, this study aimed to identify the benefits and the challenges of online learning during COVID-19 and compare the traditional way of face-to-face learning to online learning from the students’ perspective. The research method employed for this paper was a quantitative method in terms of a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 15 items and was utilized to identify the benefits and challenges that the students have faced during their online learning experience. Participants were 72 Saudi EFL learners in their preparatory year at a Saudi higher education institution. Major findings revealed a number of benefits of online learning, such as: “Easy access to online material”, “Ability to record meetings and sessions”, and “Retrieve information”. On the other hand, technical problems were the most reported challenge for students, in addition to lack of interaction with teachers. Based on the research findings, several suggestions and recommendations were presented to enhance the effectiveness of online learning.

Undergraduate EFL Students’ Perceptions About Their Experiences Attending Online Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Saudi University

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate EFL students’ perceptions about their experiences attending online classes at a Saudi higher education institute during the COVID-19 pandemic. Random sampling was used to obtain the subjects of the study, twelve undergraduate EFL students who attended online classes for the first time at Al-Baha University, Saudi Arabia. A SWOT analysis was used to process the collected data. The main strengths of using online classes in the EFL context were time/place flexibility, promoting a more active/interactive learning style, and the availability of recorded sessions, all of which helped the students when they were reviewing the asynchronously-delivered content. The weaknesses were all related to technical issues (access to an adequate internet connection and an appropriate device on which to access the internet). This study is expected to generate new insights into the process of implementing online classes or blended classes to teach the English language in the Saudi context, and to examine the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to such an adoption at the target university during the shift to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings may be beneficial for other higher education institutions with a similar context in Saudi Arabia and may benefit higher education policymakers in Saudi Arabia.

Assessment approaches of English language teachers in the Saudi higher education context

Assessment approaches including assessment purposes, assessment processes, fairness, and measurement theory, and English teachers’ professional development needs remain underexplored in the Middle East and North Africa regions. This study provided empirical evidence on English language teachers approaches in the Saudi higher education context. A survey was used to examine the teachers’ current approaches to classroom assessment. A total of 287 subjects (191 women and 94 men) participated in the survey. The results revealed that both the male and female participants valued and endorsed assessments alike. However, female participants were found to value assessment purposes more than their male counterparts. Fairness in assessment approaches was the least valued item in teachers’ identified assessment approaches. Experienced teachers who identified themselves as competent in their role valued assessment fairness and measurement theory more than novice teachers. The present work broadens our knowledge on teachers’ assessment approaches in relation to gender, career stage, and academic position, which support interested researchers and policy-makers in decision-making regarding designing professional development programs.

Shifting focus to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Universities: Challenges and opportunities

Since 2020, Saudi administrations have provisionally closed educational institutions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. At the time, employing technology was imperative to accelerate learning efforts and offer methods of enhancing interactions between learners and among learners and tutors. In this review, I first describe the e-learning systems that were used in higher education before the pandemic. Then, I investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Saudi higher education and how universities and public educational institutions responded to the pandemic. In the conclusion, I argue that policymakers, university sectors, and syllabi developers should unify national e-learning strategies, integrate technology in a systematic way, and design e-learning curricula to meet the needs of an ever-advancing world and revolutionise the learning process.

Diagnosis of the effectiveness of the e-learning solutions adopted in Saudi higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study aims to explore the effectiveness of the e-learning solutions adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers' and students' opinions in Saudi higher education.Design/methodology/approachThis study was performed during the 2021 academic year and involved a survey approach to analyze the effectiveness of Saudi e-learning solutions adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subjective opinions were collected from a sample of 106 teachers and 1,196 students.FindingsThe teachers disagreed that online courses provide students with multiple opportunities to track their learning progress with timely feedback, with an arithmetic mean of 2.566 and a standard deviation of 1.627. Moreover, the students disagreed that the use of multimedia facilitates the ease of learning and knowledge extraction from online resources, with an arithmetic mean of 2.443 and a standard deviation of 1.633. Generally, the study implies that today during the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to exploit the power of multimedia tools to bring out knowledge from online learning resources such as images, animations, simulations, video and hypermedia. Based on the results, we need to concentrate on exploiting the power of hypertext systems used in flexible online instruction to enable flexible thinking for online students. Therefore, the e-learning process must favor cognitive flexibility and foster knowledge acquisition for students in the context of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThe findings may be useful in discovering the degree of effectiveness of Saudi e-learning solutions during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of Teachers’ Beliefs on Second Language Writing Practice: Case Studies in a Saudi University

This study attempts to fill in a gap found in the literature regarding the Saudi higher education context in terms of the second language (L2) teachers’ perception on second language writing (SLW), and their practice in their classrooms. A case study was employed to explore the beliefs and practices of four female EFL teachers in association to second language writing practices. First semi-structured interviews were conducted whereby the beliefs of the teachers’ writing practice. A series of questions related to the teachers writing classes specifically and teaching writing as a whole in the centre. This study has focused on the teachers’ own personal beliefs on how teaching SLW should take place by looking back at their background, educational vision, and the methods/approaches used/thought in the classroom. The study has explored the teachers’ practice of SLW in the classroom and compared them to their teachers’ beliefs of SLW.

