Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A dissertation submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Master of Arts
in the Faculty of Humanities, School of Education
2009
List of figures............................................................................6
Abbreviations............................................................................7
Abstract.....................................................................................8
Declaration ...............................................................................9
Copyright statement ..............................................................10
Dedication................................................................................11
Acknowledgements.................................................................12
1 Chapter 1: Introduction......................................................13
1.1 Background .......................................................................................................13
1.2 Rationale.............................................................................................................15
1.3 Research questions..............................................................................................15
1.4 An overview of the arrangement and content of this dissertation......................16
2
3.4 The pedagogy of the media ................................................................................41
4 Chapter 4: Methods..............................................................44
4.1 Case study...........................................................................................................44
4.2 Sampling.............................................................................................................46
4.2.1 Sampling in the pilot phase.........................................................................46
4.2.2 Sampling in the main phase.........................................................................46
4.2 Increasing the quality of the research.................................................................47
4.2.1 Reliability.....................................................................................................47
4.4 Data sources........................................................................................................48
4.2.2 Semi-structured interviews..........................................................................48
4.2.3 Questionnaires.............................................................................................49
4.2.4 Observation..................................................................................................50
4.3 Data analysis.......................................................................................................51
4.3.1 The qualitative approach using thematic analysis.......................................51
4.3.2 Advantages of thematic analysis..................................................................52
4.3.3 The disadvantages........................................................................................52
4.3.4 Procedure of analysis...................................................................................53
1.Developing initial codes from the transcribed conversations........................53
2.Combining related patterns into sub-themes or categories............................54
3.Forming the themes.......................................................................................54
5. Building a valid argument for choosing the themes.....................................55
4.4 Validity...............................................................................................................55
4.4.1 Triangulation...............................................................................................56
4.5 Ethical issues.......................................................................................................56
4.6 Production of an audit certificate.......................................................................57
5 Chapter 5: Results...............................................................58
5.1 Observation.........................................................................................................58
5.1.1 The first lesson.............................................................................................58
5.1.2 The second lesson........................................................................................59
5.1.3 General observations....................................................................................59
5.2 Lecturers’ views and perceptions ......................................................................59
5.3 Themes................................................................................................................61
5.3.1 Interaction....................................................................................................63
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The use of Breeze changed the lessons’ nature by providing significant
interaction.........................................................................................................63
Encouraging students to ask questions.............................................................63
Tools used in expressing ideas and asking questions .....................................65
Shyness as the main reason for decreased voice interaction among the
undergraduates..................................................................................................66
Concerns about interaction ..............................................................................68
Students’ visions/preference about the best time for interaction......................68
The physical absence of the lecturer.................................................................69
5.3.2 Activities using Breeze features..................................................................70
Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application....................................70
Providing efficient features ..............................................................................71
Features not used..............................................................................................72
Meeting students’ needs for logistical convenience.........................................72
5.3.3 Feelings .......................................................................................................73
Enthusiasm........................................................................................................73
Comfort.............................................................................................................74
A positive influence..........................................................................................74
Flexibility (taking the session online while at home) ......................................75
Providing new positive educational opportunities and atmosphere..................75
5.3.4 Difficulties...................................................................................................76
Facing technical difficulties..............................................................................76
Help with troubleshooting................................................................................76
The need for an Arabic version ........................................................................77
6 Chapter 6: Discussion...........................................................78
Encouraging students to ask questions.............................................................85
Tools used in interaction...................................................................................88
The socio-cultural context: how shyness affects student interaction ..............90
The Arabic language ........................................................................................93
Meeting students' needs for logistical convenience..........................................94
The physical absence of the lecturer.................................................................95
6.3 Activities using the Breeze features...............................................................95
Providing efficient features ..............................................................................96
4
Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application....................................96
Focus vs. distraction.........................................................................................98
5
List of figures
6
Abbreviations
VC Videoconferencing
CCTV Closed Circuit Television
7
Abstract
There is a lack of studies that focus on web-based videoconferencing applications
such as Breeze in the context of Saudi Arabian female higher education. Female
students in Saudi Arabia have a unique situation in the twenty-first century that merits
deep investigation into how socio-cultural factors influence the educational
transaction. This research study aimed to explore the perceptions of female medical
students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels of Saudi female students when
using this technology. The perceptions of two lecturers in the discipline of surgery and
dermatology were also explored. The scope of this study has been narrowed to
include female medical students in two distinct age ranges within the undergraduate
and postgraduate groups which helped compare the findings from these two classes. In
this study Breeze was used to mediate two lessons, one for each group of students,
undergraduate and postgraduate. A number of instruments were used to gather
responses from candidates and a qualitative approach of thematic analysis was used to
identify different themes in the perceptions of both students and lecturers. Results are
presented in Chapter 5 and further discussed in Chapter 6. By delivering a lesson
through web-videoconferencing, this study describes a shift from what these female
students are used to in terms of interaction with a lecturer. The shift took the form of
increasing the perceived quantity and deeper interaction throughout the lesson. The
students also offered comparisons with a traditional environment. A number of social
and cultural factors were examined and discussed in depth which seemed to affect
students’ perceptions. Despite the small scale of this study, it is in favour of using
Breeze in Saudi female higher education. It also identifies a number of issues with
applying the web-videoconferencing tool in that particular context. I hope that the
study in this dissertation will add to the body of knowledge and pave the way for
future studies in this area.
8
Declaration
I hereby declare that no portion of the work referred to in the dissertation has been
9
Copyright statement
i. Copyright for the text of this dissertation rests with the author. Copies (by any process) either
in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the author.
Details may be obtained from the appropriate Graduate Office. This page must form part of
any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such
instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the author.
ii. The ownership of any intellectual property rights which may be described in this dissertation
is vested in the University of Manchester, subject to any prior agreement to the contrary, and
may not be made available for use by third parties without the written permission of the
University, which will prescribe the terms and conditions of any such agreement.
iii. Further information on the conditions under which disclosures and exploitation may take
place is available from the Head of the School of Education (or the Vice-President and Dean of
the Faculty of Life Sciences for Faculty of Life Sciences’ candidates).
10
Dedication
powerful inspiration and motivator who instilled in me a sense of hard work and
ambition and who encouraged me to debate and speak my mind. Your strength will
expression of love and appreciation for the encouragement that he has given and the
sacrifices he has made. It is due to his motivation, inspiration and dedication that I
found the strength to complete this dissertation. Thank you for all the support,
company and patience during my studies. And thank you for believing in me.
I wish to express my love and gratitude to my brothers, sisters and my son Abdullah;
for their understanding and endless love, through the duration of my studies. May this
Special thanks also to all my dearest friends, Khlood and Maha who have always been
11
Acknowledgements
This research project would not have been possible without the support of many
deepest gratitude also goes to Dr Andrew Whitworth for his support and valuable
advice. Also I would like to extend my thanks to Dr Pauline Davis for her support in
preparing the pilot study; her input made the pilot study materializes. Thanks also to
all the students who participated in my research and gave me a chance to complete my
degree.
12
1 Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been undergoing a major transformation in terms of
higher education. The number of universities has almost tripled in the last decade. The
number of postgraduate students has increased and great emphasis is being placed on
improving education. A number of major events have highlighted the rising interest in
growth. Earlier in 2009, the first international conference on e-learning and distance
education took place and the Centre for e-Learning and Distance Learning was
infrastructure for e-learning in all Saudi universities which will apply state-of-the-art
website that this centre's task is to execute the National Strategy for E-learning in
Saudi Arabia (detailed in the Appendix). This national centre will implement e-
learning and distance learning and their applications in higher education by providing
technical support, the tools and necessary means for the development of e-learning. Its
principal goals and projects will involve e-learning infrastructure development, the
so on. The national centre has adopted a group of projects that have begun to
accomplish those aims in priorities. However, as the centre and its e-learning projects
have only recently been introduced to Saudi Arabia, no literature exists on the centre’s
13
activities. The few research papers available about e-learning in Saudi Arabia will be
formal education until graduation from university, and even higher administration
buildings exhibit this practice. In Saudi universities most campuses are designed with
two main areas, one for males and the other for females, with high walls separating
them. In each academic and administrative department there are female and male
counterparts for all posts. The issues around gender segregation in higher education
arise when male lecturers are asked to deliver lectures to female students; however, it
is not acceptable for female lecturers to lecture males. For female students in higher
education, the lectures they attend when given by male lecturers are delivered through
videoconferencing or closed circuit television (CCTV). The rest are given by female
(Laurillard, 2002). The nature of the tool invites the delivering of lectures. It serves to
instantaneously transfer images and the sound of the lecturer, as well as his writings
and illustrations on a whiteboard. Having said that, there are very few educational
settings in Saudi Arabia where the line between the acceptable and unacceptable in
terms of gender mixing is hazy. Although the rules prohibit any form of gender
mixing, in reality these rules are not always enforced in, for example, clinical bedside
teaching. However, this setting is not a classroom in a university campus but a clinical
ward in a hospital, where learning the skills of taking medical notes and the clinical
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1.2 Rationale
Male lecturers are required to deliver lectures to female students via CCTV as there
are not enough female professors and lecturers in Saudi universities to meet the rising
demands for higher education in Saudi Arabia in every subject. The students are
television and listen. Sometimes, there is only a CCTV lecture in a day's schedule.
Attending a CCTV lecture means sitting and watching the lecture via television and
only asking questions and interacting with the lecturer through a telephone at the end
of the lesson. Since full-time female students have many of their lectures delivered
web-based videoconferencing tool such as Breeze would affect the way a lesson is
given.
environment and activities, I propose to conduct a qualitative case study among two
groups of female medical students in King Abdul-Aziz University. The following are
15
In short, how do real-time communications through Breeze change the
dissertation
research study, including its background, the research aims, research questions, and
Chapter 2: Literature review. This chapter first defines the scope of the literature area.
environment at a group level. It emphasises the core theoretical ideas and current
noting that this chapter includes two literature areas which have particular relevance to
the topic of the study: e-learning and videoconferencing in Saudi Arabia and research
16
Chapter 3: Theoretical framework. The key theories behind the application of e-
learning and videoconferencing to learning are discussed; namely the media debate of
Clark and Kozma, theories of interaction, the socio-cultural context and social
presence.
the methodology and conducting the research process. It explains the rationale of
adopting a thematic analysis approach and how it was used in this study. The chapter
describes the data collection and analysis procedures in detail and also presents how
Chapter 5: Results. This chapter displays the findings of this study through the three
instruments used to gather the responses and presents them in the relevant sections.
The bulk of this chapter is formed by the themes identified in the responses gathered,
mainly through the analysis of the questionnaires and supported through findings
identified through other instruments. The themes are presented through argument and
Chapter 6: Discussion. This chapter offers further discussion of the results in more
depth and a scrutiny of the motives and reasons behind students’ responses. It relates
traditional CCTV lesson. It also relates this study’s findings to previous research on
17
Chapter 7: Conclusion. This chapter concludes this research study by reflecting on the
dissertation. It summarises the research design; the study findings; their contribution
18
2 Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
With the increasing demand for higher education, something must be done to meet the
undergraduate students, from the typical 18-22 age group to a more mature, discerning
and relatively affluent composition, demands more from the universities. Hence, there
undertaking courses. If such methods are employed, they should be examined and
Videoconferencing (VC) is one method that is commonly used as a solution for these
solution to this problem especially with state-of-the-art wireless and cheap high-speed
broadband offering visual richness and immediacy (Bednar, Hannum et al., 2007). VC
cannot completely replace traditional classrooms but the literature indicates that it can
Coventry (n.d, p.6) claims that: “The technology is in a transitional state and many
may feel it is currently unsuitable for education. This makes videoconferencing highly
19
challenging and exciting to some and a nightmare to others”. Due to its real-time
interaction and its ability to show body language and tone, VC may give students the
sense of being part of the learning community (Harry, 1999). It appears from the
All the compatible analysis of the disciplinary context, place, synchronicity and
pedagogy should ensure appropriate alignment between the needs of the learner, the
purpose for teaching and learning and the learning context of the available technology
students’ and tutors’ attitudes and, most importantly, the teaching methods adopted
(Coventry, n.d.). When traditional face-to-face classes, tutorials or seminars are not
feasible, videoconferencing offers the chance to run virtual classes and discussions
with tutors and other students. Videoconferencing, for instance, may allow a lecturer
various remote computer clusters or on individual PCs around the world (Talbot,
2003).
