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INVESTIGATING QASSIM UNIVERSITY EFL INTENSIVE COURSE PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS’ PERSPECTIVES TOWARDS UTILIZING BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE AS AN EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING TOOL DURING THE 2020–2021 COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Year 2022, Volume: 8 Issue: 22, 8 - 16, 07.05.2022

Mustafa Elsayed

https://doi.org/10.18769/ijasos.1068347

Abstract

Purpose: The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden shift to online teaching and learning which resulted in confusion for higher education institutions not only in Saudi Arabia, but worldwide as well. Due to the broad availability of technology infrastructure in Saudi higher education institutions, Blackboard Collaborate is widely used in most Saudi universities. As positive perspectives were found to play an important impact in the adoption of new technology in earlier research, this paper aims to investigate Qassim University EFL Intensive Course Program (ICP) instructors’ perspectives towards utilizing the Blackboard Collaborate as an emergency remote teaching tool during COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach: To collect data from the participants, the study employed a qualitative research method, namely, semi-structured interviews with 15 ICP EFL instructors. The interviews were face to face and included predetermined questions that focused on the pros and cons of utilizing Blackboard Collaborate as a remote teaching tool during Covid-19 pandemic.
Findings: The study revealed the pros and cons of using the Blackboard Collaborate as a remote teaching tool during COVID-19 pandemic as perceived by ICP EFL instructors. While the pros included novel teaching methods in Blackboard Collaborate, offering interactive lessons via using Blackboard Collaborate, and a great deal of motivation resulted from using Blackboard Collaborate, the cons comprised ICP EFL instructors’ lack of competency in using Blackboard Collaborate, students’ lack of competency in using Blackboard Collaborate, and technical problems.
Originality/value: Most literature published on using Blackboard Collaborate in the Saudi higher education context focused on using it in teaching EFL advanced learners with prior experience with Blackboard Collaborate. To my knowledge, this is the first paper to investigate the participants' perspectives towards using the Blackboard Collaborate in teaching secondary school leavers without prior experience with Blackboard Collaborate like ICP EFL students.

Keywords

EFL Intensive Course Program, Instructors' Perspectives, Blackboard Collaborate, COVID-19 Pandemic

