The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: This study was designed to explore the perceptions of Arabic language teachers and leaders on their students’ experience with digital learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in three high-performing private schools in Dubai. Methodology: The study adopted a mixed-method approach that utili...

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Main Author: Ghozlan, Abdelfatah (author)
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/1816
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author Ghozlan, Abdelfatah
author_facet Ghozlan, Abdelfatah
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ghozlan, Abdelfatah
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020-12
2021-02-23T11:18:01Z
2021-02-23T11:18:01Z
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv Ghozlan, A. (2020). The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dubai: The British University in Dubai.
20181850
https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/1816
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv COVID-19 pandemic
digital learning
distance learning
ISTE standards for students
diffusion of innovation
design thinking
connectivism
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Arabic language teachers
students’ experience
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Dissertation
description Background: This study was designed to explore the perceptions of Arabic language teachers and leaders on their students’ experience with digital learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in three high-performing private schools in Dubai. Methodology: The study adopted a mixed-method approach that utilized a quantitative-qualitative questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for data collection as well as document analysis. Results: Analysis of the questionnaire findings revealed that Arabic teachers shared considerably positive perceptions towards their students’ engagement in digital learning against four of the seven standards of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), namely Empowered learner, Digital citizen, Creative Communicator and Knowledge Constructor. These findings were supported by data obtained from interviews with their Arabic leaders who adapted flexible leadership approaches to facilitate the achievement of these outcomes. However, the Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker and Global Collaborator standards showed less frequency of application by students from the perspective of their teachers and leaders. Despite notable attempts, results indicated that the latter three standards were not substantially reflected in practice before the pandemic, but intensive exposure to digital learning during school closure predicted promising potential for these schools to meet international standards in a relatively short period of time. This remarkable performance of the participating schools can be used as a benchmark for other schools aspiring to unlock the potential of technology in their learners. Therefore, this study analysed the UAE’s Distance Learning Evaluation Tool. Data obtained from this document analysis, along with findings from the questionnaire and interviews, were used to inform the development of Reality-Based Assessment Criteria for digital learning. These criteria were recommended for consideration as a precursor transitional step towards a more sustainable assessment of digital learning. Recommendations: The study recommends practitioners view the ISTE Standards from a progressive and incremental perspective rather than a discrete one. This is because teachers’ responses rated these standards according to the complexity of skills involved in each standard. It also recommends that future research initiatives may conduct predictive analytics of teachers and students’ digital learning aptitudes to envision technology integration after the pandemic.
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identifier_str_mv Ghozlan, A. (2020). The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dubai: The British University in Dubai.
20181850
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str budr
network_name_str The British University in Dubai repository
oai_identifier_str oai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/1816
publishDate 2020
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
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spelling The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 PandemicGhozlan, AbdelfatahCOVID-19 pandemicdigital learningdistance learningISTE standards for studentsdiffusion of innovationdesign thinkingconnectivismUnited Arab Emirates (UAE)Arabic language teachersstudents’ experienceBackground: This study was designed to explore the perceptions of Arabic language teachers and leaders on their students’ experience with digital learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in three high-performing private schools in Dubai. Methodology: The study adopted a mixed-method approach that utilized a quantitative-qualitative questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for data collection as well as document analysis. Results: Analysis of the questionnaire findings revealed that Arabic teachers shared considerably positive perceptions towards their students’ engagement in digital learning against four of the seven standards of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), namely Empowered learner, Digital citizen, Creative Communicator and Knowledge Constructor. These findings were supported by data obtained from interviews with their Arabic leaders who adapted flexible leadership approaches to facilitate the achievement of these outcomes. However, the Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker and Global Collaborator standards showed less frequency of application by students from the perspective of their teachers and leaders. Despite notable attempts, results indicated that the latter three standards were not substantially reflected in practice before the pandemic, but intensive exposure to digital learning during school closure predicted promising potential for these schools to meet international standards in a relatively short period of time. This remarkable performance of the participating schools can be used as a benchmark for other schools aspiring to unlock the potential of technology in their learners. Therefore, this study analysed the UAE’s Distance Learning Evaluation Tool. Data obtained from this document analysis, along with findings from the questionnaire and interviews, were used to inform the development of Reality-Based Assessment Criteria for digital learning. These criteria were recommended for consideration as a precursor transitional step towards a more sustainable assessment of digital learning. Recommendations: The study recommends practitioners view the ISTE Standards from a progressive and incremental perspective rather than a discrete one. This is because teachers’ responses rated these standards according to the complexity of skills involved in each standard. It also recommends that future research initiatives may conduct predictive analytics of teachers and students’ digital learning aptitudes to envision technology integration after the pandemic.The British University in Dubai (BUiD)2021-02-23T11:18:01Z2021-02-23T11:18:01Z2020-12Dissertationapplication/pdfGhozlan, A. (2020). The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dubai: The British University in Dubai.20181850https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/1816enoai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/18162021-09-09T12:49:45Z
spellingShingle The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ghozlan, Abdelfatah
COVID-19 pandemic
digital learning
distance learning
ISTE standards for students
diffusion of innovation
design thinking
connectivism
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Arabic language teachers
students’ experience
title The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_fullStr The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_short The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_sort The Perceptions of Arabic Language Teachers and Leaders on Student Experience with Digital Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
topic COVID-19 pandemic
digital learning
distance learning
ISTE standards for students
diffusion of innovation
design thinking
connectivism
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Arabic language teachers
students’ experience
url https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/1816