In this literature review I begin by describing the technology and defining it. I will
then present the different types of technology and discuss their various applications
and focus on studies of student perceptions of using this technology to receive lessons
and, finally, present the few studies on distance learning in Saudi Arabia and the use
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2.2 Definition and description of the technology
There are many distinct definitions for the term videoconferencing. It has been viewed
effectiveness due to its ability to connect a vast number of sites (Gunawardena &
McIsaac, 2004). Social presence is a theoretical construct that has two main elements,
discussion between two or more people who are in different places but can see and
hear each other using electronic communications. Pictures and sound are carried by
the telecommunication network and such conferences can take place across the world
camera focused on a group or individual at either end of the link. The camera is
connected to a system, usually a desktop computer that transmits the picture via a
network, usually over the web to a screen at the other end. The increasing bandwidth
speech. A tutor is usually given control over what is transmitted via a console
21
controlling various cameras and one or several cameras might be filming live action
available in each site. The lecturer may be in control of which line of communication
allow them to speak. In this respect, students’ degree of control over the
lecture. However, as the extent of this control is not very great, the largely unseen
audience further diminishes the opportunity for social negotiation between lecturer
2.2 Classification
1. Compressed video-teleconferencing
wideband channel to transmit pictures, but with greater flexibility and cost
video codec in order to transmit the data along the narrower bandwidth of a special
telephone line. Video compression techniques have the advantage of reducing the
amount of data needed to describe a video picture and enable the video signal to be
transmitted at a lower and less expensive data rate. However, this compression results
in a reduction in the picture quality and if an image moves quickly the motion will
22
meant that videoconferencing has become less cost-prohibitive (Gunawardena &
2. Desktop video-teleconferencing
data, file-transfer, and screen share capabilities, allowing users to see and speak to
each other, transfer application files and work together. A fusion of network, personal
computer, and digital video has led to the use of the desktop computer for
teleconferencing (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004). The technology used for this
desktop video-teleconferencing, its small scale means that the technology has been
used to compress video for small meetings between relatively few points (Coventry,
n.d.).
ability to transmit voice, data, video, and graphics in digital form by telephone lines or
fibre optic cable. ISDN promises end-to-end digital connectivity, multiple services,
(Coventry).
23
2.3 Uses and applications
it serves to bring people together for discussion, whether this takes place between
thereby addresses a major learning activity, that of interaction. However, by using this
medium, interaction is limited to the level of description. The general assumption that
discussion aids students’ learning even at a distance is the basis for using VC
(Laurillard, 2002). It also allows students to observe. It is interesting that this is not
exclusive to distance learners, when VC can act as their learning lifeline, but is being
while pedagogy is not always dictated by media, it could be dictated by the medium of
permission from the lecturer to talk whereas others do not. Hence, the pedagogical
maintained between the tutor and students or between the students. This is determined
to a great extent by the role the tutor plays during a video session. In practice, the
the tutor is more likely to be responsible for establishing the ground rules of
(Laurillard, 2002). However, it is more difficult for students to do this and tutors
should ensure they offer free space and time to encourage students to express their
24
this two-way visual link is reluctantly used by students to ask academic questions,
which does not make videoconferencing truly discursive. Research shows that
students minimise the use of this medium, and tend to report the technical difficulties
with which they have been faced (Laurillard, 2002; Bollom, Emerson et al., 1989).
Some other research, however, shows that technicalities were not a problem when
using VC technology (Bednar et al., 2007; Robyn, 2005; Allen, Mabry et al., 2004).
easy solution to distance learning. However, it offers less than a lecture in terms of
link between small groups learning from each other. One valued use of the technology
that will always remain indispensable is the video link to remote experts (Laurillard,
that would serve both logistical and pedagogical purposes and lead to a diversification
remote events or places that are normally inaccessible to them, such as an art gallery
access could be given through a web-cam in a tutor’s computer and offer the
opportunity for students to point out things they did not understand or discuss what
they had just seen. Video could be embedded within highly interactive discussion
environments, forming a new hybrid that could expand learning experiences. In higher
research degrees, postgraduate students could discuss research and present their
results to academic supervisors. In addition, they could share the data or even practice
presentations live, while they are separated by place or/and time (Robyn, 2005).
25
In summary, videoconferencing is a one-to-many medium that can be used for the
following applications:
could increase the frequency of carrying out discussions online, provided these
With distance education, students are physically isolated both from other students and
from their tutors. Such students are not present at their institution of study and are also
distance teaching, learning, and the supervision of research (Robyn, 2005). Not only
that, but VC also motivates distance students to keep pace with their peers and gives
them the energy to continue their studies successfully. Of course, this could have
resulted from the use of the technology rather than the technology itself, as will be
detailed in the theoretical framework in Chapter 3. This motivation could also stem
from the intimacy generated by seeing fellow students on the course and the tutor,
despite being separated geographically (see social presence above and in Chapter 3).
26
In addition, synchronous communication keeps students up-to-date with the course
Using videoconferencing as a distance learning tool saves students’ time, as well as air
requiring only narrow bandwidth, a computer and internet access (Harry, 1999). At
present, many universities in the United States and the United Kingdom are using
(Gunawardena & Lapoint, 2003). Although VC has long been doubted for its ability to
convey a taught message because of its varying quality and poor images, results from
a study carried out by Kies, Williges et al. (1997) suggest that test performance does
not suffer under conditions of reduced video quality. However, the students' subjective
satisfaction was significantly decreased for those who used distant education
compared to students who studied face-to-face, although their actual performance was
satisfaction and learning achievement show few, if any, differences between distance
One study was carried out to compare students' performance and satisfaction with the
departure of the course coordinator. An agreement had been made with the
Shenandoah University (SU) School of Pharmacy faculty to coordinate and deliver the
course and a decision had been taken to use an interactive videoconferencing system
to allow students to communicate with each other and with their instructors in several
27
traditional classroom at SU, while it was delivered identically to 75 students in
approximately 150 miles from SU. Students on both courses performed well and held
a high overall perception of the instructor and the courses. However, distance students
achieved higher than average marks in examinations, while the classroom students
differences were found (Kidd, Pharm et al., 2006). A similar study (Allen et al., 2004)
students showed their complete satisfaction with their VC classes (Allen et al., 2004).
Several experiments have been run by three orthodontic departments to test different
practice. All participants were at a distance from the instructor and attended distance
connections after they had been given an outline of the course and journal articles to
read. Three instructional approaches to distance learning were used. The first group
interacted in real time using two-way videoconferencing. The second group observed
seminars in real time as they occurred, without being able to interact but having the
opportunity of discussion with the instructor afterwards. The third group watched a
recording of the seminar and were able to discuss it with the instructor but no
interaction with other participants was allowed. Each group experienced each of the
three teaching styles for one seminar sequence to control for any student effects. Any
possible faculty effects were controlled by having the same instructor for each
perceptions and what they thought of the accessibility of the seminars and the
28
approaches used (Bednar et al., 2007). The results showed that live participation in the
students were more actively engaged in learning in the interactive group. There was a
high rating for acceptability given by all three groups. Interaction was judged by
interact with the tutor and be more attentive and involved because of that interaction.
Observing live was rated positively and the authors explain this by saying that this
eradicates the stress of participating actively during a seminar but still allows students
to ask questions and receive clarification after the seminar. Observing a seminar later
convenience and review if they wished. All three learning methods provided the
opportunity for students to learn from experts in the field, which the participants
commented was not otherwise possible for them; the technologies used were
described as being effective teaching tools. Although most responses were positive
about the experience, two participants stated that in the future they would not like to
learn using any of the distance education methodologies evaluated (Bednar et al.,
2007).
29
networks which provide students with picture and sound quality approximate to that of
tool for improving student outcomes (Allen et al., 2004). Distance learning students
benefit from the increased opportunities for interaction with each other and their
supervisor, the electronic resources and easier access to a means for personalised
dialogue and collaborative teaching and learning which almost approximate to face-to-
face classes when they use a VC tool (Robyn, 2005). The key to being a successful
teacher is being able to adapt, and to take emerging strategies and practise and
incorporate them into their teaching in seemingly effortless ways that make them
magically transform a poor teacher into a great one, teaching and learning in this way
the curriculum will identify the opportunities available for students to engage
effectively in learning via this improved medium (Robyn, 2005) which could enhance
students’ performance. As has been observed, the way in which students are taught
technologies available, their cost and, most importantly, their suitability for teaching
and learning in the educational environment. Teachers’ acquaintance with the needs of
learners within a particular discipline and the use of this technique within a teaching
30
Teachers' and students' perceptions of how and what to teach, as well as their
contemplation of the pedagogy (Robyn, 2005). There are now various technologies
what they are doing and why, so they can choose the appropriate technology aligned
with the most appropriate pedagogical approach (Robyn, 2005). Higher education
fundamental shifts in educators' understanding about how learning and teaching take
place. This knowledge can improve students’ outcomes. However, if teachers have not
given sufficient time to reflect, move forward, reflect, and move forward again they
will conduct routine reflections on practice, rather than carrying out a deeper
reflection of their primary motivation for teaching the way that they do, which is more
Another way in which VC technology has the potential to lead to a positive outcome
language, which could reduce possible ambiguity and reinforce the psychological
the multiple visual and aural indications which duplicate normal language
communicated in real time, with body language and intonation of speech providing
31
The use of videoconferencing could be a desirable element of media richness to
of learning and the achievement of learners are less impacted by the actions of
teachers. In fact, learners’ actions have a more significant influence on the outcomes
centred approaches as being the more desirable method for teaching and learning to
helps decision making and the capture of ideas which enliven discussion (Blight,
discussions are now possible with minimum effort and prove convenient for many
more students (Robyn, 2005). Gunawardena and Lapoint (2003, p. 23) state that, “the
judging, changing, storing, managing and retrieving information when needed”. This
32
is probably more true when the medium is used for discussion rather than delivering a
lecture but the following activities can also take place: virtual seminars, workshops,
tutorials and counselling meetings, tuition or project groups, and chatting with fellow
collaborate, simulate (Gunawardena & Lapoint, 2003) and experience a new form of
effective means of helping students apply abstract ideas and think critically about
what they are learning. Johnson, Johnson et al. (1991) conclude that when the purpose
of a class is to develop problem-solving skills and abilities, even the least efficient
difficult, even for an experienced faculty member, and it is especially difficult when
class sizes exceed twenty. This has an impact on the type of learning that can take
place in a classroom, with smaller class sizes relating to higher levels of learning
Fulford and Zhang (1993) found that students’ satisfaction depends largely on their
overall or vicarious interaction and not the extent of personal interaction. Hence, if
students perceived that there had been a high level of student interaction on the course
33
they were satisfied, regardless of how much personal interaction they had
excitement and spontaneity that is not present with delayed interaction, although
As mentioned above, students involved in distance learning activities need to feel that
they are gaining the fullest possible sense of interaction and for this approach to have
a positive effect on their learning outcomes. It is essential, therefore, on the most basic
level, for the course instructor to ensure that students are confident enough in the
the logistical aspects of students’ attendance (Robyn, 2005), for example by sending
some instructions as well as pilot sessions to students who are not on campus. Human
factors such as personality, attitudes, and skills influence the students’ reactions
toward technology (Allen, Bourhis et al., 2002). Patience is also an important factor
for those students who lack technological experience. The main factors which increase
personality, the subject of the seminar, the degree of interaction of the teaching style,
the students’ comfort level in dealing with the technology, and the sequences for
However, students also consider the setting of videoconferencing as being private and
34
informal for both synchronous and asynchronous communication (Allen, Mabry et al.,
2004).
