Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
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Item Restricted The Influences of Educational Technology on Comprehension among Elementary School Students during the Covid-19 Pandemic Period in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-01) Al jawad, Fatimah; Hambrock, HelgaThe current study addressed concerns surrounding the impact of educational technology on students’ comprehension during the COVID-19 pandemic. While researchers have shed light on issues like overreliance on technology and potential hindrances to comprehension, a significant gap remains in fully understanding the implications for elementary school students, especially within the unique pandemic context. To bridge this gap, this study explored the effects of various technological tools used in remote learning settings on students’ comprehension, providing valuable insights for educators, parents, and policymakers to promote responsible and effective use of educational technology. A basic qualitative design was employed for this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which provided a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind the effects of technology on students’ comprehension. The findings demonstrated positive outcomes associated with technology integration: students reported improved comprehension, higher engagement with learning materials innovatively, and a deeper grasp of subjects. Parents and teachers also acknowledged the benefits and cited easy access to information and enjoyable learning experiences. Nevertheless, challenges such as limited device availability and health issues from technology overuse impacted comprehension in some cases. Proposed strategies to address these challenges include better education and training for teachers and educational initiatives to enhance students’ familiarity with technology.15 0Item Restricted What factors make reading comprehension difficult for English learners in Saudi primary schools from the teachers’ perspective?(University of Reading, 2023-10-03) Aljaloud Alhanouf; Tsakalaki, AnnaThis research investigated the challenges limiting reading comprehension abilities among young learners in Saudi Arabia's primary schools where English is taught to them as a second language. The study adopted a mixed-method methodology, employing both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gain a complete understanding of the factors influencing reading comprehension difficulties and potential strategies for improvement. The study recruited 23 participants, where 20 participated in the study survey while the remaining three were part of the qualitative interviews. The research was guided by two main research questions, them being: (1) What factors make reading comprehension difficult for English learners in Saudi elementary schools from the teachers' perspective? and (2) What strategies might help teachers improve reading comprehension ability for English language learners in Saudi primary schools? The outcomes from this study showed that a number of factors that contributed to the reading comprehension challenges faced by the young learners in Saudi Arabia primary schools, including linguistic elements, including grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, and language variations. Difficulties with grammar, limited vocabulary, and phonemic challenges hindered a proper pronunciation and spelling, ultimately affecting learners' capacity to understand English language texts. Moreover, the differences between the native Arabic language and English create a cultural void that limited an effective comprehension. There were also inadequacies in the syllabus and curriculum, particularly with lack of clear objectives in the curriculum and a steep learning slope presenting challenges for learners' reading comprehension abilities. The study recommended addressing the challenges with the curriculum and also employing active teaching and learning techniques to develop effective English reading comprehension skills among the young learners in the Saudi Arabia primary schools.43 0