The utilisation of technology in teaching the Arabic language in secondary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study is about the availability and utilisation of educational technology by Arabic language teachers in secondary schools in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There is a paucity of empirical evidence about the supply of educational technology in secondary schools, and little knowledge at present about whether the technology that is available is in fact being utilised. As such, this thesis aims to provide knowledge that will improve understanding of the current usage of technology, as well as obstacles to its use by secondary school teachers. This study is geographically focused on Riyadh because it is Saudi Arabia's most populous city. It focuses on male secondary school teachers because sex segregation in Saudi Arabia made the investigation of female teachers difficult. It attends to Arabic language teachers because this cohort of teachers has been studied little in the literature. Two types of methodology "" qualitative and quantitative "" were used in the investigation of educational technology utilisation in secondary schools of Riyadh among Arabic language teachers. The quantitative methodology involved using an extensive questionnaire administered to 100 Arabic language teachers drawn from 40 secondary schools in Riyadh. The qualitative methodology involved interviews conducted with eight respondents to the questionnaire. The key original findings of the research were that modern educational technology was available in schools to a greater extent than much old technology, however, was not matched by utilisation in the classroom. It was found that teachers used modern technology in their personal lives more so than in their professional lives. Findings indicate that teachers were motivated by several external factors in their potential utilisation patterns and have the desire to utilise modern educational technologies in schools, but they were encountered by many barriers such as lack of coordination, lack of training, lack of technical support and unsuitable modern educational technologies infrastructure in the schools. Generally, this study provides new information that is necessary for better assessment how to integrate modern educational technology into secondary schools of Riyadh.

Date of Award	2014
Original language	English