Bernard and Abrami (2004) claim that there is a degree of absence amongst members
of learning groups when videoconferencing is used. This have been debated in the
literature due to the exclusion of many applications of digital education (DE) based on
teleconferencing technologies that are group based. Some argue that when DE creates
traditional classroom conditions, it misses the point, as DE of this type does not
support the anytime/anyplace objective of access to education for students who cannot
postgraduate Masters students (Burke & Lundin, 1997), students were given six weeks
of intensive courses face-to-face prior to some of the students moving abroad. The
discuss different matters. This proved to be successful and the students who had
moved abroad were not isolated. Students had improved access to each other and the
lecturers as a result of this project and the quality of their experience in the subject
was considerably enhanced (Burke & Lundin, 1997). However, this could be
contested as the students had been attending the classes personally for the intensive
period of six weeks and had become familiar with classmates and the tutors who could
have facilitated their interaction on video later when they went abroad.
Altowjry (2005) claims that the only efficient use of modern communication
35
Arabia is present in the Open Arab University. However, I could not recover any
modern technologies at their disposal. The use of those technologies has been carried
out in an undeveloped way and limited to certain social areas, such as health,
agriculture and information (Altowjry, 2005). However, with the development of the
National Centre for E-learning and Distance Education, there is now a new prospect
for the use of such technologies and studies in their applications will, hopefully, be
unveiled in years to come. Currently, distance education is still a novelty and so are
the modern technologies which are used to deliver only a few distance learning
courses run by the Open University (Al-wakeel & Fares, 2007; Altowjry, 2005). Until
very recently, distance education had not been formally acknowledged by the Higher
Ministry of Education. Despite the fact that the Open Arab University is not purely a
University under the sponsorship of the United Nations (The Arab Gulf Programme
for United Nations Development Organizations) (Al-wakeel & Fares, 2007) and has
For students to obtain a degree, they must take at least 25% of the
36
programme and this situation is further complicated by lack of
2005).
This literature review chapter has revealed the lack of studies into how distance
of the Saudi Arabian education setting. I hope that the research involved in this
dissertation will increase the body of knowledge and pave the way for future studies in
this area.
37
3 Chapter 3: The Theoretical Framework
“Theories serve to satisfy a very human ‘need’ to order the experienced world. This order
will reflect the principles, standards and ideals that will influence and shape practice.
Theories can be derived from efforts to explain or make sense of observed phenomena, or
by reasoning through the implications of existing theories. Theories are necessary because
they help us to understand, communicate and predict the nature of a discipline or a field of
practice, its purpose, goals, and methods. Theories help to shape practice, and practice in
turn contributes to the development of theory” (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004, p. 359).
its fundamental concepts and constructs that provide a post facto theoretical
discussion of research results. Research conducted this way could make the results
more relevant to the work of other researchers and possibly even be applied in the
field (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004). Several theories offer accounts of the effects
1. Interaction
2. Socio-cultural context
38
3.2 Interaction
The definition of distance education by Garrison (1989) and Garrison and Shale
interaction. In the two lessons studied in this dissertation, the lecturers were lecturing
most of the time; nevertheless, some discussions were taking place between lecturers
and students in both of the two lessons. Moore (1989) considers learner-instructor
lecturer and student. Learner-learner interaction takes place when students exchange
interaction that has been missing in distance learning and relates to the interaction
between the learner and the technology that delivers the instruction.
attitudes, teaching and learning. Wherever a social environment is very different from
particularly important to examine the socio-cultural context. Evans and Nation (1992)
suggest an examination of the broad historical as well as the social contexts to extend
integration of theories from the humanities and social sciences, they urge educators to
move toward the construction of a critical approach which can enrich the theory
already building in the field. Spears (1992) indicates that in order to understand
39
computer-mediated communication more fully, it is important to study the social
environment. A social factor model was proposed by Feenberg and Bellman (1990) to
working in groups.
The degree to which participants feel co-located when using various communication
media has been studied under the theory of social presence which, as the name
situation. It can also be defined as the extent to which a person is perceived as a “real-
There are a number of dimensions that constitute this construct, all relating to the
traits of interpersonal contact. Argyle and Dean (1965) identify the concept of
“intimacy,” and Wiener and Mehrabian (1968) name the concept of “immediacy” (as
cited in Short et al., 1976, p. 363). According to Short et al. (1976), factors such as
physical distance, eye contact, and smiling play an important role in the level of
intimacy felt in the social presence of the communications medium. However, the
formality of dress, and facial expression, as well as verbally. Hence Short et al.
40
3.4 The pedagogy of the media
is the media debate. Some might argue that in this field the most popular debate is
between Richard E. Clark and Robert B. Kozma, which began in 1983 when
technology as we currently know it (e.g. computers, software, the internet) was in its
infancy and Clark stated that “media do not influence learning under any conditions”
(Clark, 1983, p.445). What he was saying is that a selected medium (e.g. video, audio,
print) does not affect learning. In 1991, Kozma responded in the Review of
Educational Research and took the opposing view, stating that the medium does affect
learning. And so the debate started. In Clark’s 1983 article, he said that: “The best
current evidence is that media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not
influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries
Between his 1983 and 1994 articles, Clark also claimed, “that any necessary teaching
method could be designed into a variety of media presentations” (Clark, 1994, p. 22).
Clark uses what he calls a “replaceability” test where educators need to ask “whether
there are other media or another set of media attributes that would yield similar
learning gains” and if there are other media capable of these gains, then “we must
always choose the less expensive way to achieve a learning goal” (Clark, 1994, p. 22).
In his article (1991), Kozma summarises his position saying that, “while some
students will learn a particular task regardless of the delivery device, others will be
41
able to take advantage of a particular medium's characteristics to help construct
The main point of Kozma’s 1994 article is that we move from asking the question “do
media influence learning?” to “in what ways can we use the capabilities of media to
influence learning for particular students, tasks, and situations?” (Kozma, 1994,
p. 23). It was very wise of Kozma to delay his response for many years after Clark
published his article, as developments in technology during that time allowed Kozma
Both sides of the debate make a valid point. This applies especially if we bear in mind
which is now worldwide, in stark contrast to the 1980s when Clark opened the debate.
Clark was saying that we can look at media as vehicles that merely serve the delivery
achieve in conveying its message. The use of a digital video camera would be one
presentation using photographs from a camera which someone has used, typing the
instructions and an embedded narration and then exporting the file as a PowerPoint
presentation. A third way would be to actually film someone using the camera, giving
instructions and describing different parts of the camera. One might argue in Clark’s
42
favour that all these three ways demonstrate how media do not influence learning.
Nevertheless, the user-friendly interfaces and current design of computers and the
Worldwide Web are on Kozma’s side of the debate. The debate concerning the effects
technologies. Although it is not the only one, this debate is important because it is a
which the debate originally emerged and continues to evolve. I think the Clark-Kozma
debate will continue to take place because of the ever-evolving nature of the
technologies and because of the variability of educators who are informed of the
pedagogical possibilities that different technologies provide. Perhaps when this kind
absorbed and practised widely, it will be clearer that the question “how do media
of the pedagogical possibilities they provide and how they could be limited by some
In my opinion, the debate might have evolved but it is still important to drive a better
understanding and more informed practices connected with the relation between
43
4 Chapter 4: Methods
This chapter demonstrates the research methodology and the methods used to answer
the research questions, then discusses the effort made to enhance the quality of the
research.
A case study is the appropriate approach for an individual researcher and gives an
timescale (Bell, Bush, Fox, Goody & Goulding, 1984). Bell et al. (1984, p. 73) state
that: "Statistical analysis can identify important determining factors in a problem area
to establish how these factors relate to each other in the real situation, it may be
Aziz University. Two groups were studied: one undergraduate and one postgraduate.
This is the first time a web-based videoconferencing tool has been used in the Medical
A week prior to the lessons, I emailed a tutorial entitled “How to use Breeze” to the
lecturers, so that they could forward it to their students and so that they would all be
prepared before the lessons. The lecturers and I also logged onto Breeze one hour
before the sessions were due to begin to ensure that everything was working
44
appropriately and to help the students with any problems they may have faced at this
stage of using the technology. Students had been given five hours’ access to Breeze
The first lesson lasted for two hours and was run by a dermatology consultant for the
postgraduate students’ group. The lesson started slightly late due to the delay in some
students becoming connected to the internet. After the presence of all the students was
verified, the lecturer checked that all the students could hear him properly and that all
the microphones were working. He then asked all the students if they had read the
information that had been emailed to them, which all of them had. He then explained
that the rules of the class would not differ from the usual lessons, and that any
The second lesson was two hours long and involved a surgical doctor for the
undergraduate students’ group. The lesson began on time and all the students were
present. As with the other lesson, the lecturer first made sure that all the students
could hear him well and that all their microphones were working. He then asked all
the students if they had read the information that had been emailed to them; it
appeared that ten of the students had not read this information. He then explained that
it would be acceptable for the students to interrupt him to ask questions, make
45
4.2 Sampling
Three full-time students, studying face to face on the MA-DTCE course in the School
of Education at the University of Manchester, during the academic year 2008-09, were
chosen in the interests of time and availability. The MA-DTCE consists of modules,
one of which uses web-videoconferencing for discussions between the tutor and
time constraints, in order to improve the method and implement the appropriate
groups of students after attending two lessons given by different lecturers. The first
the Medical School of King Abdul-Aziz University. These students are between the
first and last year of the clinical phase of studying medicine, have surgery as an
integral part of the curriculum and are assessed annually. As I approached them
towards the end of this academic year, revision for surgery was the most appropriate
subject to discuss in the lesson. Arranging this lesson was difficult, as students by that
time had finished their formal classes, were conducting clinical work and preparing
for the final examinations. However, they agreed to attend the lesson as it was useful
for revision. The second group consists of 15 postgraduate female doctors between the
46
All the postgraduate doctors possess computers and have access to the internet at
home, while nine undergraduate students have access to a computer and the internet at
home. Those who do not own a computer stated that they had access to one at the
4.2.1 Reliability
Consistency in coding the semi-structured interviews was taken into account as all
participants had been asked the same questions in the same order in the research in
order to recognise patterns of answers (Richards & Morse, 2007). One should be
cautious when generalising the result of this experiment due to the small group sizes
Cohen et al. (2007) state that the key component in ensuring the reliability of a piece
of research is to create a protocol before collecting the data. They emphasise that a
47
4.4 Data sources
this study using pre-set questions but allowing scope for open-ended answers (Woods,
enough shape to prevent aimless rambling (Bell et al., 1984). This approach built
considerable flexibility into the interview because the key questions were developed
prior to the interview but allowed the interviewer to control when and how to raise
them, according to the flow of the interview and the dynamics of the conversation
taking place (Hannan, 2007). Using such an instrument presents the pre-set questions
in a way that does not interrupt the natural flow of the conversation (Richards &
Morse, 2007). Generally, interviews offer an in-depth enquiry method for qualitative
information and allow researchers to probe the meanings and motives in interviewees’
answers.
I interviewed the two lecturers. Each interview lasted twenty minutes on average,
which allowed time for all the clarification and information I asked for. There was a
natural flow in the interviewees’ answers and I managed to keep them focused on the
interview questions if they deviated into areas which are not relevant for answering
my research questions.
48
The interview questions were open-ended to prompt reflection about the interviewees’
interviews were recorded using Skype recorder software called Call-graph and
transcribed carefully.
