Online Learning Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Saudi Universities

Abstract

This paper is set out to explore the students’ attitudes towards online learning effectiveness using the Blackboard platform in three Saudi public universities (Taibah, Hail, and Al-Baha) during COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the main learning activities which ensure the achievement of education quality during unprecedented online learning. These activities are online learning preference, efficiency, participation, achievements, success, and assigned assessment tasks. The survey-based questionnaire method was used to elicit students’ responses regarding online learning effectiveness. The total number of students who participated in the survey is 333 (entirely regular bachelor’s courses in different majors). The main section of the questionnaire contains several questions about leading online learning activities. The coefficient relation of the p-value is highly correlated when tested using Pearson’s r and Spearman’s. The score of Cronbach’s Alpha is 0.93, which indicates (greater internal consistency) an acceptable level of reliability. The overall mean is 0.20, and the standard deviation for the sample is 0.095. The findings positively emphasize the significant influence of online learning on students’ academic achievements in most learning factors except in an assigned assessment factor, which is still problematic in the online learning process.

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic, Learners’ Attitudes, Learning Effectiveness, Online Learning, Saudi Universities