Concerns and professional development needs of faculty at King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia in adopting online teaching
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate concernsregarding the adoption of online teaching as expressed by faculty
and instructors in six departments in the College of Arts and
Humanities at King Abdulaziz University. Additionally, it
investigated faculty professional development needs in adopting
online teaching. The data in this study were obtained from 147
faculty members (response rate 63.9%). A non-experimental,
cross-sectional survey design was used, incorporating the Stages of
Concern Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using quantitative
measures (descriptive data analysis and inferential analysis). This
study utilized the Concerns Based Adoption Model as its theoretical
framework.
King Abdulaziz University faculty Stages of Concerns
findings showed a mean score percentile of 87% of them as
Unconcerned. The Informational stage showed a mean score percentile
of 72%, and the Personal stage was the third highest with a mean
score percentile of 70%. Refocusing, Collaboration, and Management
were the fourth, fifth, and sixth highest stages of concern. The
Consequence stage was the lowest stage of concern. The Stages of
Concern Questionnaire had concerns that were generally aligned to
nonusers or users who sometimes implement parts of online
teaching.
The data analysis regarding the participants’ personal
characteristics indicated that their concerns in adopting online
teaching were not influenced by their age, country of graduation,
or years of teaching experience. A statistically significant
difference was found in the participant concerns in adopting online
teaching by gender, p<.05. The significance differences were
found in stage one (Informational) (p<.05), stage two (Personal)
(p<.01), and stage six (Refocusing) (p<.001). Likewise, the
data analysis regarding the participants’ contextual
characteristics indicated that their concerns in adopting online
teaching were not influenced by their department or academic rank.
A statistically significant difference was found in the
participants’ concerns in adopting online teaching based on
administrative support, p<.05. The significances were found in
stages zero (Unconcerned) (p<.05) and three (Management)
(p<.01). The data analysis regarding the technographic
characteristics also indicated a statistically significant
influence of participants' prior instructional technology use and
technology-related professional development on their use of
technology in teaching. The significance values were .000, .006,
.009, and .030.
The study concludes with recommendations for King
Abdulaziz University regarding faculty adoption of online teaching
and recommendations for future studies focused on professional
development programs and the adoption of online teaching in King
Abdulaziz University as well as in other Saudi
universities.
Author: Bakor Kamal
Institution: Kansas State University
Language: English
Topic: Online and Blended Learning
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2271972113