4.2.3 Questionnaires
Questionnaires are the best method for collecting certain types of information quickly
and relatively cheaply. They also require the researcher to be sufficiently disciplined
to abandon questions that are unnecessary to answering the research questions (Bill, J.
questions was used to answer the research questions, as this research is qualitative in
its approach (Hannan, 2007). I chose this method because it has the advantage of
providing accurate results with the possibility of being easy to compute whilst
providing respondents with open space to develop their own ideas and express their
approach offers the possibility of determining aspects of a topic that were unsuspected
and will enable some respondents to challenge any assumptions that may have been
made (Hannan, 2007). However, this type of questionnaire has one concern as to the
difficulty of computing the answers and the only process it can follow is categorizing
49
undertaken by the researcher. To balance this method, I used a combination of both
students and collect their answers. Fifteen students from every session replied to the
Due to a delay in the students’ responses, however, I was obliged to contact the
lecturers several times to ask them to send gentle reminders to the students; even so, I
needed to wait until the students had finished their exams before my questionnaires
were completed.
4.2.4 Observation
Observation is an important characteristic of case studies (Hannan, 2006), which is
usually combined with other research methods for collecting data (LeCompte &
Preissle, 1993). The simplest way to observe is to rely on watching, listening, asking
questions and collecting information (LeCompte & Preissle, 1993) on the part of the
researcher after deciding what behaviours or events to look for, the frequency of the
event and the context (Bell et al., 1984). Classroom studies usually have to be based
on observation, which can be more reliable than what people actually say (Bell et al.,
1984).
I kept unstructured notes from the two Breeze classes I observed, which helped me to
record impressions and ideas in order not to lose those insights which occur at the
time (Bell et al., 1984). I recorded ideas that came to me while observing, from the
students’ speech, chatting and my thoughts about what was happening in the sessions.
I kept a record of the type and frequency of students’ participation in the lesson by
50
creating a table for each lesson as follows. I recorded the participants’ names in one
column and created a separate column for each method of interaction. For each
method of interaction, I placed a tick in front of a particular student’s name each time
she used that method. At the beginning of the lesson I tried to record some of the text
of the students’ talking; however, I soon discovered that I could not use most of the
speech I had recorded because it all involved students’ contributions to the lessons’
subject.
Open-ended questions provide responses that are best analysed using thematic
analysis, which represents a qualitative approach. This helps to identify the students’
nuanced and complex, so this approach is the most appropriate form of analysis.
The interviews first needed to be transcribed then categorised using thematic analysis.
This involved reading through the transcripts of the interviews and the questionnaire
responses many times in order to acquire a high degree of familiarity. This enabled me
to identify regularly recurring experiences, thoughts and ideas described by the Breeze
users. These patterns were then formed into themes which give an overall view of the
way that Breeze users feel about the system as a tool for delivering lectures (Braun &
Clarke, 2006).
51
According to Ryan and Bernard (2000, p. 780), "Thematic analysis
52
aspect of the they should focus (Braun & Clarke, 2006). It is also
entire data set and collating data relevant to each code. Writing
53
the more formal coding process. In essence, coding continues to
be developed (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and should take place from the
first step.
be ensured through rigorous studying of the ideas to make sure they fit together
activities, meanings, feelings, or folk sayings and proverbs" (Taylor & Bogdan,
alone" (Leininger, 1985, p. 60). When performing the analysis, there is constant
movement back and forth between the entire data set, the coded
simply moving from one phase to the other but rather a recursive
4. Formulated themes from the interviewees’ stories are pieced together to form
a comprehensive picture of their collective experience
54
When gathering sub-themes to obtain a comprehensive view of the information,
any patterns can then be seen. When patterns emerge they are best triangulated
with other means to confirm this. However, in my study themes emerged from the
these core concepts in mind to refine my initial codes and repeated the process
a final set of coding categories which was generated from this repetitive and
4.4 Validity
appropriate participants were chosen and along with the proper instruments for
gathering the type of data required at the design stage. The appropriateness of
readability level in the questionnaire was ensured through avoiding ambiguity in the
instructions, terms and questions. Poor coding, generalisation beyond the capability of
the data and selective use of data were avoided when the data were analysed
55
4.4.1 Triangulation
The purpose of using triangulation is to establish consistency among the data; that is,
to establish credibility (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The need for triangulation arises from
the ethical necessity to validate the process; this involves integrating insights from
The study adhered strictly to ethical protocols. The purpose of the interview was
Tendentious openings were avoided and at the end of the interviews the interviewees
were given a chance to ask questions (Bell et al., 1984; Richards & Morse, 2007).
Participants in the interviews and questionnaires read and signed both participant
information and consent form sheets (Richards & Morse, 2007) (included in the
Appendix).
The participants were given the right to withdraw at any time and not to answer any
questions (Richards & Morse, 2007). I promised participants that I would be honest,
not force anyone to take part, protect them from harm, and maintain confidentiality
(Hannan, 2007; Richards & Morse, 2007). Selective reporting and presenting only the
evidence which supported a particular conclusion was avoided (Cohen et al., 2007).
56
4.6 Production of an audit certificate
The final draft of the dissertation was read by two colleagues, who then sampled
3. Were the collection and the analysis of data appropriate, sufficient and ethical?
4. Does the evidence of the report as examined in answer to the second and third of
these questions, substantiate the claim to knowledge made in answer to the first?
57
5 Chapter 5: Results
The results presented here were collected using observations of each of the two
classes, analysing the responses of students in the groups and lastly through analysing
the responses of the two lecturers to the interview. Triangulation was used.
5.1 Observation
The nature of the lesson was the same as the usual lessons (as I found from the
questionnaire). At the beginning of the class, the lecturer began to talk through the
headings he wished to cover during the lesson and the material he had prepared, then
informed the students that they were free to interrupt for any reason. In terms of
interaction and the discursive nature of the lesson, although the lecturer encouraged
interactions, contributions began after the first half hour of the lesson and the
interaction was 100%. Eleven of the students contributed by raising their hand to
request to speak using the microphone while only four students used the chat feature
to contribute. As noted from the questionnaire, the numbers from the online class can
be compared to the regular lesson. Seven out of the fifteen students do not usually
interact during face-to-face lessons and three students always struggle to ask their
questions and think twice before speaking. Only five students feel confident to
contribute without hesitation. There were 13 questions asked, five comments made
58
5.1.2 The second lesson
The nature of the lesson dictated a discussion form with a question and answer basis.
The usual lecturer’s attitude to the lesson (as I found from the questionnaire and the
lecturer’s interview) is to start to talk and all contributions and questions are to be
asked at the end of the lesson. In this group, ten of the students contributed during the
lesson while the rest did not contribute at all. All the contributions were via the chat
tool and none used the voice tool. This number was an improvement, as only five
students usually interact in the face-to-face lessons. There were thirty questions asked
and seven comments stated but no discussions were raised during the lesson.
few instances when students spoke. I did not observe any technical problems apart
from a single interruption to the lecturer’s voice in the first lesson because of an
I observed the chat which appeared in the common chat box. Generally, the lines were
assertive and concise; some in English and some in Arabic. The Arabic lines were
confusing, however; although written in Arabic, the words appeared in the wrong
order, as the software rendered them to be read from left to right (rather than right to
The responses from the two interviews conducted with the lecturers were coded,
merged with the codes obtained from the students’ questionnaire and incorporated in
59
the thematic analysis process. The resulting themes are presented below. I present
The lecturer who gave the surgery lesson to the undergraduate medical students noted:
"It was hard to organise a lesson initially because by that time the formal classes have
ended and students were doing clinical work and preparing for the final exams". The
postgraduate dermatology doctors were available and the lesson was organised with
ease compared to that given to the undergraduates. After the obstacle of arranging the
lesson with the undergraduate students was overcome and the two lessons conducted,
application in lessons. This positivity appeared to stem from the lecturers’ confidence
in using the application and in dealing with problems faced by the students at the
beginning of the sessions. The lecturers encouraged students to interact and to utilise
fully the technology which was being applied to their lesson. They also noted an
interest from the students in interacting during the lesson through various methods.
The lecturer who gave the surgery lesson to the undergraduate medical students said:
"I did not expect such participation and I didn't expect them to speak even". In that
sense, the lecturer noted that, "the nature of the lesson has changed" as the students
kept "raising points and questions" by typing comments and questions in the chat box,
although no discussions arose. In terms of the postgraduate students, there was greater
Neither of the lecturers faced problems with operating the application during the
lesson except for the single connection interruption as mentioned in the observation
section of the results. The lecturers think that the application could provide
60
opportunities for improving their lessons, although they only used the voice and video
features.
Neither of the lecturers used PowerPoint, illustrations, diagrams or slides, and neither
of them made use of the document-sharing pod. They were asked about this in the
interview and this warranted inclusion in a separate sub-theme under the activities
theme.
However, both lecturers added, "this was an experiment but in the future I will use
more features" and "I see Breeze as a wonderful application allowing multiple
5.3 Themes
The analysis of students’ responses collected through the questionnaire offer insights
into their perceptions of using Breeze during the two teaching sessions. The following
themes were identified in the students’ responses by grouping coded responses into
sub-themes. The themes were interaction, activities, feelings and difficulties and under
each one of them the sub-themes are listed with examples of the coded responses. The
diagrammatic version of the first three steps of the analysis of the interviewees’
responses.
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Figure 5.2 The process of identifying themes: 152 codes were identified, which were grouped into
Shyness as the main reason for The use of Breeze changed the
decreased voice interaction among lessons’ nature by providing
the undergraduates significant interaction
Activities
Meeting students’ needs for logistical Providing
convenience efficient features
Feelings
Providing new positive
Flexibility, taking the session
educational opportunities and
online while at home
atmosphere
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5.3.1 Interaction
The online lesson via Breeze affected the students’ attitude during the lesson. By the
students’ attitude, I mean their general enthusiasm and interaction during the lesson by
that the lessons’ nature had changed when delivered via Breeze to being more
"The lesson is usually boring, only the lecturer speaks for two hours
then allows us to ask questions or discuss what we need to discuss
after the lesson is finished, but this online lesson has got more energy,
fun and hence is more beneficial as all of us are free to talk or write on
the chat window without shyness, embarrassment or fear of speaking."
Six of the students said: "…the lesson was different and we enjoyed it, even the
lecturer was enthusiastic and could not stop the river of questions while he usually
One student commented: "I noticed that the questions have opened new discussions
during the lesson rather than just sticking to the information in the module".
Students commented that using Breeze as a medium of interaction changed the nature
of their interaction during the lesson from what they normally practised. It seems that
students consider questions as their main interaction. However, when I analysed the
comments during the lesson as part of the observation, I noticed there were not only
questions but also a number of comments made using the chat tool and a few
discussions emerged. Some students gave positive reasons and most of their
comments centred round the ideas that using Breeze increased their confidence and
63
made asking questions even easier than when in face-to-face classes with female
lecturers. They expressed that this experience “boosted their confidence” and
“increased their courage” and they felt that they were “sitting alone behind a computer
as if using Skype or Microsoft messenger (MSN)” and as being “separated from the
We all asked and commented more and the questions were more relevant.
It increased my courage.
However, some students had negative feelings, which some attribute to the nature of
their personalities or because of the practicalities of the Breeze application and the
Nothing was different for me, maybe because I’m usually a shy person.
I actually got distracted between the lecturer’s voice and keeping up with the
chat tool comments.
The online lesson made asking questions, adding comments and negotiating during the
class more accessible for the students and increased the level of interactivity from that
I like the idea of this application which makes the meeting between lots of
people from different places accessible…Breeze gave us more freedom in the
interaction especially with the male lecturer…
Using the videoconferencing tool opened the chance for spontaneous interaction with
the lecturer and other students especially by using the chat tool, so there is no need to
wait to the end of the lesson or for a convenient time to ask a question or make a
64
comment. For example, one student said: “Immediate interaction with the lecturer and
Twenty-eight out of 30 students stressed that they prefer to communicate with the
lecturer using the microphone, even if they do not have the courage to do so; they feel
included, “speedy reply", "It’s better for communication", "Using the microphone
The use of the microphone also saves time, as there are some things which have to be
explained verbally which would take a long time to explain or involve a degree of
with the lecturer and the other students than the chat and easier to use". Another
student stated: "It is simply faster to say what I meant by a question or the
Tone of voice and manner of talking was one of the reasons for the preference in using
a microphone, as some students stated that "It influences the interactivity and helps to
The reason for choosing the chat tool instead of the microphone was “nervousness
caused by shyness”. Students who used the chat tool felt that they could still
contribute information and ask questions even if they did not speak. This sub-theme is
more evident amongst the undergraduate students. For example, some of them said:
65
I can send my thoughts, join discussions, ask questions and draw the
attention of all my classmates… they commented on my contributions
a lot…I did interact a lot in the online class.
