Establishing the National Centre for
E-learning and Distance Learning (NCeDL), and Electronic University are
some initiatives to introduce e-learning to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA), which have led to a fast, strong and impressive movement toward
e-learning in the Kingdom.
However, e-learning in Saudi Arabia
is still in the early stage of its development due to the many
challenges of e-learning that will still have to be faced. E-learning in
Saudi higher education has been examined in a number of studies. Yet,
focusing on e-learning among Saudi women through the social and
religious customs of society is not sufficiently examined.
Therefore, this research seeks to
investigate the possibilities that exist for the utilization of –learning in the
enhancement of the higher education opportunities of women in Saudi Arabia within
the social customs and religious beliefs by identifying the barriers to
higher education for
Saudi women, the modes of e-learning that currently exist within the higher
education programmes in the Saudi higher education system, how e-learning can
support higher education opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia and a
successful model of e- learning to opportunities for women in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia.
In order to achieve the aim of this
research, a pilot study was made using a semi-structured interview as a
method of data collection from Saudi females who live with their related
mahram) male in
the United Kingdom and a three stage
coding analysis of the grounded theory analysed the data collected from the
field to formulate a theory and a model.
A primarily model was
presented which described the contributions of e-learning to
higher education of Saudi women. The model is presented consisting of
three main categories: (a) social and religious barriers, (b) women’s use of
the internet, and (c) women’s use of e-learning, as well as a number of
sub-subcategories. In addition, the need to illuminate the ability of
Saudi women to convert e-learning into a valuable educational achievement is
demonstrated. The next stage of our research will investigate all of the
issues indicated by the pilot study in order to improve the success of
using e-learning for Saudi women’s higher education and eventually to
devise a research theory.
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