Title: Saudi academic perceptions of e-learning systems

Authors: Stephen J. Thorpe; Hassan M. Alsuwayed

Addresses: Service and Cloud Computing Research Laboratory, Department of Information Technology and Software Engineering, School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand ' Service and Cloud Computing Research Laboratory, Department of Information Technology and Software Engineering, School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

Abstract: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has seen a growing interest in the uptake of cloud-based educational technologies in the university sector in recent years. In order to better understand the potential of cloud-based opportunities, it was considered important to first investigate the experiences of academic staff in their current use of e-learning systems. A survey was undertaken to explore whether current e-learning systems were serving tertiary learning requirements as articulated by those academics teaching and providing the e-learning services in Saudi Arabian universities. The online survey collected 55 responses. Findings contrasted with earlier studies critical of the country's e-learning provision and suggest that Saudi Arabian universities may now have a sounder e-learning infrastructure in place. Shifting e-learning services into the cloud was identified as a new opportunity that may allow academics to leverage the benefits of cloud technologies and to address some of the challenges they face.

Keywords: e-learning; cloud computing; learning systems; Saudi Arabia; educational technologies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2019.105710

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2019 Vol.14 No.3, pp.251 - 268

Published online: 09 Mar 2020 *

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