I found that the chat is all that I needed so I used it…I did not feel the
need to talk…this suits my personality more.
Another reason is that using the chat made contributions readable and available to
sound, it is easy for students to catch up with what has been happening in the lesson.
Not only this but writing also helps students to organise their thoughts before sending
Shyness as the main reason for decreased voice interaction among the
undergraduates
In Saudi Arabian culture, certain personality traits for females are promoted as a
virtue; one of them is shyness. In terms of dealing with men, this is manifested in
All the undergraduate students who contributed used the chat tool in the Breeze lesson
to communicate their questions, thoughts and feelings at the time. I can also confirm
this from my observation of the lesson. All those who interacted found themselves
completely comfortable to do so, as they did not speak but communicated in writing.
Their comments about their feelings when they asked questions or contributed in
66
discussions were all along the same track: "very comfortable and restful, I did not feel
For those who used the chat feature, their comfort came from their nervousness
disappearing, as they only had to write what they wanted to say without the need for
talking with the lecturer; at the same time, they could still communicate and
contribute. This was all concerned with having the chance to choose the means of
communication and not be obliged, as they are in the regular classes, to speak up or
lose the opportunity to interact. For example, one student said: "I wasn't nervous
I know that I have a personal problem with being very, very shy…
even in the clinical bedside teaching lessons I barely open my mouth
to speak even if I have been asked to…sometimes I feel like crying
and all the blood comes to my head…but using Breeze encourages me
to write and contribute without all those horrible feelings.
Those who used the microphone and spoke during the lesson found that the
technology was supportive for them and motivated them to speak. The indirect
interaction was a relief and the discussions were valuable in their opinion. These are
I was comfortable to meet the lecturer indirectly and at the same time
nothing changed or missed from the teaching environment…I can see,
hear the lecturer …his presence is the reason for me to be nervous in
every single class.
I was very active during the lesson – unlike my usual self - I asked
questions and have their answers directly in a very clear way…I
joined the discussions and felt comfortable and felt right.
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Concerns about interaction
Twenty of the students felt that they had interacted enough, while another six students
wished they had contributed more to give a better impression to the lecturer that they
had been interested in the lesson. The last four students commented that they would
have preferred if they had interacted less, because they felt that they focused on their
contributions both by microphone and chat more than on the lecturer and they would
I contributed too much...I was very excited to use a new technology that
allow me to be comfortable while speaking with the lecturer…which
made my mind all over the place between the chat, listening to the
lecturer and asking the questions I wanted to ask or comments I wish to
share…next time I will listen and focus on the lecture more.
Nineteen out of 30 students prefer to ask their questions and make their comments
during the lesson and not afterwards. The reasons given are varied. Some students
mentioned that asking their questions and sharing their contributions during the lesson
helps them to understand and follow the content. Some feel that the lesson can benefit
by those contributions because asking a question could direct the discussion towards
points that matter to them as students, and could remind the lecturer of what part of
the lesson needs expansion. Some students have more personal reasons, such as:
I usually ask questions after the class and sometimes I forgot them, but
in Breeze I asked immediately by writing my question in the chat area
or raising my hand to be allowed to talk…so I do not forget the
question I wanted to ask.
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In the above examples, the students describe how asking questions was not a problem
when using Breeze and it was equal to a face-to-face class and even allowed more
simultaneous action. The undergraduate students noted that they are not allowed to
interrupt the lecturer in face-to-face classes and all contributions and questions must
Eleven of the students prefer to ask their questions and make their comments at the
end of lessons for two main reasons: so as not to interrupt the lecturer, and the idea
that the points they want to share may be covered in the lesson later. One student said:
"Maybe the same point I'm interested in will be covered later in the lesson so I don't
The physical absence of the lecturer was not a problem for almost all of the students.
Only three undergraduate students had a negative impression from this non-
I feel that the technology opens the possibility for the attendees to lose
interest or not to pay attention to the lecturer because he is not
physically here which I personally count as a deception! While in the
face-to-face lesson we feel obliged to pay attention.
In the above examples, the students describe how having no teacher physically present
caused some discomfort, especially with not having eye contact which is a powerful
communicative factor. The other 27 students felt that seeing the video of the lecturer
on Breeze and hearing him talk provided an equal learning environment to the face-to-
face classes and they did not miss having eye contact with the lecturer.
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5.3.2 Activities using Breeze features
None of the participants had prior experience using Breeze before this experiment but
all of them use social chat and video applications and tools such as Skype and MSN
Although the lesson each group took involved their first encounter with the Breeze
application, most of them found its features easy to understand, its interface
comfortable and inviting and generally straightforward to use. They convey that its
and easy for anyone who uses a computer. Some added that the tutorial on “How to
use Breeze” prior to the lesson simplified their use of Breeze and prepared them
programmes, such as Paltalk, MSN or Skype. The students emphasised that nothing
Those who faced any difficulties with the application explained that these only
occurred in the beginning; the application then become effortless when they get used
to it and only one student states that the application was complicated. She added:
“…maybe because I did not read the information which had been sent by email…I
wasn't so fond of the idea from the beginning but I had to attend the lesson”.
All the postgraduate students found the tutorial on “How to use Breeze” provided
prior to the lesson beneficial and helped them to understand the application features
and how to operate the tools. For example, one of the students described the tutorial
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thus: "I found it useful …makes sense to me … It's quite detailed and it shows me
However, ten of the undergraduate students did not read the tutorial due to their being
occupied during the examination season, as they commented on the chat tool when the
lecturer asked if they had read the tutorial, but they were able to use the application
after some initial difficulties for some of them and without any complications for the
rest.
Participants mentioned that Breeze has all the features they needed and does not
restrict them from carrying out any action. There was 100% satisfaction expressed with
the sound and video features. The following comments appeared from students:
"excellent, very good, unique, the sound is clear and there is no delay in the voice, the
sound and video are great so I can see and hear the lecturer and the students’ questions".
They also described speaking using the microphone as being "trouble-free, easy to use,
and excellent".
Students were pleased with having the range of choices for communication, e.g. they
could speak privately as well as to everyone through the chat tool and raise their hands to
speak. Only one postgraduate student found the chat option distracting: "…I couldn't
focus during the lesson… I was trying to listen to the lecturer talk and read the chat at the
same time…my mind can't take all that at the same time…"
However, others thought it intuitive, beneficial and useful to be able to ask questions
during the lesson by typing them without interrupting the lecturer’s flow of ideas. Some
students stated that the private chat give them privacy they could not even dream of in the
regular lesson, as they can ask some questions privately by typing them for the lecturer or
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a peer to read. Almost all the participants commented that not writing in the Arabic
language was a problem. I will expand on this problem under the difficulties theme later.
Not using some of the tools in Breeze during the two lessons, such as the document-
sharing pod, and not displaying diagrams, illustrations, PDF files or PowerPoint
presentations, seemed unusual to the students in both classes. Some of the students
commented via the chat box at the beginning of the lessons that they could not see
PowerPoint or the slides, until the lecturers told them there were none.
They depended solely on the video and voice tools. However, when asked about this
during the interviews, both lecturers stated that if they were to use Breeze in the
future, they would make more use of the features Breeze provides. They felt they
would do this in order to enhance their delivery of lessons and to add extra value and
depth to the subjects they are teaching, not only by explaining the information but also
by showing what they mean to the students through using illustrations, diagrams or
other features. They added that this would also make the lessons more energetic and
enjoyable.
holding the lesson being studied for this research a few days before their final
examination. Some were happy not having to commute to class; others because it
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saved the extra time spent on commuting; some were simply happy for not having to
leave their home, family, children, etc. Those reasons are noted in these examples:
This was also felt among the postgraduate students, as it appeared in their comments
that all the postgraduate students are married with children and nine of the
undergraduate students are married, some with and some without children. All of them
raised the point that using the Breeze application to deliver lectures online met their
needs and helps them with their own and their families’ welfare. Breeze offers
students the ability to take lectures while they are at home without the need for
babysitters or a reduced quality in their housework due to the time and effort they
expend on attending lectures in person. In short, they can attend lectures without
complications.
5.3.3 Feelings
Enthusiasm
Twenty-one of the students showed enthusiasm towards using the new technology to
attend the lesson online, as shown by their comments during the lesson and in their
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answers to the questionnaire. They made a number of comments to show their interest,
for example:
By contrast, one of the postgraduate students rejected the idea of having an online
The remainder of the students felt confused about experimenting with the new
technology. This is due to their fear of technical failures during a session, such as
sound quality or internet connection interruption, which could result in their losing
Comfort
There was 100% positive feeling regarding the experience as a whole and all students
described the learning situation as "comfortable" and some added "great, hope the
university employs this technology in the future" or "…this is more restful than the
and would be happy to use the videoconferencing technology again. Only two
face session.
A positive influence
All participants remarked that the use of Breeze had influenced the delivery of the
lesson positively.
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Flexibility (taking the session online while at home)
This sub-theme appeared repeatedly in all the students’ comments and in both
lecturers’ interviews. They all stressed the flexibility that Breeze provides for taking
the lessons online and the opportunities which have been opened for both lecturers
All students made the point that the use of Breeze to deliver their lessons offers new
opportunities in their higher education and creates a different atmosphere. This could
also include opening places for students all over the world to be engaged in Saudi
education, which can offer different experiences and backgrounds. These are some
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The good thing about Breeze is you can use it from the comfort of your
home … time is precious so you don't have to travel to the campus…
besides I love the fact that I could see the others in ‘my classes’.
5.3.4 Difficulties
This theme emerged repeatedly, although most participants felt that technical aspects
of the application were not a problem. They managed to use the application without
difficulty as the video, sound, features and internet connection all functioned without
any problems. Only four of the students faced technical difficulties, such as internet
connection interruption, sound delay or interruption. Those students all added that
they simply had to restart the computer or reconnect to the internet and the problem
was solved.
Thirteen out of fifteen undergraduate students prefer to ask for help from a friend, as
they feel this is more comfortable and they feel it is difficult to ask the lecturer
because this may interrupt him during the lesson. However, ten out of 15 would go to
the settings section in Breeze first then, if the problem were not solved, they would
ask the lecturer because they think that "the lecturer is experienced in using the
technology, so no need to waste time by asking friends". I observed that just four
students asked the lecturers technical questions. However, this sub-theme is based on
answers the students gave to questions about troubleshooting; the answers they gave
concern hypothetical situations. I can confirm this from my observations during the
classes, as students did not face any technical difficulties except for four students who
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The need for an Arabic version
Although both groups were studying at the School of Medicine and they are expected
to be fluent in the English language because the curriculum in their school is delivered
in English, ten out of the 15 undergraduate students had a problem with the Breeze
application’s chat feature because it does not have an Arabic version, compared to one
out of the 15 postgraduate students who commented on this. Breeze does allow
students to write in Arabic; however, this renders it useless. Arabic is written from
right to left and Breeze treats the Arabic text as an English sentence from left to right.