References

  • Albion, P. R., & Ertmer, P. A. (2002). Beyond the foundations: The role of vision and belief in teachers’ preparation for integration of technology. TechTrends, 46(5), 34-38.
  • Al-Drees, A., Khalil, M. S., Meo, S. A., & Abdulghani, H. M. (2015). Utilization of blackboard among undergraduate medical students: Where we are from the reality? Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2014.07.002
  • Al-Maqtri, M. A. T. (2014). How Effective is E-learning in Teaching English? : A Case Study. . Journal of Education and Human Development. http://jehdnet.com/vol-3-no-2-june-2014-abstract-39-jehd
  • Almarabeh, T. (2014). Students’ Perceptions of E-learning at the University of Jordan. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (IJET), 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v9i3.3347
  • Al Meajel, T.M. and Sharadgah, T.A. (2018), “Barriers to using the blackboard system in teaching and learning: faculty perceptions”, Technology, Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 351-366, available at: www.researchgate.net/publication/312136352
  • Almekhlafy, S. S. A. (2020). Online learning of English language courses via blackboard at Saudi universities in the era of COVID-19: perception and use. PSU Research Review, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-08-2020-0026
  • Almelhi, A. M. (2021). The Role of the Blackboard LMS in EFL Course Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Investigating Attitudes and Perceptions of Faculty and Students. International Journal of English Linguistics, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v11n2p46
  • Al-Naibi, S. A., Madarsha, K. B., & Ismail, N. A. (2015). Blackboard Use by Faculty Members in the Colleges of Applied Sciences in the Sultanate of Oman. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol3.iss4.345
  • Alokluk, J. A. (2018). The Effectiveness of Blackboard System, Uses and Limitations in Information Management. Intelligent Information Management, 10(06). https://doi.org/10.4236/iim.2018.106012
  • Al Shammari, M. H. (2021). Devices and Platforms Used in Emergency Remote Learning and Teaching During Covid19: A Case of English Major Students in Saudi Arabia. Arab World English Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/covid.6
  • Al-qahtani, M. S. (2019). The Relevance of Doing Virtual Classes: A Study of Postgraduate Female Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions. Arab World English Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/efl1.14
  • Al Zumor, A. W., K. Al Refaai, I., A. Bader Eddin, E., & H. Aziz Al-Rahman, F. (2013). EFL Students’ Perceptions of a Blended Learning Environment: Advantages, Limitations and Suggestions for Improvement. English Language Teaching, 6(10). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n10p95
  • Banditvilai, C. (2016). Enhancing Students’ Language Skills through Blended Learning. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(3), 220–229. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1107134
  • Brooks, D. C. (2015). ECAR study of faculty and information technology. Research report. Louisville, CO: ECAR. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ecar
  • Chen, J. C., Dobinson, T., & Kent, S. (2020). Lecturers’ perceptions and experiences of Blackboard Collaborate as a distance learning and teaching tool via Open Universities Australia (OUA). Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 35(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2019.1688654
  • Choy, D., Xiao, J., & Iliff, J. (2005). How can technology help improve the quality of Blackboard faculty training and encourage faculty to use Blackboard? . Annual Proceedings-Orlando, 1, 1, 130–134. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED499958.pdf
  • Comas-Quinn, A. (2011). Learning to teach online or learning to become an online teacher: An exploration of teachers’ experiences in a blended learning course. ReCALL Journal, 23(3), 218-232.
  • Corbin, J. M., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria. Qualitative sociology, 13(1), 3-21.
  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.
  • Desk, W. (2020). Coronavirus outbreak: Saudi Arabia closes schools and universities. https://www.geo.tv/latest/276467-coronavirus-outbreak-saudi-arabia-closes-schools-and-universities
  • D’Silva, R., & Reeder, K. (2005). Factors that influence faculty members’ uptake and continued use of course management systems. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2005.00578.
  • Elsamanoudy, A., Al Fayz, F., & Hassanien, M. (2020). Adapting blackboard-collaborate ultra as an interactive online learning tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.4103/JMAU.JMAU_26_20
  • Ertmer, P. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., & Ross, E. M. (2001). Technology-Using Teachers. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33(5), 1-26.
  • Flaxman, S., et al. (2020). Estimating the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 in Europe. Nature, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2405-7
  • Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.
  • Hamad, M. M. (2017). Pros & Cons of Using Blackboard Collaborate for Blended Learning on Students Learning Outcomes. Higher Education Studies, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v7n2p7
  • Hauck, M., & Stickler, U. (2006). What does it take to teach online? CALICO Journal, 23(3), 463-475. Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Educause Review. https://er.educ ause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning.
  • Ja’ashan, M. M. N. (2015). Perceptions and Attitudes towards Blended Learning for English Courses: A Case Study of Students at University of Bisha. English Language Teaching, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n9p40
  • Ja’ashan, M. M. N. (2020). The Challenges and Prospects of Using E-learning among EFL Students in Bisha University. Arab World English Journal, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.11
  • Jackson, P. (1998). Focus Group Interviews as a methodology. Nurse Researcher. 6 (1), p72-84.
  • Khafaga, A. F. (2021). The perception of blackboard collaborate-based instruction by EFL majors/teachers amid COVID-19: A case study of Saudi universities. Dil ve Dilbilimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.904145
  • Lederman, D. (2020, March 18) Will shift to remote teaching be boon or bane for online learning? Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/digitallearning/ article/2020/03/18/most-teaching-going-remote-will-help-or-hurt-online-learning
  • McLafferty, I. (2004) Focus Group Interviews as a Data Collecting Strategy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 187-194.
  • Mohsen, M. A., & Shafeeq, C. P. (2014). EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on Blackboard Applications. English Language Teaching, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v7n11p108
  • Moosa, I. (2020). The effectiveness of social distancing in containing Covid-19. Applied Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2020.1789061
  • Murphy, M. P. A. 2020. “COVID-19 and Emergency eLearning: Consequences of the Securitization of Higher Education for Post-pandemic Pedagogy.” Contemporary Security Policy 41 (3): 492–505. doi:10.1080/13523260.2020.1761749.
  • Nyabawa, R. f. (2016). Technology in Learning: Blackboard Usage & Its Impact on Academic Performance; A Case for Universities in Lesotho. International Journal of Humanities and Management Sciences (IJHMS), 4(5), 455–461. http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P1216204.pdf
  • O'Reilly, M. (2005a). Active noising: The use of noises in talk, the case of onomatopoeia, abstract sounds and the functions they serve in therapy. TEXT 25 (6), 745-761.
  • Pusuluri, S., Mahasneh, A., & Alsayer, B. A. M. (2017). The Application of Blackboard in the English Courses at Al Jouf University: Perceptions of Students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0702.03
  • Sewell, M. (2008). The use of qualitative interviews in evaluation. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona.
  • Sheerah, H. A. H. (2020). Using Blended Learning to Support the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language. Arab World English Journal, 6. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.13
  • Sobaih, A. E. E., Hasanein, A. M., & Abu Elnasr, A. E. (2020). Responses to COVID-19 in Higher Education: Social Media Usage for Sustaining Formal Academic Communication in Developing Countries. Sustainability, 12(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166520
  • Uziak J, Oladiran T, Lorencowicz E, & Becker K. (2018). Students’ and Instructor’s Perspective on the use of Blackboard Platform for Delivering an Engineering Course. The Electronic Journal of E-Learning, 16(1), 1–15. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jacek-Uziak/research