Faculty readiness for online teaching at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during the COVID-19 crisis: a cross-sectional study

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector around the world. In order to control the spread of the virus, eLearning practice has been introduced in Saudi higher education. Such online communication has become an important tool to narrow the teaching practice gap. This study assessed the characteristics of eLearning and distance learning and the inclination of Imam Abdulrahman BinFaisal University (IAU) faculty members in terms of skills, and managing classes and tests using online learning tools. Methods: A QuestionPro questionnaire with 22 questions on eLearning experience, training experience, and skills and knowledge in the educational process of IAU teaching faculty was conducted through the online university e-mail domain. The questionnaire was sent to the IAU’s teaching faculty. The questionnaire’s reliability was studied using Cronbach’s a coefficient. The criterion value was statistically studied using the KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett’s test. The variables associated with the present survey model were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results: The study showed positive responses and readiness (skills and abilities) and the effectiveness of IAU’s faculty members to perform e-learning activities during COVID-19. IAU faculty received a strong positive response, and the respondents were also impressed with and agreed on trainer knowledge, session management, communication and expertise on training topics. Conclusions: The positive response indicates the readiness of IAU to provide the necessary support (tools, information and updates) required for a successful online educational process.

Potential Changes in Saudi Students’ Motivations and Attitudes towards Learning English as a Foreign Language after Immersion in an L2 Learning Environment

This study traces potential changes in the motivation of Saudi students studying English as a second language (L2) in the UK. It investigates whether the beliefs and motivations of these students have changed during their learning experience, and identifies the pedagogical implications of such change for English teaching, not only to Saudi students in the UK but also to Saudi students enrolled in Saudi higher education institutions. It aims to identify the reasons behind changes in motivation as well as the impact these may have on students’ attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Data from questionnaires, interviews, and observations are used through three phases of the English academic programme. The study subjects are newly arrived Saudi students (three PhD students and 29 Master’s students) studying in four different universities in the UK under the fields of Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, and Translation. The conceptual framework is based on Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System Theory and Dörnyei & Ushioda’s motivation and L2 self-framework. Changes in motivation are usually accompanied by changes in students’ classroom involvement, attitudes towards the target language, and positive or negative impacts on the students’ outcomes and language competencies. Similar to other types of learning, L2 learning cannot take place in a vacuum. The present study has various contributions to the field of SLA. First, it validates earlier studies about the issue of motivation in linguistics, attitudes towards language, and changes in one’s self-identity as an outcome of language development. Second, it serves as an addition to the body of knowledge pertaining to motivation and attitude of Saudi students towards English as L2 and the important role of culture in this process. Further, it serves as an important contribution to how Saudi students’ L2 acquisition is understood using Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System.

Sustaining Blended and Online Learning During the Normal and New Conditions in a Saudi Higher Education Institution: Health Science Students’ Perspectives

Sustaining Blended and Online Learning During the Normal and New Conditions in a Saudi Higher Education Institution: Health Science Students’ Perspectives

Predictive Analysis of Higher Education Graduation and Retention in Saudi Arabia u sing Multinomial Logistic Regression

It is suggested that this study contributes by establishing a robust methodology for analyzing the longitudinal outcomes of higher education. The current research uses multinomial logistic regression. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first logistic regression analysis performed at Saudi higher education institutions. The study can help decision-makers take action to improve the academic performance of at-risk students. The analyses are based on enrollment and completion data of 5,203 undergraduate students in the colleges of engineering and medicine. The observation period was extended for ten academic years from 2010 to 2020. Four outcomes were identified for students: (i) degree completion on time, (ii) degree completion with delay, (iii) dropout, and (iv) still enrolled in programs. The objectives are twofold: (i) to study the present situation by measuring graduation and retention rates with benchmarking, and (ii) to determine the effect of twelve continuous and dummy predictors (covariates) on outcomes. The present results show that the pre-admission covariates slightly affect performance in higher education programs. The results indicate that the most important indicator of graduation is the student's achievement in the first year of the program. Finally, it is highly suggested that initiatives be taken to increase graduation and retention rates and to review the admissions policy currently in place.