As a result, the finished Arabic sentence on Breeze appears with a completely wrong
word order. The Arabic language is to be read from right to left but in the Breeze chat
function the text can only be read from left to right, so students felt obliged to read the
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6 Chapter 6: Discussion
6.1 Demographic data
This research was conducted in Jeddah, a city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and
included two groups of students: the first is an undergraduate group from King Abdul-
Aziz University (KAAU); the other group comprised postgraduate students from the
through Breeze with a different lecturer, which has revealed interesting facts in
When comparing the two groups, some noticeable differences could be observed
although both are formed entirely of female students. Firstly, the age distribution of
the attendees: the undergraduate students are between 21 and 24 years old and the
postgraduate students are between the ages of 25 and 35. All the postgraduate doctors
own computers and have access to the internet at home, while nine of the
undergraduate group have access to a computer and the internet at home. Those who
do not own a computer state that they have access to one at the university, hospital or
other places. This means that all the students have easy access to a computer and the
internet, which makes attending the lessons online feasible. However, for those
undergraduates who do not own a computer, one wonders if this reflects the financial
situation of the student or, more simply, that a particular student has no need of a
personal computer. From the above, it is shown that the sample selected in this study
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Embarking on analysis without consulting the literature frequently throughout the
process can result in the immersion of the researcher in the situation under observation
without paying attention to major external factors which affect the situation at hand
(Woods, 2006). The initial titles I chose for the themes which were inferred from the
responses were those which most logically related to the data collected (Strauss &
Corbin, 1990). There is the accusation that qualitative studies are subjective, biased
and lack precision in that a researcher might use "a number of rhetorical devices, such
quotations, selective use of examples, to subtly persuade the reader to the author's line
of argument" (Atkinson, 1990). Although some studies might have done so, this is not
essentially true of thematic analysis and, as detailed in the procedure section, there are
procedures available to establish validity and rigour. These are demonstrated for this
6.2 Interaction
The definition of distance education by Garrison (1989) and Garrison and Shale
experience, and the concept of interaction is fundamental for the success of distance
the two lessons studied in this dissertation, the lecturers were lecturing most of the
time; nevertheless, some discussions were taking place between lecturers and the
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the lecturer and student. Moore states that "the instructor is especially valuable in
dialogue about the course. From my observation of the two classes, this did not take
place between undergraduate students in the main chat function but some learner-
learner interaction took place during the postgraduate students’ lesson. Of course,
students might have had some private chats during the lesson that I could not possibly
have been aware of but it was clear that the exchange of information between students
was not intended by the lecturers. The lecturers did not allow time for such private
dialogue, nor did they guide students to hold any kind of interaction in the form of an
information exchange, shared ideas and engaging in dialogue about the two lessons. In
my opinion, this kind of interaction will pose a challenge in the future if moving
Students’ perception of their interaction was increased during both lessons when
comparison but the students think that the level of interaction was increased
significantly. From my observation, the interaction took various forms during the
opinions, asking for clarification and opening or joining discussions. Not all those
contributions were directed to the lecturer, as some of these were passed from one
there were some debates in the postgraduate group about medical cases when some
students held different opinions on testing and treating patients and there were some
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believe that this was because of a combination of the timing of the lesson (a few days
before the examination) and the nature of the lesson (which had a question and answer
basis) which suited this timing. This encouraged students to ask questions as a last
chance to contact the lecturer before the examination and pass quick comments on
what they recommend to each other to read or final revision plans before the exam. If
there were any discussions, this might have caused confusion for some students or
even led them to panic. The postgraduates asked a number of question as well but
fewer than half those asked by the undergraduates. In general, the technology helped
to raise the level of both the quantity and quality of students' interaction.
In this study the online lesson via Breeze affected the students’ attitude towards
interacting positively, which they consider to have occurred to a greater extent than
they would usually be engaged in during lessons. They were asking questions, adding
comments or engaging in discussions during the classes. All participants state that the
nature of the lesson changed when delivered via Breeze to being more energetic and
enjoyable. Students were in favour of contributing during the lesson instead of only
listening to the lecturer talk at length and they were enthusiastic about experimenting
with VC technology. The question is how much of this was due to the fact that this
was the first time the students had worked with Breeze technology? One might ask
whether the students felt that the lesson was exciting and enjoyable because of the use
however, could look at this enthusiasm from a different point of view. In this study,
the technology has offered a new approach which helped changing the way the lesson
was taught and brought new factors to the lesson. In traditional classes students are
not able to interact with the lecturer in the middle of the class or interrupt him, while
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in Breeze they are free to interact at any time which benefits students in their learning
and ask about aspects they wish to know immediately, so that they will not forget their
questions or contribution or lose the courage to share them. In addition to this, making
contributions during a lesson brings the lesson to life and helps students to concentrate
and remain interested; such offerings could open new discussions or deepen the
Students' comments support both sides of these views as some participants explained
their enthusiasm due to the use of the new technology and what it offers technically,
such as the ability to meet and see people online from anywhere in the world. Other
students focused more on how the technology changed the way their lesson was
taught, noting the freedom the technology offers them in terms of the interaction and
its nature. For students who were confused about using technology unknown to them,
the only reason for this feeling was fear and was mostly anxiety about technical failure
rather than because they were rejecting the technology. Only one student rejected the
use of the Breeze application because she believes that it does not add anything to
what CCTV can do. In her opinion, neither technology compares favourably with
face-to-face classes.
It is important for the sake of completion to visualise the traditional CCTV class these
female students are using as a means of comparing this new experience for them. A
seats with two medium-sized monitors hanging from the ceiling to allow better
observation from the whole class. Female students take their seats before the class
starts and a supervising university employee takes attendance and closes the
auditorium doors before she notifies the male lecturer that they are ready for the
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lecture to begin. The male lecturer has no means of seeing what is happening in the
female class except for what the university employee will tell him. There is no camera
in the female auditorium. The single method of communication between the lecturer
and the rest of his class is through a telephone placed on a desk across the auditorium.
A student who wishes to speak to the lecturer, or request clarification as the distance
between a student’s seat and the screen makes it difficult to observe details, has to
leave her seat, walk through the auditorium until she reaches the telephone and then
ring the extension of the telephone in the lecturer’s auditorium. Although this is
technically two-way synchronous communication, these calls can only be made at the
end of the lecture and there is only a remote possibility that a lecturer will engage his
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TV TV
B
D
D
Figure 6.3 The diagram above shows the arrangement of a typical CCTV class in a Saudi
university.
(A) the class entrance (B) the university female employee supervising the female students
during the class (C) a telephone that female students use to call the lecturer at the end of the
lecture when they have a question to ask (D) marks the female students’ seats in rows. Note the
distance between a student’s seat and the TV. Also note the distance and effort a student must
go through to establish communication with the lecturer.
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Encouraging students to ask questions
The students agree that Breeze has changed the nature of their interactions from only
asking questions at the end of the lesson to - in the undergraduates’ case - opening
discussions and adding comments. It was noted from the questionnaire that taking the
lesson online via Breeze has encouraged students to interact, ask questions and
participate in discussions of better quantity and quality than traditional classes and
they become liberated in terms of interaction. They expressed how this experience
“boosted their confidence” and “increased their courage” and they feel as if they are
and at the same time feeling “separated from the lecturer”. It is important to think
about the students’ responses and what encouraged these comments. Was it the
technology, the pedagogy, the lesson on the day or a combination of all these factors?
participate at any point during the class; a gesture not normally practised in a
2. The nature of the lesson and lecturers’ attitude in the Breeze lesson. The lesson
took a discussion and question and answer basis for the undergraduates, as it
represented a revision session before the exam. This was unusual for the
and share.
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3. After the obstacle of arranging the lesson with the undergraduate students had
been overcome and the two lessons conducted, both lecturers showed a positive
4. The tool provides a comfortable environment for the students, giving them
multiple features from which to choose whichever suited them best. This resulted
in a variety in the quality of questions asked; some were profound, others concise
and focused and generally all were relevant to the lesson’s subject.
5. The chat tool in particular helped students to organise their thoughts and
6. Using the Breeze technology has helped build students’ courage by preserving
their privacy while offering them closer interaction with a male lecturer.
environment, made the interaction during the online lesson more spontaneous
and accessible. It also gives students the chance to interact and debate with each
other, which was impossible before as students are not allowed to speak to each
Some students felt that although the technology itself provides efficient features, it did
not help them to change their attitude during the lesson because of personality traits
such as shyness and the fear of interacting and speaking their minds. They think that
this was difficult to change in one lesson simply by having these tools ready for them.
Some others felt that Breeze offers multiple features which distract students’ focus
from the lecturers' talk while trying to utilise the chat tool and follow the lecturer.
When the students were asked about their satisfaction with the level and extent of their
individual interaction, they were also asked whether their contributions were enough
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or they wished to interact more or less. The majority of the students felt that their
contributions were enough. Six students would have preferred to have contributed
more during the lesson, their reason for this being that they wanted to impress the
lecturer and leave a good impression of their knowledge and understanding of the
subject, not because they had been unable to ask a question or share something. This
means that they felt that the application could help them to leave a good impression on
the lecturer as well as having the right to learn and share and contribute to the lesson
topic. Four students would have preferred it if they had interacted less during the
lesson and concentrated more on the lecturer’s speech. The reason for this feeling is
that those students were too excited about using the new technology and the features
and activities that Breeze allows them, which are not allowed in traditional lessons,
and they were trying to take the opportunity to make full use of this experiment. I
believe that this proves the point discussed earlier concerning the enthusiasm students
Students’ opinions differ about the best time to contribute during the class and there
were various reasons for this. Nineteen of the students were in favour of interacting
mind so they will not lose either the question or their interest in knowing the answer.
It also helps students to have the answers when the questions are asked, so that they
can follow the lesson. In addition, questions and discussions could direct the lesson
along another track that may be more interesting and important to the students and
what they need to learn or remind the lecturer of points that he might forget to cover
or expand. Breeze as a technology with multiple features provides tools to meet those
students’ needs and give them the opportunity to choose a right and convenient time to
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interactions or to wait until the end of the lesson. Undergraduates are obliged to make
their contributions at the end of the usual type of lesson because their lecturer will not
allow them to interrupt him. Eleven students prefer to wait until the end of the lesson
before they make their contributions, either because they do not want to interrupt the
lecturer or because the points on which they wish to comment might be covered later
in the lesson.
The majority of the students stated in the questionnaire that they prefer the use of the
microphone over the chat tools to communicate with the lecturer with Breeze.
However, this was contradictory to what the students actually did during the lesson.
lesson, while their answers state they prefer it. The reasons students used to explain
their preference for using the microphone were immediacy, better communication,
including voice tone which makes a lesson which uses technology equivalent to a
face-to-face class, saving time through better explanation of a point, and offering the
chance for verbal explanations when things had been misunderstood. So, although
undergraduates did not interact verbally at all, they still had a generally positive
microphone. This finding is interesting and could be seen in the light of what Fulford
and Zhang (1993) found, in that the critical predictor of student satisfaction was
largely dependent on the perception of overall or vicarious interaction and not the
However, it would be worthwhile exploring why the students in this study did not use
the microphone, even though they expressed their excitement about the better
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communication opportunity as compared to the traditional medium to which they are
accustomed.