Year 2022, Volume: 8 Issue: 22, 8 - 16, 07.05.2022

Mustafa Elsayed

https://doi.org/10.18769/ijasos.1068347

Abstract

References

  • Albion, P. R., & Ertmer, P. A. (2002). Beyond the foundations: The role of vision and belief in teachers’ preparation for integration of technology. TechTrends, 46(5), 34-38.
  • Al-Drees, A., Khalil, M. S., Meo, S. A., & Abdulghani, H. M. (2015). Utilization of blackboard among undergraduate medical students: Where we are from the reality? Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2014.07.002
  • Al-Maqtri, M. A. T. (2014). How Effective is E-learning in Teaching English? : A Case Study. . Journal of Education and Human Development. http://jehdnet.com/vol-3-no-2-june-2014-abstract-39-jehd
  • Almarabeh, T. (2014). Students’ Perceptions of E-learning at the University of Jordan. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (IJET), 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v9i3.3347
  • Al Meajel, T.M. and Sharadgah, T.A. (2018), “Barriers to using the blackboard system in teaching and learning: faculty perceptions”, Technology, Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 351-366, available at: www.researchgate.net/publication/312136352
  • Almekhlafy, S. S. A. (2020). Online learning of English language courses via blackboard at Saudi universities in the era of COVID-19: perception and use. PSU Research Review, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-08-2020-0026
  • Almelhi, A. M. (2021). The Role of the Blackboard LMS in EFL Course Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Investigating Attitudes and Perceptions of Faculty and Students. International Journal of English Linguistics, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v11n2p46
  • Al-Naibi, S. A., Madarsha, K. B., & Ismail, N. A. (2015). Blackboard Use by Faculty Members in the Colleges of Applied Sciences in the Sultanate of Oman. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol3.iss4.345
  • Alokluk, J. A. (2018). The Effectiveness of Blackboard System, Uses and Limitations in Information Management. Intelligent Information Management, 10(06). https://doi.org/10.4236/iim.2018.106012
  • Al Shammari, M. H. (2021). Devices and Platforms Used in Emergency Remote Learning and Teaching During Covid19: A Case of English Major Students in Saudi Arabia. Arab World English Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/covid.6
  • Al-qahtani, M. S. (2019). The Relevance of Doing Virtual Classes: A Study of Postgraduate Female Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions. Arab World English Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/efl1.14
  • Al Zumor, A. W., K. Al Refaai, I., A. Bader Eddin, E., & H. Aziz Al-Rahman, F. (2013). EFL Students’ Perceptions of a Blended Learning Environment: Advantages, Limitations and Suggestions for Improvement. English Language Teaching, 6(10). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n10p95
  • Banditvilai, C. (2016). Enhancing Students’ Language Skills through Blended Learning. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(3), 220–229. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1107134
  • Brooks, D. C. (2015). ECAR study of faculty and information technology. Research report. Louisville, CO: ECAR. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ecar
  • Chen, J. C., Dobinson, T., & Kent, S. (2020). Lecturers’ perceptions and experiences of Blackboard Collaborate as a distance learning and teaching tool via Open Universities Australia (OUA). Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 35(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2019.1688654
  • Choy, D., Xiao, J., & Iliff, J. (2005). How can technology help improve the quality of Blackboard faculty training and encourage faculty to use Blackboard? . Annual Proceedings-Orlando, 1, 1, 130–134. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED499958.pdf
  • Comas-Quinn, A. (2011). Learning to teach online or learning to become an online teacher: An exploration of teachers’ experiences in a blended learning course. ReCALL Journal, 23(3), 218-232.
  • Corbin, J. M., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria. Qualitative sociology, 13(1), 3-21.
  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.
  • Desk, W. (2020). Coronavirus outbreak: Saudi Arabia closes schools and universities. https://www.geo.tv/latest/276467-coronavirus-outbreak-saudi-arabia-closes-schools-and-universities
  • D’Silva, R., & Reeder, K. (2005). Factors that influence faculty members’ uptake and continued use of course management systems. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2005.00578.
  • Elsamanoudy, A., Al Fayz, F., & Hassanien, M. (2020). Adapting blackboard-collaborate ultra as an interactive online learning tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.4103/JMAU.JMAU_26_20
