SACM - United States of America
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9668
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Item Restricted Perceptions Of Teacher Professional Development Among Elementary School Teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Interview Study(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alsubaie, Hissah; Wiley, KathrynResearch indicates that Saudi Arabia's education system faces challenges to ensuring effective teacher professional development (TPD). Despite ongoing efforts, teachers often encounter barriers that hinder their professional growth and impact student outcomes. This study aims to identify and analyze these barriers thereby building from existing research. It explores the interplay of cultural norms, institutional constraints, and individual challenges within the Saudi educational context. The research used a phenomenological qualitative design to explore how Saudi teachers experience professional development within cultural, institutional, and individual contexts. Through in-depth interviews with 10 teachers who have engaged in professional development, the study investigates their experiences and perspectives on TPD implementation. Findings from this study revealed five major themes. Teachers highlighted challenges in program participation and content where training mostly lacked relevance and was hindered by heavy workloads. Cultural norms including gender segregation and family responsibilities also limited access to opportunities. Institutional barriers like insufficient resources, lack of substitutes and weak leadership support further constrained professional development. On an individual level, teachers faced limited freedom to choose suitable programs, few career advancement incentives and difficulties with timing and transportation. Despite these barriers, participants suggested improvements like needs-based and flexible training, stronger incentives linked to career growth, better infrastructure and the integration of technology to enhance access and impact. Ultimately, the study seeks to support the improvement of teacher professional development practices which can support enhanced teaching quality and improved student learning outcomes.10 0Item Restricted THE INFLUENCE OF CYBERSECURITY KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ON ONLINE RISKY BEHAVIORS AMONG BANK EMPLOYEES IN SAUDI ARABIA(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alzahrani, Salwa; Mbaziira, AlexThe rapid digitization of banking services in Saudi Arabia has intensified cybersecurity challenges, particularly those influenced by human factors. This study examined how cybersecurity knowledge and attitudes shape risky online behaviors among bank employees, addressing the persistent vulnerability posed by human behavior despite technological safeguards. Grounded in the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory, the research explored how cognitive elements, such as knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and self-efficacy, together with attitudinal factors, including perceived benefits of compliance, affect employees’ cybersecurity practices. Using a quantitative design, survey data from 133 banking employees were analyzed through descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple regression. The PCA identified three main dimensions influencing behavior: perceived susceptibility and benefits of compliance, cybersecurity knowledge and perceived severity, and cybersecurity attitudes and self-efficacy. Regression analyses showed that these factors significantly predicted several risky behaviors, particularly those involving rationalization and convenience-based decisions. Attitudes and self-efficacy were the strongest deterrents to behavior motivated by perceived inconvenience, while knowledge and perceived severity reduced the tendency to justify insecure practices. Demographic variables had minimal influence, indicating that psychological and cognitive factors are stronger determinants of cybersecurity behavior within the Saudi banking sector. Keywords— Cybersecurity knowledge, Cybersecurity attitude, Risky online behavior.12 0Item Restricted AI-Driven Suitability Modeling for Sustainable Olive Cultivation: An Environmental Assessment in a Changing Climate(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) ALREWILY, FARES; Claudia, CaceresPeter Drucker once said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it. " This idea captures the essence of using artificial intelligence (AI) to shape sustainable agricultural futures in a world facing accelerating climate change, resource depletion, and land degradation. Key crops can be made more resilient through effective frameworks that combine environmental science with artificial intelligence and machine learning. As evidenced in the literature, the olive tree has high economic, cultural, and ecological value; however, it is highly sensitive to climate change. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall in drier and semi-drier regions, such as the northern part of Saudi Arabia, are threatening olive cultivation. Al-Jouf is considered a rapidly emerging center for olive production; however, these stresses threaten long-term agricultural sustainability. The framework we propose integrates ecological niche modeling (ENM), maximum entropy (MaxEnt), and geographic information systems (GIS) to capture complex, nonlinear interactions among bioclimatic, topographic, and soil variables. By employing AI and machine learning to enhance ecological modeling, this research establishes a foundation for predictive, data-driven decision -making in sustainable agriculture and contributes to Saudi Vision 2030 objectives for environmental stewardship, food security, and climate resilience. In short, this study develops an AI-driven species distribution model integrated into a geospatial data-science workflow to assess current and future olive suitability in Al-Jouf under CMIP6 climate scenarios.17 0Item Restricted Enhancing English Language Learning Skills by Using MetaverseTechnology: An Integrative Literature Review(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Khayyat, Maram; Brett, JonesTechnology has been developing in ways that can help students learn better, including how they learnlanguages such as English. The purpose of this study was to analyze prior research on the use ofMetaverse Technology (MvT) in educational settings, focusing on studies centered on English as aForeign Language (EFL) students, for the purpose of enhancing English Language Learning (ELL) skillsand formulating guidelines for instructors in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The potential of MvT inEFL is that students can practice the English language inside digital spaces that feel real, such as talking,solving problems, or working on group projects together. They can talk, move, and solve problems insidethose spaces instead of only reading or listening in a traditional class. This study utilized an integrativeliterature review (ILR) approach related to how instructors use MvT to enhance EFL skills amongstudents. Further, the study identified how the integration of MvT could address challenges in engagingstudents and improving their English Language skill proficiencies. The objective of the study was toidentify practical, evidence-based ideas that instructors could use to improve student learning. Theprocess involved completing an integrative literature review, which was screened, compared, andgrouped by shared themes. The results of this study contribute to instructional design (ID) research,suggesting practical ways that universities and instructors may incorporate MtVs into EFL in Higher.Education4 0Item Restricted FROM SURVIVAL TO SOCIAL: THE EVOLUTION OF STRATEGIC COMPETENCE IN B2 ENGLISH LEARNERS DURING COLLABORATIVE BOARD GAMEPLAY(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Bin Hazza, Hazza; López-Robertson, JuliaAn examination of the communicative strategies of B2-level English language learners was conducted to investigate the evolutionary trajectory of strategic deployment in informal, collaborative, and non-instructional settings. While traditional research has predominantly focused on digital or explicitly educational games within controlled, single-session tasks, a notable gap remains in understanding how learners navigate the linguistic and social demands of non-pedagogical, commercially available board games over repeated encounters. This qualitative case study addressed this gap by observing four learners as they engaged in four sessions of Forbidden Desert, a collaborative survival board game. The theoretical framework integrated Sociocultural Theory, Communicative Competence, and Strategic Competence, emphasizing language as a socially mediated tool for collective problem-solving. Methodologically, the study employed a dual framework approach for theoretical triangulation, utilizing Dörnyei and Scott’s (1997) micro-linguistic taxonomy alongside Nakatani’s (2006) macro-interactional Oral Communication Strategy Inventory (OCSI). Data sources included video recordings of approximately 200 minutes of gameplay, which were processed through a Cross Verification Matrix to identify areas of convergence and divergence between the two frameworks. v Key findings revealed a sophisticated strategic repertoire characterized by a significant shift from a "survivalist orientation" to a "social orientation". Quantitative analysis documented a 71% reduction in survival mechanisms—such as message abandonment and negotiation for meaning—as participants gained task familiarity. Simultaneously, a spike in social-affective behaviors, including joking and encouragement, indicated a reallocation of attentional resources toward social maintenance. Crucially, the dual-framework analysis identified that 25% of the interactional data would have remained invisible under a purely psycholinguistic model, justifying the necessity of a macro-interactional lens to capture interpersonal management. Implications for theory suggest redefining strategic competence as a proactive interactional resource rather than a reactive compensatory tool. Practically, the study advocates for a game-enhanced pedagogical approach that honors approximations and utilizes task repetition to foster interactional autonomy and risk-taking in real-world communicative settings.4 0Item Restricted Characteristics and Health Risks Associated with Fine Particulate Matter and Its Components in Two Major Cities of Saudi Arabia: A Study of Makkah and Madinah(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) ALsufayan, Yousef; Khwaja, HaiderAbstract Urban air pollution, particularly from fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), is a growing public health concern in many rapidly urbanizing countries and regions, including Saudi Arabia. This thesis investigates the levels, sources, seasonal variations, and health impacts of PM₂.₅ in the cities of Makkah and Madinah. PM₂.₅ monitoring focused on identifying key pollutants—including black carbon (BC), trace elements (TEs), and water-soluble ions (WSIIs)—which were measured using advanced analytical techniques such as Optical Transmissometer (OT-21), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (ED-XRF), and ion exchange chromatography. Source apportionment was carried out through positive matrix factorization (PMF), elemental enrichment factor (EF) calculations, and backward air mass trajectory analysis. The study investigates PM₂.