Personality factors were the most common reasons given for the avoidance of verbal
contributions by the female students. The undergraduate students used the expression
When the students were given a multiple choice of means of communication, they
chose the one which caused the least amount of nervousness for them, e.g. the chat
tool. One might say that web-based VC technology such as Breeze is a flexible
medium, providing multiple options for communication to such students and the
chance for them to choose whichever tools suit them best. Hence, by supporting
different personal preferences, students do not feel obliged to interact using only one
method. Using the chat tool the Breeze application provides, students could
communicate their contributions without the need to speak, which was comfortable for
them and reduced the feelings of nervousness. This advantage of Breeze is not present
in a traditional CCTV class where the only way to interact with the lecturer is to call
him at the end of the lesson using an internal extension; most students do not feel
comfortable doing so. Nevertheless, were there any factors which went beyond the
Firstly, there was the fear of technical failure resulting in losing the voice of the
lecturer. The anxiety of using the new technology has shown in some of the students'
comments regarding the reason for using the chat tool. They also talked about making
contributions readable using chat and available in case of any interruption in the
problem during this experiment as the video, sound, internet connection and speed
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were all working efficiently. Only four students and one of the lecturers experienced
an internet connection interruption once or a delay in the sound and these were easily
important to examine the socio-cultural context, especially where the social climates
In Saudi Arabian society, a female student would not normally find herself engaging
of female Saudi students in higher education without introducing the social and
political forces that have shaped women’s status, not only in education but in society
in general. The uniqueness of Saudi Arabia stems from the fact that the country never
underwent colonialism and has hence stayed culturally closed. It is rather the social
traditions and boundaries rather than religious ones that restrict women’s movements
in Saudi society; even the religious views are influenced by certain influential
ensures that women do not defy the authority of male relatives by making friends with
Family values also contribute to women’s image in society, as the tribal character has
and reputation are dependent on a daughter’s behaviour, and she is required to act
with modesty, chastity and deference to men (Abo-Lughod, 1986). While there is no
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example of our study, a female student cannot separate herself from a lifetime of
The notion that technology is culturally neutral is widespread, which could result in a
technology being transferred without paying attention to the social setting or to the
local recipient culture (McIsaac, 1993). The impact of such technologies should be
monitored within the local social environment to which it is applied. In this study,
many of the students’ responses when asked why they did not communicate verbally
with the lecturer explicitly offered shyness as the reason. Hence “shyness” was a
recurring word that was identified as a code in many instances. Care was given in
choosing the translation of transcripts to find the most appropriate words. The word
“shyness” might be somewhat confusing, because being shy is defined in the Oxford
English Dictionary as being nervous or timid in the company of other people; another
what has been mentioned above, that is, Saudi women not speaking with strange men,
speaking with a very low voice tone, not looking directly at a man’s eyes, as well as
behaving with modesty, chastity and deference to men. These traits, as encouraged by
noticed in this study. This shyness causes nervousness for female students when they
interact with a male lecturer, even via VC technology. Here, such shyness is the main
with their lecturer and, for some, even communicating using the chat tool. This reason
only applies to undergraduates who use chat to avoid embarrassment and were pleased
to communicate via their chosen method; they were aware that writing their
contributions instead was the perfect solution to this problem. When these students are
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involved in clinical bedside teaching, their responses to my questions show that their
shyness can result in decreased interaction with the clinicians in that setting. Both
post- and undergraduate students are obliged to communicate face to face with male
lecturers, doctors and students. They could be asked by name by lecturers and doctors
to answer certain questions, which places students under pressure to think fast and
the analysis. Is this shyness related to fear of talking at all? Is it simply fear of talking
to a male? Is it, perhaps, fear of giving a wrong statement or asking a silly question
and becoming embarrassed in front of the lecturer? In other words, is the reason for
this shyness caused by the gender difference between female students and their
possible to assess this if a study includes male students at the same level as a
However, postgraduates who used the microphone in the lesson found that the
technology supported their interaction and motivated them to speak without negative
indirectly with the lecturer has added value to their discussions by involving both
open discussions with the lecturer and classmates as well as more immediate
responses such as with face-to-face communication; at the same time, they feel relief
that the lecturer is not present in the room. They felt that the technology gave them the
feeling of a real teaching environment and encouraged them to interact, even those
who do not usually do so. When I observed the postgraduate session I sensed a
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hesitation in a few instances when the students spoke. These few instances of
students to hesitate when they speak to their lecturer or they might be trying to
formulate their ideas and questions in the best possible way. What is important here is
that students did interact despite the various social, cultural or personal factors they
Comparing the two student groups, ten out of the 15 undergraduate students were not
satisfied with the Breeze chat tool as the application’s interface was in English and
Arabic text was absent from the version of Breeze used, while only one postgraduate
student had the same concern. Both groups are fluent in the English language as all
medical courses are taught in English in the university and examinations and
assessments are also conducted in English. This reservation on the part of some
students could be attributed to the fact that most software in the Middle East has an
Arabic interface. Moreover, the postgraduate students did not complain about the
absence of an Arabic interface because they have been exposed to more of the English
language during their longer career. Postgraduate students also practise the spoken
language more in a hospital setting, while undergraduates use their English for
studying without practising it. For these reasons, undergraduate students frequently
used the Arabic language for short sentences using the chat tool. When these students
did not use the English language it was because of their fear of forming ambiguous
Even if students are fluent in English, human nature always finds it easier to
communicate using the mother tongue. Gunawardena and McIsaac (2004) show that
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social equality may not extend, for example, to participants who are not good writers
but who must communicate primarily in a text-based format. During online learning
and web-based videoconferencing, language can form a barrier in that students using
English as a second language to communicate find the faster pace of verbal interaction
courses (Mason & Gunawardena, 2001). Students for whom English is not the first
Although students claimed that Breeze met their needs as Saudi women to a greater
extent than the traditional classes they were used to, women in Saudi Arabia have
• Transportation is a problem for women in Saudi Arabia as they are not allowed to
drive. Conducting a lesson online can save them the trouble of having a private
• The technology can provide educational opportunities for women who wish to
complete their higher education, especially in cities with no universities, but they
are not able to because of cultural factors. One cultural factor is that families will
not send their female members to study in a different city without a chaperone.
Another factor is that male family members, such as fathers, brothers or especially
husbands, prevent females from studying if the teaching involves a male lecturer.
Breeze can solve this cultural problem, as students can have their lessons online
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without the need to travel or be present with a lecturer in the same room, even
Female medical students face difficulties in attending bedside teaching classes which
involve face-to-face teaching in a hospital setting. They are obliged to attend such
classes to complete their degree and these situations are more difficult for many
undergraduates who have not previously interacted with male doctors. During the
Breeze lesson, almost none of the students found the physical absence of the lecture a
problem. However, three of the undergraduates gained a negative impression from this
non-appearance for certain reasons, which included the loss of attention during some
points of the lesson, the lack of eye contact with the lecturer, which is a powerful
communicative factor, and not receiving the lesson directly from the lecturer.
However, the rest of the students felt that the video image and sound of the lecturer
via Breeze helped them to feel the lecturer’s presence and the loss of eye contact was
student groups and both lecturers) in this study, only the basic features of Breeze were
used. The only features employed were the chat tool, raising the hand to speak, the
voice tool and video. Other features, such as the document-sharing pod, the display of
diagrams, illustrations, PDF files or PowerPoint presentations, were not used. The
results so far presented in this study are generated, therefore, from dealing only with
the features actually employed in the lesson. Not only the students but the lecturers
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also stated that when they use Breeze in the future they will make full use of the
application’s features, as they think this can enhance the delivery of lessons and add
extra value and depth. As far as all the participants were concerned, medical education
depends to a great extent on illustrations, video and other visual material. Not only
this but illustrations and other features also make the delivery of a lesson more
enjoyable and exciting. As appeared from the chat, students found it unusual not to
have PowerPoint or other displays but I do not believe this was a major problem for
the undergraduates due to the nature of the lesson as revision, while this may have
The students were satisfied with the features that Breeze provides for them and the
application did not restrict them from any activity they wanted to do. The features
used by the students were efficient and they described the tool in positive terms. They
were also pleased with the voice and video quality. Having the choice of
communication tools, such as private and communal chat and raising a hand to speak
-as mentioned in the details in the interaction section of this discussion - were used
extensively by the students. Some students felt that the private chat facility gave them
traditional classes during which it was impossible to use the phone in the lecture
theatre.
The participants found that understanding how to use the features and the interface
was easy, even though the study presented in this dissertation represents the first
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encounter for the students with the Breeze application. They found its features
accessible and its interface comfortable and inviting. Generally, from their point of
view, the students described the technology as straightforward to use and self-
explanatory, with clear features. This evidence shows that the application use is
simple and no different from other communication programs they use, such as Paltalk,
MSN or Skype. Reading the tutorial on “How to use Breeze” prior to the lesson was
considered beneficial by those who read it. Despite the fact that not all the students,
particularly those in the undergraduate group, read the tutorial before the lesson, none
of them had problems about not knowing how to use the application. Those
undergraduates who did not find the time to read the tutorial did not face problems
managing the tools and they understood them after a few moments of familiarising
themselves with them. This feedback demonstrates that the application is self-
explanatory and easy to use. However, one might argue against this in that the lecturer
confined the use of the software to the basic features of voice and video and typing
into the chat box; those who had not read the tutorial found Breeze relatively easy and
straightforward because other features were not used, such as file sharing,
presentations, or illustrations. If the lecturer had used more complicated tools or if the
students had been expected to participate more in the lesson by submitting material or
illustrating some aspect of it, they might have struggled if they had not read the
mediate the communication process. Proposing a new angle of analysis that includes
an understanding of the use of the interface in all transactions and how the learner
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Hillman et al. note that learners who lack the basic skills in using the application
technology in order to be able to communicate with others or learn from the lesson.
Hillman et al. (1994) distinguish between the perception of the interface as part of the
interaction model and the use of an interface as a mediating element in all interactions.
Students mentioned whether the multiple choice of tools and their uses was a
distraction or not during the lesson. Only six of the fifteen undergraduate students
found themselves distracted by the use of the technology through having the lesson
online. The first reason was the difficulty in focusing on the lecturer’s speech at the
same time as having text appearing in the chat box. The second reason was focusing
only on the lesson and not surfing on the internet or checking email. Thirdly, there
were a number of distractions from home, such as the needs of children, the TV, or
other factors. By contrast, Breeze increased the ability of six postgraduate students to
focus on the lecturer’s speech as sitting alone and concentrating on the lecture was
settings. For some students, Breeze did not influence their ability to focus during the
lesson either positively or negatively but it did help to deepen their understanding of
the lesson.
Due to the fact that the Breeze lesson the students attended was only one class for the
purpose of this study, students faced problems when completing the questions
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concerning troubleshooting during the lesson. Only four students faced problems with
the internet connection or a sound delay and there were no real issues that required
hypothetical. The majority of the undergraduates felt more comfortable asking for
help from friends than from the lecturer, whereas the majority of the postgraduates felt
that it was better to access the settings section on Breeze then, if the problem had not
been solved, they would contact the lecturer. This difference can be analysed by
looking at the students’ reasons for feeling this way. Undergraduates do not want to
access the settings tool as there might be a way to solve the problem from within the
application itself; however, if this approach does not work the lecturer is more
experienced than their friends and asking the lecturer for help will save all the
students’ time during the lesson. Young people usually find it easier to share
experiences with friends, especially in learning about new technology, but more
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7 Chapter 7: Conclusions and Future Implications
By using Breeze to mediate two lessons, this research study aimed to explore the
while using this technology. The perceptions of two lecturers in the disciplines of
surgery and dermatology were also explored. I have narrowed the scope of this study
to include medical female students in two distinct age ranges within the undergraduate
and postgraduate groups, which adds a dimension to the analysis of comparing the
findings from these two groups. Female students in Saudi Arabia have a unique
situation in the twenty-first century that merits in-depth investigation into how socio-
cultural factors influence their educational transaction. This was also an opportunity to
medical education for females in Saudi Arabia, such as theories and models relating to
revisit the literature many times during the analysis to inform her reading and her
search for codes and patterns. In this study a number of instruments were used to
gather responses from candidates and a qualitative approach of thematic analysis was
1. A change in the nature of the delivery of the lesson from the traditional
interacting with the lecturer as well as fellow female students. This altered nature
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2. The interaction frequency increased as indicated by students and lecturers through
3. The timing of the interaction has also shifted from being limited to the end of the
lesson when using CCTV to being spread throughout the lesson, which is
those who did not usually interact in previous lessons and students who struggle to
5. All students believe that Breeze was an interesting tool for delivering lessons and
6. They also felt comfortable with repeating the experience and 28 out of the 30
participants were happy to attend more lessons delivered via Breeze and hoped
that the university and hospital would employ the system in their educational
7. There are several factors that influence the use of VC in higher education but it is
not the aim of this study to evaluate all these factors. The aim of this research is to
establish the key factors from the students’ perceptions that influence the use of
a. One major factor is the perception of interaction even for those students who
did not interact immensely; the belief that there was increased overall
When these students were given a chance to interact throughout the lesson,
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b. Having a varied choice of methods to communicate (chat, voice and video)
with fellow students and the lecturer was perceived positively as opposed to
c. Although all of the students were proficient in English, they would have
preferred the tool to have an Arabic interface and, more importantly, to have
and being self-explanatory. This was clear when many of the undergraduate
students were able to use the tool properly without even reading the
interaction. Chat was used more often than the voice tool and the reason given
was shyness when speaking. Further in-depth research in this area is needed to
shed more light on the effect of the students’ background on the lessons and
their use of the technology. More detailed studies with instruments focusing
Despite the limitation of the socio-cultural background of the students, which was
reflected in their shyness during the lessons, their overall perception of the experience
was positive. In light of the above key findings, this study is in favour of applying
Breeze in this Saudi context of female higher education; however, the small number of
the sample limits the degree of generalisation to be drawn from the findings.
