scholarly journals Identifying the Underlying Factors of Students’ Readiness for E-Learning in Studying English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia: Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

2018 ◽  
pp. 265-279
Author(s):  
Ibrahim M. Mutambik ◽  
John Lee ◽  
Yvonne Foley
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

scholarly journals The Role of E-learning in Studying English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia: Students’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Mutambik
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Technology Advancement ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Government ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perspectives ◽  
Insight Into

Over the past few decades, there have been tremendous increase in technology advancement and the significance of this in the field of education cannot be overemphasised. The adoption and use of E-learning in studying EFL, in particular, is one such areas that has experienced such fast-paced development for some time now. As a result, the government all over the world are committing a lot of resources to keep up with this technology advancement. In this light, the government of Saudi Arabia through its Ministry of Education has recently made commitment, both as the practical and policy levels, with the hope to also benefit from using E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Schools. However, little is known about the perception of students and teachers regarding the role of E-learning is studying EFL in the Saudi context. In an attempt to contribute to this research base, this paper draws on an empirical investigation using group interviews with students and teachers in order to gain insight into their perception about the role of E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Arabia. The findings are presented and discussed in four thematic areas: promoting key learning skills, independent learning, flexible learning and interactive learning. The paper also highlights the limitations of the research and concludes by making a number of recommendations.

scholarly journals English Language Teaching in KSA in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Positive Outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 147-159
Author(s):  
Reem A. Al-Samiri
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
E Learning

The pandemic of 2020 was a watershed moment for all educators worldwide as schools and universities were forced to close their doors to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Thus, a new movement towards widespread e-learning emerged with unknown consequences for learners and educators alike. The situation in Saudi Arabia was no exception. The purpose of this study is to explore how English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning at the tertiary level in Saudi Arabia was impacted negatively and positively by the move to online learning. It reviews research published since the onset of the pandemic, with a specific focus on English language teaching at Saudi universities, to analyze the challenges faced by Saudi EFL teachers and learners since the shift to e-learning. One of the biggest challenges observed was students’ lack of motivation, which upon further review was found to be linked to other contributing factors, such as technological issues, inapt learning environments, and students’ mental health. This paper also examines the unforeseen positive outcomes resulting from the digital transformation, including the benefits of the flexibility of place and time and promotion of particular language skills. The current research synthesis will help contribute to the knowledge of online English teaching in the Saudi context.

scholarly journals Saudi education postgraduates’ (Trainee teachers’) perspectives on distance education

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-321
Author(s):  
Amani Khalaf Alghamdi ◽  
Ali Tared Al Dossary
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Skills ◽  
Trainee Teachers ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Vision 2030 ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

The purpose of this exploratory study undertaken in Saudi Arabia is to understand how in-service and new teachers perceive distance education. The study involved nineteen male and female postgraduates who were pursuing an education master’s degree during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative research asking participants to provide a 300-word response to the open-ended question: “How will you implement what you have learnt in your studies so that distance education can be effectively provided and convince others of the merit of this approach?” The task was presented in Arabic and the complete assignments were returned electronically. The 11,181-word corpus underwent content and thematic analyses yielding eight themes. Participants addressed issues pertinent to teaching and learning, equity in technological access and digital literacy. To make DE in Saudi Arabia successful, thorough preparation of involved parties, including educators and learners, and their digital teaching and learning skills should be mastered. Keywords: Distance education, e-learning, education postgraduates, Saudi Arabia, “Vision 2030”

scholarly journals Measuring Digital Competence and ICT Literacy: An Exploratory Study of In-Service English Language Teachers in the Context of Saudi Arabia

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdulteeef M. Al Khateeb
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ict Literacy ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
English Language Teachers

The purpose of this research is to measure in-service English language teachers' digital competence, particularly for the enhancement of teaching English as a second/foreign language in schools in Saudi Arabia. Information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge is currently considered as a vital skill for foreign language teachers in addition to their linguistic competence. Recently, there has been a focus on digital competence, since it can be regarded as a gateway for enriching knowledge, economies, societies and individuals. There is also a massive need for teachers to assess their own digital competence according to non-conventional norms (i.e., having the ability to share content and manage information). In light of this rationale, this paper investigates the following research question: to what extent are English language teachers in Saudi Arabia digitally competent and in what aspects? This study used a standardized questionnaire that was constructed using a validated comprehensive framework. This instrument was designed to assess the professional capability of English language teachers in terms of their willingness and readiness to use ICTs along with their current digital competence used throughout their teaching and educational practices. The research included a diverse range of participants who come from various backgrounds, genders and experiences. The study was concluded with a presentation of useful recommendations and key research questions for future research.

scholarly journals Utilizing a Facebook closed group for EFL e-learning environment: Students’ views

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1026-1044
Author(s):  
Martha Nandari Santoso
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Online Class ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Closed Group ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Group A ◽  
Display Quality

This study was conducted out of the researcher’s teaching reflection while teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) online class during the pandemic of COVID-19, a time when face-to-face courses had to be converted to online classes. Her choice of educational tool for her EFL e-learning environment utilized a Facebook closed group. Her experiences in utilizing a Facebook closed group for her EFL e-learning environment and the students’ views were the main topics of this study. Eighteen EFL freshmen participants were selected in this study. The researcher used data from a questionnaire with some closed and open-ended questions. The findings indicated that the students found the Facebook closed group a comfortable, practical, and useful e-learning environment. The students’ familiarity with the interface helped them to immediately focus on the class activities instead of learning how to use the tool. Most students viewed the Facebook closed group as positive for class interactions, creative work, opinions, and express feelings. A few dislike voices were related to the display quality of Facebook, the asynchronous and silent communication on Facebook. Accordingly, utilizing a Facebook closed group might be worth considering for learners who have not been adequately prepared with the technology for joining an online class. 

scholarly journals English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teacher's Perceptions and Use of Mobile Devices and Applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-202
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
Efl Teachers

This paper reports on a study of how a group of tertiary level EFL teachers perceived and used mobile devices in their teaching and personal learning. One hundred and fifty teachers (66 female, 84 male) from public universities in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of participants used mobile devices and applications in their teaching and learning. Survey data showed that the vast majority of teachers had positively perceived and frequently used mobile technologies in their teaching and personal learning. In addition, there was a correlation between teachers’ use of mobile technologies in their teaching and their use in learning. There was also a correlation between how teachers perceived the value of mobile technologies in learning, and how they use them in their teaching.

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