₅ concentrations at five urban sites in Makkah, including Alharam, Ar Rusayfah, Alshoqiyah, Alhajj, and Herra Hospital. Average PM₂.₅ concentrations in these sites ranged from 59.3 μg/m³ to 109 μg/m³, exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 24-hour guideline of 15 μg/m³ by factors ranging from 4.0 to 7.3. In Madinah, PM₂.₅ concentrations were lower but still exceeded international air quality standards. Average concentrations across five sites, including Al-Awali, Al-Hijra, Uhad, Bab al-Masjid, and Bagidu, ranged from 37.7 μg/m³ to 103.3 μg/m³, with higher concentrations observed in urban and high-traffic areas. Seasonal patterns show that PM₂.₅ concentrations peak in the spring due to increased traffic, construction activities, and meteorological conditions conducive to particulate accumulation, while the winter months exhibit lower concentrations, attributed to improved atmospheric dispersion. The chemical composition analysis revealed that sulfate (SO₄²⁻) was the most abundant ion, followed by ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrate (NO₃⁻), which together accounted for approximately 19% of the total PM₂.₅ mass. The study identified multiple sources of PM₂.₅, including combustion of fossil fuels, vehicular emissions, industrial dust, and secondary aerosols, with significant contributions from both local and long-distance transported pollutants. A key objective of the study was to quantify the impact of air pollution exposure on health by examining the association between daily PM₂.₅ concentrations and cardiopulmonary morbidity. The research linked specific PM₂.₅ constituents, including BC and TE like lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and iron (Fe), to short-term health impacts. In Makkah, BC and Pb were significantly associated with increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular (CVD) and pulmonary diseases. These constituents serve as critical indicators of anthropogenic activity: BC primarily reflects incomplete combustion from heavy traffic and diesel engines, while Pb acts as a tracer for industrial emissions. Furthermore, these associations were particularly pronounced for inpatient admissions, suggesting that individuals with pre-existing conditions are more vulnerable to the acute effects of air pollution. The analysis also revealed that certain populations, such as middle-aged adults and females, showed greater susceptibility to PM₂.₅ exposure, possibly due to biological or behavioral factors. Women, for instance, may experience higher internal doses due to smaller airway diameters or distinct activity patterns .The short-term health risks from BC were comparable to findings from other regions with high pollution levels, such as China and North America, underscoring the need for source-specific mitigation strategies. The results of this study underscore the importance of considering the chemical composition of PM₂.₅ when formulating air quality regulations. The analysis determined that sources of these pollutants in the investigated cities—specifically combustion-derived BC and metal-rich fractions—were associated with a significantly greater likelihood of the adverse health outcomes evaluated. The study finding support targeted emission control strategies, particularly in urban areas and during high-traffic periods such as the pilgrimage seasons. It also calls for stricter rules on vehicle emissions, industrial filtration, and real-time monitoring of air quality. Future research should focus on improving exposure assessment and implementing integrated mitigation strategies to protect public health and promote sustainable urban development. Keywords: PM2.5, Water soluble ions, Air quality Sources , GLM, Negative Binomial22 0Item Restricted Examining Youth Online Safety and Well-Being Through the Lens of Social Media Affordances(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alluhidan, Abdulmalik; Yin, ZhijunSocial media has become a fundamental part of adolescents’ lives. Yet the effect of its use on their well-being remains debatable, as prior research shows a lack of consensus, with studies identifying effects in both positive and negative directions. A key limitation in existing literature is the tendency to treat social media as a single, uniform entity when examining its risks and benefits. Much prior work has focused on how use frequency or intensity relates to outcomes, often overlooking how specific platform design components shape these outcomes. This generalized approach obscures how different platforms offer distinct patterns of engagement that may lead to varying experiences. Without accounting for these differences, it becomes difficult to identify which aspects of social media are responsible for particular risks or benefits. Understanding how the design influences user experiences is therefore critical for developing interventions that move beyond addressing harmful outcomes alone and instead target the underlying inputs and pathways that contribute to those outcomes. To address these limitations, this dissertation adopts an affordance-based approach to examine online safety and well-being among youth. Affordances refer to the perceived possibilities for action offered by a technology, including how platform features enable or constrain user behavior. In the context of social media, an affordance-based perspective helps explain how youth navigate, experience, and respond to platform design. Applying this lens moves the discussion beyond broad risk-and-benefit debates and provides a clearer conceptual framework for identifying design choices that reduce harm and support positive use. Additionally, rather than focusing on temporary characteristics such as platform popularity, this approach targets