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 Saudi and American Students’ Motivation and Anxiety in Online Collaborative Learning in The United States(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Alqarni, Nawal; Boston, MelissaThis research study aims to explore motivation and anxiety Saudi and American students in online collaborative learning environments through online courses in U.S. universities and how they relate to their academic performance. The study utilized a quantitative approach for data collection through an online survey of 99 Saudi students and 39 American students who were enrolled in U.S. universities. The results showed that there was no significant difference in motivation scores between undergraduate Saudi students and their American counterparts. Nor was a significant difference observed in motivation scores between graduate Saudi students and graduate American students. The data also indicated no significant relationship between motivation scores and anticipated self-reported academic performance among undergraduate Saudi and American students. For graduate students, the correlation between motivation scores and anticipated academic performance was weak and non-significant for both Saudi and American students. Additionally, a significant difference in anxiety scores was found between Saudi and American students in both the undergraduate and graduate groups, with American students exhibiting higher anxiety levels than their Saudi counterparts. However, there was no significant relationship between anxiety scores and anticipated self-reported academic performance for either Saudi or American students across both undergraduate and graduate levels. The results also revealed that the relationship between motivation and anxiety among both Saudi and American students was weak and not statistically significant. Finally, the support structures in online courses survey results showed that both Saudi and American students identified interaction and collaborative learning as the most valuable support structures. Keywords: motivation, anxiety, academic performance, online collaborative learning, support structures, Saudi students, American students20 0Item Restricted The Impact of Technological Features in Social Media Platforms on Students' Academic Performance(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Algassmi, Aliah; Chipidza, WallaceAbstract The Impact of Technological Features in Social Media Platforms on Students' Academic Performance By Aliah Algassmi Claremont Graduate University 2025 The ubiquitous existence of social media platforms has transformed the way people interact and communicate with each other. However, intensive social media usage has become a growing concern among students. Tis heavy usage can negatively impact their lives, including their academic performance. So far, there is no concrete empirical evidence from previous studies to confirm whether using social media platforms' technical features impact students' academic performance. Notably, there needs to be more research on the relationship between social media platforms' usage and students' academic performance. This dissertation aims to ascertain the effect of technological features of social media on students' academic performance and psychological well-being. The research questions guiding this study are: RQ1: How does social media engagement impact students' academic performance? RQ2: What psychological effects do social media's interactive features have on students? RQ3: How do notifications, endless scrolling, and personalization contribute to social media overuse? Mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative methods, were applied to this study. The data for this research was collected through a survey and interview of undergraduate students, and the results were analyzed using regression by using SPSS and thematic analyses using NVivo 20. The study investigated how impactful the technological features in social media are concerning the student's academic performance and psychological well-being using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Results suggest that the technological features of social media do have a significant impact on student's academic performance as well as psychological well-being. Qualitative narratives and statistical data add depth to the lived experiences of students, and the statistical data demonstrates the prevalence of these effects. Through the combination of these approaches, this study gives a good understanding of the intricacies of making use of social media and generates valuable implications for educational institutions and policymakers that aim to counteract the negative impacts of social media usage on students.26 0Item Restricted The Impact of Physical Activity and Dietary Quality on Academic Performance Among Undergraduate Paramedic Students(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alali, Abdullah; Bronwyn BeovichThis thesis investigated the relationship between physical activity, dietary quality, and academic performance among undergraduate paramedic students. It comprises a scoping review of existing literature on healthcare students and a cross-sectional study involving 116 Monash University paramedic students. While the review identified generally positive associations between healthy lifestyle behaviours and academic achievement, the cross-sectional study found no significant correlation between physical activity or overall diet quality and GPA, except for a significant association in the third quartile of diet quality. These findings highlight the complexity of academic performance determinants and the need for further research considering additional factors such as mental health, sleep, and stress.15 0Item Restricted Assessing Wellbeing and Student Achievement During COVID-19 Lockdown in Saudi Arabia(Flinders University, 2042-10) Alharthi, Shatha; Skrzypiec, GraceThe COVID-19 pandemic during 2020-2021 resulted in unprecedented school closures and prolonged remote learning for Saudi Arabian students with unknown consequences at the time for perceived academic performance, mental health, and wellbeing. Prior research had suggested that reduced social interaction could negatively affect wellbeing and contribute to impaired mental health (e.g., depression and anxiety), while also resulting in lower academic performance. However, little was known about the direct impact of the pandemic on academic outcomes and mental health of middle school students in the Saudi Arabian context, particularly during extended periods of remote learning while facing social and educational challenges stemming from the worldwide crisis. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to investigate this gap in knowledge by exploring the association between middle school students’ perceived academic achievement and their levels of wellbeing, depression, and anxiety during the COVID-19 lockdown. In the two-phase study design, an online survey was used to collect quantitative data from 401 Saudi male and female middle school students aged 11-18 in Mecca and Taif cities, KSA. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on student wellbeing questionnaires, informed by procedures from a global study conducted by the Global Research Alliance (GRA), enquired about students’ self-perceived academic achievement, wellbeing levels, mental health status, and other essential factors such as demographic information, socioeconomic status, and frequency of activities during the lockdown. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with eight Saudi female students from the same population, to delve deeply into adolescents’ experiences, perceptions, and insights related to their experiences in lockdown. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Mplus was the primary data analysis procedure used to test the relationships between the identified factors of self-perceived academic achievement. Results from the SEM revealed that variations in self-perceived academic achievement were significantly associated with wellbeing, gender, and socioeconomic status. Unexpectedly, depression, anxiety, the amount of schoolwork, and age did not exert a definitive impact on perceived academic achievement. Over half of the students perceived their performance during the lockdown as better than their peers, and they demonstrated adaptability, either maintaining or improving their academic performance amidst challenging circumstances. The study found that students’ mental health and wellbeing were largely protected, which was attributed to strong family support, religious practices, and adaptability within a supportive home environment. While most students did not show enduring signs of depression or anxiety, specific subgroups faced distress during the lockdown. Challenges related to remote learning, such as internet connectivity issues and online education platform quality, were evident; however, students exhibited coping in overcoming these obstacles to a significant extent. The study findings underscore the significance of promoting family support, religious involvement, and educational readiness within the Saudi education framework to enhance student wellbeing and academic achievement during school closures. The findings advocate for enhancing the preparedness of education systems for future disruptions to in-person, classroom learning. Recommendations include investing in high-quality online education platforms, enhancing teacher training for online instruction, and engaging families to support students in lockdown. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to assess the lasting impacts of pandemic-driven disruptions on student wellbeing and academic performance, as well as on understanding students’ coping mechanisms during educational crises.31 0Item Restricted Expanding our understanding of the uses of Modern Standard and Hijazi Colloquial Arabic in Education: A Study Exploring Learners’ Attention, Academic Performance, and Language Attitudes in Saudi Arabia(University of Sussex, 2024-07) Alamir, Sarah; Blair, Andrew; Alkabani, FerasThis study investigates how the use of Hijazi Colloquial Arabic (HCA) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in oral instruction affects students' sustained auditory attention and academic performance and their attitudes towards both varieties in education. To form a clear picture of how effective both varieties are, the results of a nine-week pre-post-test classroom experiment, a follow-up questionnaire, and interviews were used for analysis. First, two groups of undergraduate female students (aged between 20 and 27) assigned to the 'History of the Americas' module at Umm Al-Qura University and a professor were selected for the experiment. One group had 29 students, whereas the other had 25. One group was instructed in MSA, and the other in HCA. The study findings showed that both HCA and MSA oral instruction improved the students' ability to sustain auditory attention, leading to better academic performance, with HCA instruction being slightly more effective. In addition, the disparities in automaticity and language execution between HCA and MSA were negligible. When it comes to attitudes, both HCA and MSA groups had more positive perceptions of MSA. Their actions, however, did not reflect their beliefs and feelings. Their attitudes and the underlying reasons could be grouped into six and five categories. Globally speaking, standard codes in diglossic contexts receive positive attitudes despite the changing social circumstances, while societal changes impact colloquial codes’ perceptions. These results implicate the field of higher education in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries when considering using Colloquial Arabic codes (CAs) as a medium of instruction, as they should go hand in hand with MSA. This can be done by further research and modifying language policies to promote the coexistence between the two codes, combining them in instruction according to contexts and the psychological aspects instructors want to provoke, and using non-featured CAs, such as the educated HCA or White dialect.51 0Item Restricted Who Will Succeed in Dental School? Predictors of dental school performance(2023-06-05) Alsharafi, Eman Mohammed A; Hallam, Jennifer; Manogue, Michael; Nicholls, GailBackground: Selection of students with the highest potential of success is a very challenging process because selection is carried out among a highly academically qualified pool of applicants exceeding the number of places available. Additionally, evidence about the incremental and predictive validity of admission assessments and personal attributes assessed at admission is limited. Objectives: To address this, a systematic review for evidence of the predictive validity of selection methods was completed, the incremental and predictive validity of admission assessments and whether any of the assessments are biased towards or against certain individuals were then investigated. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using data of four cohorts at the University of Leeds, School of Dentistry. Data analysis included univariate and multivariate analysis. Outcome measures included academic and clinical performance. Predictor measures included personal statement, BMAT and MMI scores in addition to the socio-demographic characteristics of participants. Results: Hierarchical regression models revealed that BMAT was the only admission assessment that contributed significantly in increasing the variance. Sections 3 and 2 were the most predictive. Additionally, MMI and BMAT significantly predicted on course 3rd to 5th year clinical practice and 2nd to 3rd year academic scores. Empathy, communication, insight and presentation stations were the most predictive of students’ performance. None of the admission assessments showed evidence of bias against gender, widening participation or ethnic groups. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated evidence of incremental and predictive validity of BMAT as an admission test. They also revealed the necessity to re-evaluate the MMI structure, particularly the skills assessed and the tasks used to assess them, to improve its validity. The research has also highlighted the need to identify and provide appropriate support to individuals at greater risk of low performance and the necessity for adequate admissions data management at the University to facilitate future studies.30 0