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It is difficult to infer broad conclusions from this study because of the simple fact that
such a short length of time was available to execute the research and carry out an
analysis. However, I hope that it sheds light on the major issues that concern the use
of Breeze in education and especially in the Saudi Arabian population. I hope that this
study will also pave the way to perhaps visualising more complex studies designed to
videoconferencing and the capabilities it can offer to learners and educators if their
Prior to conducting this study, I anticipated that carrying it out on a larger scale would
be beyond the scope of this dissertation and would be an extremely lengthy process,
particularly when negotiating access, assembling the samples and the later interviews
and transcription process. Although the study has yielded some useful data and
insight, the results still cannot be generalised to the whole Saudi population or be
expected to reflect future groups, as single qualitative studies cannot provide grounds
for generalising across cases (Woods, 2006). Moreover, future research needs to
employ a larger sample in order to be able to draw any generalisations about students’
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References
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8 Appendix A: The Questionnaire for the English
students
Dear Student, Following the lesson you participated in using the Breeze
videoconferencing tool I would like you to answer the following questions in
as much detail as possible. In this research at the Education Department at
the University of Manchester, UK, I am looking at how introducing Breeze
and its communication opportunities influences students’ and teachers’
perceptions of the lesson. How does it change the way that a lesson is
taught? Does it change students’ activities? It is extremely important for the
success of my study that you take your time and elaborate on the matter. I
appreciate your contribution highly and wish you all the best in your end of
the year exams.
Yours truly,
Eman Mehana
At university
In clinical placement at
hospital
At home
Other
At university
In clinical
placement
At home
Others
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4. What did you feel about taking the lecture online? Confused/enthusiastic/ reject
the idea.
6. Did the tutorial "How to use Breeze" prior to the lecture simplify using Breeze?
Yes/No
7. Did the Breeze tutorial help you to understand its features and its way of working
and how to use it? Yes/No
11. Did you need anything that the Breeze features did not allow you? Yes/No
13. How did you find the lecture when delivered through Breeze?
14. Would you consider Breeze to be user friendly in regard to its features? Yes/No
15. Have you faced any complications from a technical point of view? Yes/No
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16. Where did you get help from?
o The lecturer.
o A peer.
o Pressed "help" on Breeze.
o Pressed "setting" on Breeze.
17. Did you participate in any discussion during the lesson? Yes/No
If you answered yes, how comfortable were you in discussing something with the
lecturer or raising a question?
18. Were you able to express your opinion at any point during the lesson? Yes/No
Please explain.
19. What method did you prefer to use to communicate with the lecturer?
20. Would you have preferred to interact more with the lecturer or less? More/Less.
21. If you would like to interact with the lecturer would you prefer to do this towards
the end of the lesson or during the lecture? During the lecture / Towards the End
of the lecture. / I don’t interact with the lecturer
Why?
22. Do you normally ask questions during or after the lesson finishes? During/end/I
don’t ask questions
Why?
23. Does using Breeze change your interaction in the lesson? Yes/No
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24. In what way does using Breeze affect your interaction and asking questions?
26. Was the connection ever interrupted during the lecture? Yes/No
28. Would you describe the technology as distracting during the lesson? Yes/No
Please explain.
29. Which method of delivering lectures would you prefer for future classes?
• Breeze
• Face to face
• I don’t have a preference between the two
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9 Appendix B: The Questionnaire for the Arabic
students
استبيان عن المحاضرة باستخدام برنامج بريز
* Required
* كم عمرك؟
• نعم
• ل
• نعم
• ل
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* ما هو شعورك تجاه أخذ المحاضرة عن طريق النترنت؟
• مضطرب
• متحمس
• رافض للفكرة
• نعم
• ل
* هل وجدت المعلومات المرسلة على اليميل )كيف تستخدم بريز( قبل المحاضرة نافعة وسهلت استخدام بريز؟
• نعم
• ل
* المعلومات المرسلة على اليميل )كيف تستخدم بريز( ساعدتك على فهم خصائص البرنامج وكيفية تشغيله؟ هل
• نعم
• ل
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• نعم
• ل
• نعم
• ل
كيف وجدت المحاضرة عندما ألقيت عن طريق بريز؟ رأيك العام في المحاضرة وكيف التكنولوجيا أثرت سواء
سلبيا أم إيجابيا؟ * المحاضرة
• نعم
• ل
• نعم
• ل
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• ضغطت كلمة استعدادات في بريز
• نعم
• ل
إذا كانت الجابة بنعم ,ما مدى ارتياحك أو توترك عندما ناقشت أو سألت السؤال؟ * اشرح أسبابك
* هل استطعت إيصال أفكارك خلل المحاضرة من خلل هذا النقاش إذا أردت ؟
• نعم
• ل
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• أقل
• أكثر
• تفاعلت كفاية
• .خلل
• بعد
• ل أسأل عادة
• نعم
• ل
كيف أثر استخدام بريز على طبيعة مشاركتك بالمعلومات أو سؤال السئلة خلل المحاضرة؟
• نعم
• ل
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للتجربة ككل؟ ما مدى ارتياحك
• نعم
• ل
• نعم
• ل
• .ل فرق لدي بين هذه الطريقة أو غيرها
formkey=ckE5dmdiX0xoU3oxNy1sRDVGUW14RlE6MA.
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Appendix C: Participant Information Sheet
أخواتي الفاضلت
تحية طيبة من أرض مانشستر...السلم عليكم ورحمة ال وبركاته
أقدر لكن تعاونكن في هذا الدراسة .فأحب الناس إلى ال هم أنفعهم لعياله .سائلة المولى عز وجل أن يوفقكن لكل
.خير وييسر لكن أمور دراستكن ويفتح عليكن من بركاته في المتحانات
هذه الدراسة تعنى باستقصاء انطباعات الدارسين والمحاضرين من خلل استخدام برنامج بريز للتحاور عن
طريق النترنت للتدريس .هذا البرنامج وغيره يستخدم الن في أرقى جامعات العالم لتقديم الدروس وحلقات
النقاش بين الطلب وأساتذتهم .وسؤال البحث تحديدا هو هل أثر استخدام هذه التكنولوجيا على طريقة إعطاء
الدرس؟ وكيف يختلف هذا عن الطريقة المتبعة عادة )وجها لوجه(؟ وهل أثر هذا على التفاعل والمشاركة مع
المحاضر أثناء الدرس من خلل إبداء ملحظات أو طرح أسئلة حول الموضوع؟
باختصار أود معرفة رأيكن في استخدام هذه التكنولوجيا كوسيلة لتقديم الدروس وما الذي أضافته هذه التكنولوجيا
للتفاعل مع المحاضر؟
هذه الدراسة هي جزء من بحث الماجستير الذي أقوم به في جامعة مانشستر في بريطانيسسسا و الجزء الهم من
البحث كما ل يخفى عليكن هو جمع البيانات وآراء المعنيين بالدراسة وهم أنتن أيتها الفاضلت .لذلك أرجو أن
تتكرمن بإجابة أسئلة الستبيان بكل استفاضة وإسهاب بأسرع وقت بعد حضور المحاضرة .فمن المهم لنجاح هذه
الدراسة -وكلنا يسعى للنجاح والتفوق -توفر معلومات مستفيضة من المشاركين يمكن تحليلها ل حقا من قبل
ل تكون إجاباتكن مقتضبة ومختصرة وإنما احتسبوا الجر من ال في إعانة أختكن على بحثها
الباحث .لذا أحثكن أ ّ
.بالجابة قدر المستطاع
قبل البدء في الدرس قد يكون من المناسب جدا أن تأخذي وقتا كافيا للتعرف على البرنامج وأجزائه .وفي الرابط
.التالي تجدي معلومات وافية إن شاء ال عن البدء في استخدام البرنامج
أختكم إيمان طارق مهنا
...............................السم
..............................التوقيع
..............................التاريخ
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10 Appendix D: Participant Consent Form
I understand that Eman Tariq Mehana has explained to me the nature of the research
she is conducting to complete her MA degree, and what I would be asked to do as a
participant, and has given me my own copy of the information sheet, which I have
read.
I confirm that I have fully explained the nature of the assignment and the risks
involved.
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11 Appendix D: How to use the Breeze tutorial
Pre-session information
This page briefly addresses what you need in advance of the online teaching. It is not the aim
of this page to give a detailed guide to the software, by the way – all you need is to enter
Breeze (via the link that has been sent to you) one hour/half an hour before the lesson starts to
familiarize yourself with the software. The lecturer and I will be there to help you and answer
any questions that arise.
It is impossible to get anything out of a synchronous online session without, at least, having
some way of hearing it. So you need:
It is best if you have a broadband internet connection; dial-up can still be used, you will just
have a lower-quality interface. Note that there have been some problems reported in the past
with wireless internet connections: if you have the choice, use a fixed-line connection.
Finally, although in theory Breeze works with any web browser, it is most reliable in Internet
Explorer.
I will give advice in the session to anyone struggling with technical problems but before you
go into the session please at least check the following basic things. So, before you start, check:
All you need to use of the Breeze features are the chat and raising a hand to be allowed to
speak. So, do not worry too much. Good luck to all of us.
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Appendix E: The Saudi National Strategy for E-
learning and Distance Learning
During the first Saudi International Conference for E-learning and Distance Learning,
the Saudi National Strategy for E-learning was announced, and includes the following:
• Build and develop a set of standards to control and accredit the software and
applications of e-learning and distance learning.
• Initiate a national strategic plan to implement, localize and spread e-learning and
distance learning in institutions of higher education in Saudi Arabia through the
National Centre.
• Allocate a large enough budget through the National Centre for e-Learning and
Distance Learning for the construction and development of the software and
applications of e-learning, including e-courses.
• Develop and adopt standard tools to recognize the planning and implementation
of e-learning in Saudi Universities and academic sectors.
• Provide e-learning training programmes for faculty members that guarantee the
highest efficiency in their acquisition of the necessary skills.
• Establish an infrastructure that includes providing an appropriate network
connection as well as Smart classrooms equipped with the latest technologies.
• Support fruitful research into e-learning and distance learning.
• Collaborate with private, non-profit and governmental institutes to develop e-
learning programmes for people with special needs.
• Encourage universities and higher education institutes to participate in building
educational content and make them available for all.
• Encourage partnerships with international bodies to utilize their e-learning
experience on planning, designing, administration and implementation.
• Build a knowledge base for various glossaries and definitions of e-learning.
• Build a model for education tanks based upon the agreed standards of e-learning
organizations and scientific committees.
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• Coordinate between educational institutions in the field of e-learning and
distance learning.
• Spread the awareness of e-learning and distance learning across society.
• Strengthen the ties between research institutes and industrial establishments in
the field of e-learning.
• Support investment in developing e-learning systems in accordance with modern
trends.
• Assess the experiences of Saudi universities in the field of e-learning and
distance learning.
• Assess the experience of open universities and distance learning universities and
identify the foundations of their success.
• Assess e-learning systems and how far they are utilized by the students and
faculty members.
• Hold the Second International Conference on E-learning and Distance Learning.
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