replicable technological qualities, allowing findings and interventions to remain applicable, thereby improving generalizability as platforms evolve over time. Across four studies, this dissertation first conducts a systematic literature review of prior research to develop an affordance-centered framework that maps how platform features relate to user activities, the affordances they enable, and associated benefits and risks. It then examines youth support-seeking experiences across seven social media platforms to show how affordances in different contexts shape outcomes. Next, it turns to private channels to show how conversational settings shape both youth disclosures and the responses they receive. Finally, it uses participatory co-design to translate these insights into affordance-informed recommendations for improving youth online safety and well-being.4 0Item Restricted ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION OF A FREE BOUNDARY PROBLEM MODELING TUMOR EVOLUTIONDr.Xuming Xie(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Aldakhil, Amal; Xuming, XieThis dissertation concerns analysis and simulation of a free boundary problem modeling tumor growth. Incorporating immune cell interactions, the model consists of a coupled system of partial differential equations describing the densities of cancer cells and T-cells within a tumor region whose boundary evolves dynamically over time. A new framework is developed by assuming flux boundary conditions for both cancer cells and T-cells at the moving boundary. Using tools in the theory of Partial Differential Equations, we establish the existence, uniqueness, and global behavior of classical solutions under suitable initial conditions. To complement the theoretical results, a fully discrete numerical algorithm based on the finite difference method is derived after rescaling the problem to a fixed domain, the stability of the numerical algorithm is discussed. Numerical simulations are conducted to explore the long-term behavior of the tumor, demonstrating that the tumor may shrink or grow depending on the immune killing rate. The numerical results validate the theoretical predictions and provide deeper insights into the interplay between tumor evolution and immune response. This study contributes to the mathematical understanding of tumor-immune dynamics and highlights the critical role of immune strength in determining tumor fate, offering potential implications for immunotherapy strategies.4 0Item Restricted THE IMPACT OF YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS ON CONSUMER PURCHASE INTENTION AND ENGAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alqahtani, Abdullah; Fei, XueThis study examines the influence of YouTube influencers' characteristics and content attributes on consumers' purchase intention and engagement in the Saudi Arabian context. Grounded in Source Credibility Theory and interpreted through the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the study employs a quantitative approach using survey data collected from 402 participants. The findings reveal differentiated effects across the two outcome variables. Initially, Perceived Trustworthiness and Perceived Expertise were not significant predictors of either purchase intention or consumer engagement. However, after introducing the control variables (age, gender, and social media use), gender significantly predicted purchase intention, and Perceived Trustworthiness became a significant predictor of purchase intention. In addition, Perceived Attractiveness and Perceived Homophily significantly influenced consumer engagement, but did not affect purchase intention, indicating that they enhance relational and interactive responses rather than direct purchasing behavior. Conversely, Perceived Influencer–Product Congruence significantly influenced purchase intention but not consumer engagement, highlighting the importance of perceived fit and authenticity in shaping behavioral outcomes. Notably, Perceived Informative Value emerged as the only variable that significantly influenced both purchase intention and consumer engagement, underscoring its central role in the effectiveness of YouTube influencer content. Overall, the findings refine the application of Source Credibility Theory to YouTube influencer marketing and demonstrate how different influencer characteristics and content attributes operate through distinct persuasive mechanisms, as explained by the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The study also provides practical implications for developing more effective influencer marketing strategies in Saudi Arabia.14 0Item Restricted Teacher's Perceptions of AI Tools in English Academic Writing Instruction(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Alotaibi, Najla; Zhang, TerrenceThis research examines university-level instructors' perceptions of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications, such as ChatGPT, in teaching academic writing. The study explores instructors' perceptions, interpretations, and adaptations regarding the challenges and opportunities of AI integration in their classes. This research relies on semi-structured interviews to examine how teachers use AI in their writing classes, their concerns about originality and academic integrity, and how they are adjusting their pedagogical practices to incorporate AI. The findings show that although teachers believe AI can enhance students' learning, they are also concerned about overreliance on technology and its impact on students' critical thinking. The study provides insights into the evolving role of AI in writing pedagogy and offers practical implications for incorporating AI into educational institutions without compromising academic integrity.6 0