Advantages and Challenges of eLearning Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Faculty and Student Perceptions in Saudi Education

Abstract

Novelty and Topicality: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the education sector, with eLearning transforming the global education system. Research Purpose: This study sheds light on how the English departments of King Khalid University overcame the pandemic’s impact, with respect to the shift to online learning. Motivation for the Study: The findings of the present study are of great importance for transforming the education system, not only in Saudi Arabia but worldwide. The globalization of education will help the universities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia make borderless, cost-effective education available to the citizens of the world from the comforts of their homes. Design and Methods: The study seeks to identify the challenges and advantages of eLearning, based on the perceptions of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners and instructors. The data were collected through Google forms and analysed using various SPSS software tools. Main findings: The findings revealed that the advantages of eLearning outweigh the challenges faced by students. The advantages of teaching English online include flexibility of learning, constant availability of learning materials, time efficiency, and the upgrade of technical skills. The major challenges for students and instructors include a lack of in-person interaction and poor Internet connectivity. Practical Implications: Notably, the study findings can improve the efficacy of eLearning in the education field in general and Saudi English departments in particular. Contribution: The outcomes can help explore future possibilities for reforming the education sector, both within and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Using Panopto to Encourage Deeper Learning and Reflection in a Writing Course

“…Even though the viewer statistics on Panopto were more positive around the lectures where questions were embedded, none of the students attempted the embedded quiz through the streaming link, even though, according to the logs, the video itself was downloaded. There could be multiple reasons for downloading rather than streaming engagement, one of which could be limited access to the internet, particularly for students based overseas, which was noted as a frequent issue in the literature (Simonova, Faltynkova & Kostolanyova 2023;Tian & Lu 2022;Weng, Ng & Chiu 2023;Alhaider & Nisa 2023). Regardless of the cause behind the student activity, examining the Panopto statistics indicates that these efforts to improve student engagement were unsuccessful.…”

“…As Lin, Wu, and Lee note, 'Although online learning environments have advantages for learning, they need extra support to help students concentrate on learning' (2022: 156). Online learning poses challenges for students who may not have any previous experience of a level of independent learning with expectations of unsupervised work like take home essays and self-directed study towards lecture content (Ng, Ching & Law 2023;Alhaider & Nisa 2023;Bao 2020;Trenholm et al 2019). Furthermore, there are the challenges specific to online learning from other countries.…”

“…Accessing information online requires reliable internet connections and appropriate computing devices. Some areas or households can have unfavourable study conditions: in particular a lack of internet infrastructure can hinder students' full engagement in online learning (Alhaider & Nisa 2023;Bao 2020). Maintaining effective communication between instructors and students can be challenging, through the combination of unreliable internet connections and different time zones, in addition to students opting to turn off their cameras to overcome internet connectivity issues.…”

“…The rapid shift to online education meant educators had to quickly adapt to online teaching and more heavily utilize e-learning tools like Learning Management System (LMS) and web conferencing software (Ng, Ching, & Law 2023;Simonova, Faltynkova & Kostolanyova 2023). LMS software offers several advantages, such as user-friendliness, effective time management, easy course and faculty management, report generation, and timely reminders for users (Alhaider & Nisa 2023;Coman et al 2020). Students and teachers spent increased hours in front of screens for managing learning processes on LMS platforms and attending virtual classes, leading to reports of stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.…”

Distance learning Revisited: Students’ Preferences and Attitudes in the Post-Pandemic Era

“…Comparison of the advantages and challenges of DL before, during and/or after the COVID-19 pandemic were made by some studies as teaching and learning the four English language skills before and during the COVID-19 as perceived by EFL faculty and students (Alhaider & Nisa, 2023); Saudi EFL students' use and perceptions of blackboard before and during online learning (Alsuhaibani, 2021); synchronous and asynchronous English writing classes (Bin Dahmash, 2021); Saudi students' views of teaching English speaking online versus F2F during COVID-19 (Alzamil, 2021); distance education in higher education in Saudi Arabia in the post-COVID-19 Era (Alghamdi, El-Hassan, Al-Ahdal & Hassan, 2021); and educated Arabs' reading interests and preferences before, during and after the pandemic (Al-Jarf, 2022d). The literature review revealed lack of studies that probed students and teachers' attitudes towards DL four years after the emergency shift from F2F to DL that took place back in March 2020.…”