Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted How Do Saudi Universities Motivate Students to Benefit from and Engage in E-Learning Systems?(Victoria University, 2024-03-27) Alamrei, Saad Othman M; Martino, John; Thomas, PeterIn recognition of the importance of education and health, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allocated the largest budget in 2023 to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, among all ministries (Ministry of Finance, 2023). e-learning in Saudi universities is considered an indispensable part of continuing the educational process and keeping pace with the world in scientific and technological development. Because there are few studies that have focused on motivating students in Saudi universities and even less on motivating students to use and engage in e-learning systems i, this thesis investigates student motivation and explores strategies used by Saudi universities to motivate their students to benefit from and engage in e-learning. In addition, it aimed to measure the effectiveness of these strategies through the use of Keller's ARCS Model of Motivational Design. The study sample covered three universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and included students, academic staff, and e-learning specialists. A mixed methods research approach was used in this thesis, which selected two units from each university. Data were collected through individual interviews with six academic staff members, five e-learning specialists, and twenty-six students in total in focus groups; one hundred and sixty responses were also obtained from students who participated through filling out questionnaires across the three universities. The results of the study revealed that there were no specific strategies developed by the three Saudi universities to trigger students’ motivation towards using and engaging in e-learning systems. However, the results showed that some academic staff motivate students in the e-learning environment, using different methods they consider appropriate based on their experience, aiming to make the content more engaging and thus increasing students’ engagement. The results of the study also brought to light some barriers facing e-learning in Saudi universities, such as weak Blackboard systems or poor internet performance, especially in university branches outside big cities. The study concluded that Saudi universities need to develop clear strategies aimed at motivating students to use, engage in, and fully benefit from e-learning systems. The thesis recommended that academic staff should be involved in developing and creating e-learning content to ensure that it appeals to students. In addition, the study highlighted the need for further research to foster better understanding of students’ motivation and achieve successful implementation of e-learning systems in Saudi Arabia.20 0Item Restricted Engaging university students with repair cafes and nonprofit organisations(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-12) Bakrshoom, Mohammed Saeed; Daunton, Lyn; O'Mahoney, JosephRepair Café Wales (RCW) is a thriving third-sector organization that has made significant strides in promoting a circular economy, reducing waste, and empowering community members through skill sharing. However, the organization now faces strategic challenges regarding its future direction and financial sustainability. This report presents an analysis of RCW's current situation, key issues, and recommendations for the future, developed through a detailed study of the organization's operations, financials, marketing, and strategic objectives. Repair Café Wales (RCW) has experienced remarkable growth since its founding in 2016, expanding from a single location to over 70 Repair Cafes across Wales and the UK. However, this rapid expansion has also led to several strategic challenges that must be addressed for long-term sustainability and impact. Our in-depth analysis of RCW's marketing, finances, operations, and strategic goals revealed the following key issues: ● Heavy reliance on limited external funding sources puts financial sustainability at risk ● Knowledge sharing confined to social media, missing young demographics ● Lack of student engagement. ● Lack of visitors and students starting up sustainable repair cafes. To address these challenges, we recommend a focused growth strategy concentrating on 3-5 metro areas to achieve critical mass. This geographic concentration will allow RCW to maximize limited resources. Additionally, RCW should launch targeted training and employment initiatives aimed at vulnerable populations to both increase impact and pilot earned revenue models. Enhanced volunteer management and impact measurement capabilities are needed to support growth. Diversifying income through corporate training programs and fixed repair shop locations will also be critical for long-term sustainability. We provide detailed analyses of various earned revenue approaches and how they align with RCW's mission. Effectively implementing these recommendations has the potential to transform RCW into the leading circular economy non-profit in Wales. By focusing its geographic expansion, maximizing social impact through targeted programs, improving operational rigor, and diversifying funding, RCW can reach a scale where it drives visible change in attitudes and behaviors towards sustainable resource use. Our report provides in-depth examinations of each recommendation, including implementation plans outlining phased roll-outs, resource requirements, investment needs, and tracking metrics. We are fully confident RCW has the passion and dedication to execute on this strategy and take its impact to new heights.23 0Item Restricted Enhancing Students engagement among Saudi EFL learners: Empirical investigation(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-15) Fatimah, Hamoud; Aizawa, IkuyaStudent engagement plays a key role in the achievement of academic excellence among students. In particular, student engagement for EFL learners is crucial due to its role in shaping their abilities in language acquisition. This study aims to investigate the student engagement of EFL learners in an Arabic context. The study adopts a cross-sectional design with a descriptive-analytical research approach to review the available literature and collect data from concerned EFL learners to reach accurate results to answer the research question. The study relied on a questionnaire as the main research instrument which was developed based on reviewing the available and relevant literature. Additionally, the study adopts non-probability sampling techniques and convenient sampling methods. The data was collected by distributing the research questionnaire electronically to EFL learners at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia, where 105 responses were collected for analysis. The findings indicated a low to moderate extent of engagement and interactions among EFL learners. Further, the findings indicated that there is a strong positive correlation between student's overall engagement with their learning efforts, activities, interaction with peers and teachers and their social engagement. It was found that students' overall engagement is significantly influenced by interaction with peers and teachers along with learning activities, however, social engagement and learning efforts were not found to be influential. Finally, the results indicated that gender is the only variable contributing to the variance in the learning effort, activities, and the interaction of EFL students with peers and teachers. This study adds to the literature by being the first study to investigate students' EFL engagement in an Arabic context; further, it presents the role of student's characteristics in diversifying the extent of their engagement and interactions.26 0