<p> This research was carried out at Dammam University's Preparatory Year and Supporting Studies Deanship during the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021. The population included both genders with different levels of English proficiency (Tables No. 1 and No. 2). A random process was used to choose the samples. A total of 255 students were selected from a total population of 756. The Sample Size Calculator (https://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm), a public service of Creative Research Systems survey software, was used to establish the size of the sample that represents the target population of students. Students' perceptions of learning and teaching processes via Blackboard were among the variables used to create the samples. In the preparatory year, 255 students from the scientific, engineering, and health tracks responded to the survey, out of a total population of 756 at the 95 percent confidence level.  Quantitative data was collected using mostly closed questions in the same previous questionnaire for students of both genders. The participants' basic personal data was collected in the first section (Students’ gender, track, and level of English proficiency). A five-point Likert scale was used to measure differences in opinions about the Blackboard experience in the other sections of the questionnaire (Not at all Effective/Strongly disagree, Slightly Effective/Disagree, Moderately Effective/Neutral, Very Effective/Agree, Extremely Effective/Strongly agree). The final section included open-ended questions designed to elicit further recommendations from both sets of participants regarding problems. The averages were calculated using statistical operations on the collected data for the analysis </p>

This study set out to explore the perceptions of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) about the use of the Blackboard learning management system (LMS) in the preparatory year at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IAU), Saudi Arabia. The useful Blackboard features that are not customarily exploited by EFL instructors, and the solutions EFL instructors suggested to solve the problems they countered during their EFL classes were also covered. The perceptions of the 63 EFL instructors about using Blackboard in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) teaching were collected by means of a survey. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used for collating, analyzing, and consecutively integrating data. The findings revealed that the attitudes of teachers towards using Blackboard were significantly positive. Nevertheless, they disclosed that several effective Blackboard features are not explored for the benefit of teachers such as the electronic library, the evaluation system, the teachers’ forum, and the group conferencing. The results recommended that teachers should be provided with intensive training on all the Blackboard features to increase its efficacy in teaching. Finally, some recommendations were offered to maximize the usage of this tool in compliance with recent research findings and instructors’ proposals.

<p> This research was carried out at Dammam University's Preparatory Year and Supporting Studies Deanship during the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021. The population included both genders with different levels of English proficiency (Tables No. 1 and No. 2). A random process was used to choose the samples. A total of 255 students were selected from a total population of 756. The Sample Size Calculator (https://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm), a public service of Creative Research Systems survey software, was used to establish the size of the sample that represents the target population of students. Students' perceptions of learning and teaching processes via Blackboard were among the variables used to create the samples. In the preparatory year, 255 students from the scientific, engineering, and health tracks responded to the survey, out of a total population of 756 at the 95 percent confidence level.  Quantitative data was collected using mostly closed questions in the same previous questionnaire for students of both genders. The participants' basic personal data was collected in the first section (Students’ gender, track, and level of English proficiency). A five-point Likert scale was used to measure differences in opinions about the Blackboard experience in the other sections of the questionnaire (Not at all Effective/Strongly disagree, Slightly Effective/Disagree, Moderately Effective/Neutral, Very Effective/Agree, Extremely Effective/Strongly agree). The final section included open-ended questions designed to elicit further recommendations from both sets of participants regarding problems. The averages were calculated using statistical operations on the collected data for the analysis </p>