Faculty readiness for online teaching at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University during the COVID-19 crisis: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector around the world. In order to control the spread of the virus, eLearning practice has been introduced in Saudi higher education. Such online communication has become an important tool to narrow the teaching practice gap. This study assessed the characteristics of eLearning and distance learning and the inclination of Imam Abdulrahman BinFaisal University (IAU) faculty members in terms of skills, and managing classes and tests using online learning tools. Methods: A QuestionPro questionnaire with 22 questions on eLearning experience, training experience, and skills and knowledge in the educational process of IAU teaching faculty was conducted through the online university e-mail domain. The questionnaire was sent to the IAU's teaching faculty. The questionnaire's reliability was studied using Cronbach's a coefficient. The criterion value was statistically studied using the KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett's test. The variables associated with the present survey model were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results: The study showed positive responses and readiness (skills and abilities) and the effectiveness of IAU's faculty members to perform e-learning activities during COVID-19. IAU faculty received a strong positive response, and the respondents were also impressed with and agreed on trainer knowledge, session management, communication and expertise on training topics. Conclusions: The positive response indicates the readiness of IAU to provide the necessary support (tools, information and updates) required for a successful online educational process.

EMI as a performative technology of acceleration in higher education contexts: academics and administrators’ perspectives

ABSTRACT This paper argues that reading English Medium Instruction (EMI) as a performative technology of acceleration in the highly competitive conditions of today’s global higher education (HE) contexts is one way to gain insights into present-day realities of EMI orientations, experiences, and practices. In so doing, it examines the interplay of EMI, HE, and Tomlinson's [2007. The Culture of Speed: The Coming of Immediacy. London: Sage] three cultural narratives of speed. A Saudi HE institution, Sroor University (SU; a pseudonym), is used as a case example study to explore how the cultural narratives of speed have been experienced by language teachers, administrators, and engineering faculty members. The findings of this interview-led study show that a sense of urgency, active control, and an overwhelming tendency to direct all its educational efforts towards the needs of industry is prevalent in the operations of the university. It was also found that the culture of speed has brought about excitement, pleasure, pains, and risk to the academics in their everyday EMI practices. It concludes that reading these complex constellations of experiences through temporal perspectives allows us to capture not only the effects of the culture of speed but also how unequal power relations are played out among social actors within and across individual contexts.

The Leadership of Women in the Saudi Higher Education System

This research aims to identify how Saudi Arabian women attain their bargaining power and leadership in educational institutions in leadership positions, and identify the challenges and methodologies used to overcome issues faced by female leaders in higher education (HE) institutions. This study also aims to identify the obstructions faced by Saudi women that prevent them from achieving their career goals; the advice offered to female aspirants of HE leaders from female leaders and finally, determine the steps most likely to be taken to empower women in HE institutions. This research adopts the qualitative study method by reviewing existing data, as well as conducting small-scale research involving women working in academic and administrative positions in Saudi higher-education institutions. The women were chosen from three Saudi HE institutions that were characterized by gender-based segregation. The selected women were interviewed through video conferencing. The results of this study found that Saudi Arabian women experience workplace problems, disrespect, and insubordination. Institutions in Saudi Arabia did not offer the necessary support for female education leaders. Thus, women lack the empowerment and esteem required to successfully discharge their responsibilities. However, Saudi Arabia is taking steps to remedy the situation and has made relatively good progress in recent years.

Investigating the application of emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education

Saudi universities have put immense efforts in preparing and implementing home teaching as an alternative type of traditional teaching. The present study aims to focus on outcome of applying Emergency Remote Teaching during the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis at Saudi Higher Education. A quantitative research design was used to evaluate the students’ perspectives in terms of preparation, implementation, and assessment. A total of 97 students were recruited from Prince Sattam bin Abdul-Aziz University. A self-administered questionnaire, comprising of two parts was provided to the students. The questionnaire’s first part collected demographic details of the participants; whereas, second part was distributed into 34 items including preparation (7 items), implementation (8 items), and assessment (7 items), barriers to teaching practices during COVID-19 including 12 items. The results showed that majority of the participant students positively responded towards the application of emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 (3.86 ± 1.13). Considering the dimensions, preparation (3.98 ± 1.12), implementation (3.77 ± 1.17), and assessment (3.19 ± 1.30), majority of the students gave positive response on majority of the items Moreover, there was no significant difference in the perspectives about applying emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 between both the genders. The study concluded that most of the students favored emergency remote teaching as it facilitated self-learning.