  • Ertmer, P. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., & Ross, E. M. (2001). Technology-Using Teachers. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33(5), 1-26.
  • Flaxman, S., et al. (2020). Estimating the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 in Europe. Nature, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2405-7
  • Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.
  • Hamad, M. M. (2017). Pros & Cons of Using Blackboard Collaborate for Blended Learning on Students Learning Outcomes. Higher Education Studies, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v7n2p7
  • Hauck, M., & Stickler, U. (2006). What does it take to teach online? CALICO Journal, 23(3), 463-475. Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Educause Review. https://er.educ ause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning.
  • Ja’ashan, M. M. N. (2015). Perceptions and Attitudes towards Blended Learning for English Courses: A Case Study of Students at University of Bisha. English Language Teaching, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n9p40
  • Ja’ashan, M. M. N. (2020). The Challenges and Prospects of Using E-learning among EFL Students in Bisha University. Arab World English Journal, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.11
  • Jackson, P. (1998). Focus Group Interviews as a methodology. Nurse Researcher. 6 (1), p72-84.
  • Khafaga, A. F. (2021). The perception of blackboard collaborate-based instruction by EFL majors/teachers amid COVID-19: A case study of Saudi universities. Dil ve Dilbilimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.17263/jlls.904145
  • Lederman, D. (2020, March 18) Will shift to remote teaching be boon or bane for online learning? Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/digitallearning/ article/2020/03/18/most-teaching-going-remote-will-help-or-hurt-online-learning
  • McLafferty, I. (2004) Focus Group Interviews as a Data Collecting Strategy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 187-194.
  • Mohsen, M. A., & Shafeeq, C. P. (2014). EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on Blackboard Applications. English Language Teaching, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v7n11p108
  • Moosa, I. (2020). The effectiveness of social distancing in containing Covid-19. Applied Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2020.1789061
  • Murphy, M. P. A. 2020. “COVID-19 and Emergency eLearning: Consequences of the Securitization of Higher Education for Post-pandemic Pedagogy.” Contemporary Security Policy 41 (3): 492–505. doi:10.1080/13523260.2020.1761749.
  • Nyabawa, R. f. (2016). Technology in Learning: Blackboard Usage & Its Impact on Academic Performance; A Case for Universities in Lesotho. International Journal of Humanities and Management Sciences (IJHMS), 4(5), 455–461. http://www.isaet.org/images/extraimages/P1216204.pdf
  • O'Reilly, M. (2005a). Active noising: The use of noises in talk, the case of onomatopoeia, abstract sounds and the functions they serve in therapy. TEXT 25 (6), 745-761.
  • Pusuluri, S., Mahasneh, A., & Alsayer, B. A. M. (2017). The Application of Blackboard in the English Courses at Al Jouf University: Perceptions of Students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0702.03
  • Sewell, M. (2008). The use of qualitative interviews in evaluation. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona.
  • Sheerah, H. A. H. (2020). Using Blended Learning to Support the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language. Arab World English Journal, 6. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.13
  • Sobaih, A. E. E., Hasanein, A. M., & Abu Elnasr, A. E. (2020). Responses to COVID-19 in Higher Education: Social Media Usage for Sustaining Formal Academic Communication in Developing Countries. Sustainability, 12(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166520
  • Uziak J, Oladiran T, Lorencowicz E, & Becker K. (2018). Students’ and Instructor’s Perspective on the use of Blackboard Platform for Delivering an Engineering Course. The Electronic Journal of E-Learning, 16(1), 1–15. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jacek-Uziak/research
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Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Mustafa Elsayed

Publication Date May 7, 2022
Submission Date February 4, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2022Volume: 8 Issue: 22

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EndNote Elsayed M (May 1, 2022) INVESTIGATING QASSIM UNIVERSITY EFL INTENSIVE COURSE PROGRAM INSTRUCTORS’ PERSPECTIVES TOWARDS UTILIZING BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE AS AN EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING TOOL DURING THE 2020–2021 COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IJASOS- International E-journal of Advances in Social Sciences 8 22 8–16.
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