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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 10
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.910.13315. AlMutairi, A., Alharbi, O., & AlFaisal, H. A. (2022). Continuing Professional Development Training Related to the Use of Technology
in Education in Saudi Universities: Literature Review. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(10). 479-485.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Continuing Professional Development Training Related to the
Use of Technology in Education in Saudi Universities: Literature
Review
Awatif AlMutairi
College of Applied Studies and Community Service
King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia- PhD researcher, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Omran Alharbi
Ministry of education, Saudi Arabia- researcher, KSA
Hailah Abdulaziz AlFaisal
Queens University, Belfast, UK
ABSRACT
The CPD in regarding to E-Learning tools for educators and its role as an important
element to develop and improve faculty members skills in adopting technology in
education. As a result, the ministry of education in Saudi Arabia has made a huge
effort to provide intensive training for educators in public schools and in
universities. This paper aims to provide an overview of the CPD in Saudi education
environment and presents its importance for improving educators’ skills’
especially, related to the adoption of technology in teaching and learning process.
The results indicated that there were insufficient training courses for educators in
related tot the integration of E-Learning strategies in education. The paper
recommendations are that Saudi universities should provide adequate training
which based on teachers’ requirements and needs.
Key Words: Continuing Professional, CPD, Saudi, Technology and training.
INTRODUCTION
Professional development couniting training play an essential role in terms developing
educators’ skills to adopt and integrate latest technology in teaching techniques (Alharbi and
Lally,2017; Alharbi et all,2017). Moreover, Alharbi and Lally recommended that the quality of
teaching and learning process can be affected by the CPD. In addition to this, educators’
technical skills’ should be improved by CPD as many universities have provided teaching and
learning remotely( Alharbi,2020). Many Saudi universities struggle to provide intensive
training courses to their academic staff in order to employ e-learning tools an effective way in
education process. As a result, this paper aimed to review the literature in order to provide a
comprehensive understanding about the CPD in Saudi institutions in order to help them to
improve and develop the workshops that offer to their academic staff.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 10, October-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
RESEARCH AIM
The primary goal of this study is to provide the comprehensive understanding of the current
state of the CPD in Saudi academic environment based on the review the literature.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This section will demonstrate an essential information of the CPD in employing E-Learning
tools in education environment in general and in Saudi context based on the literature review.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD is considered to be the key factor for successful teaching in any institution ( Islam, Beer
and Slack, 2015). If CPD is effectively implemented, it can ensure that teachers’ training needs
are met and that they benefit from the latest skills and knowledge. On the other hand, poorly
led CPD can leave teachers feeling frustrated and unable to achieve their full potential (
Zershkian et al., 2019). It is important therefore to consult with teachers to discover their
perceptions of, and satisfaction with, the CPD that they are offered. This is particularly
important when any change is being introduced into the classroom such as eLearning (Gillies,
2004). Teachers will obviously play a primary role in the implementation of any changes, and
to do so they must be equipped with the necessary skills through training. If properly trained
on any proposed changes or new systems, they will be more likely to accept them and to feel
positively about the introduction of new methods (Roux and Ferreira, 2005).
The issue of a lack of effective training is reported by many researchers. Management may think
that they have sent teachers on an ICT course and that they are therefore fully trained on how
to incorporate ICT into classroom activities and their teaching. However, Lee (1997) points out
that teachers who now might be classed as ‘old’ were not expected to have ICT skills when they
underwent their teacher training, so this did not form part of their assessment. Cunningham et
al. (2003) highlighted the fact that simply giving teachers a laptop is not sufficient to ensure
effective use of ICT. They need to be provided with appropriate training, not only on the laptop
itself, but also on how to use eLearning tools, such as an interactive whiteboard. Preston et al.
(2000) found that a common reason for teachers not using ICT was technical faults; thus, they
recommended that teachers be given training on particular ICT skills, such as how to correct
basic technical problems. The study also found that teachers who were relatively new to ICT
preferred to be taught the basic ICT skills before they received training on how to use ICT in
their pedagogy. One of the main barriers towards the integration of ICT into learning was
reported by Johnson et al. (2015) as being the lack of compatibility between the training
provided to staff and the software and hardware that is available to them. Keengwe et al. (2008)
also highlighted the importance of high-quality and comprehensive training programmes for
faculty staff on the successful integration of new technologies. A study was conducted among
faculty members and administrators at HEIs in British Colombia and Canada by Mitchell and
Geva-May (2009), who aimed to explore the participants’ attitudes towards online learning and
how this affected its implementation. The authors interviewed 39 participants and received
382 completed questionnaires. The majority (70%) had received training on the use of
technology, but they commented that the courses needed more emphasis on instructional
design in order to improve their online learning skills. Jackson and Fearon (2014) also found
that academics complained that training sessions did not have a high enough practical element;
other complaints included the fact that training courses were uninspiring or rushed, and did
not improve their levels of confidence, which actually formed barriers to learning more about
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AlMutairi, A., Alharbi, O., & AlFaisal, H. A. (2022). Continuing Professional Development Training Related to the Use of Technology in Education in
Saudi Universities: Literature Review. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(10). 479-485.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.910.13315
the use of technology in teaching. Zershkian et al. (2019) stated that the CPD provided to the
participants should include technical and practical training, and should be flexible and based
on the educators’ needs. Azlim, Husain, Hussin, and Maksom (2014) conducted a study in
Malaysian public universities with a sample of 93 educators. The study’s aim was to determine
the use of LMSs in teaching. A questionnaire was used for collecting the data, and the results
showed that a low proportion of educators utilised an LMS, mainly due to a lack of training on
using LMS functions. Furthermore, Fathema, Shannon, and Ross (2015) indicated that a lack of
training limited the adoption of LMSs in teaching.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) IN SAUDI ARABIA
As in many other countries, Saudi Arabia has recently implemented ICT into higher education
with the aim of providing an attractive environment that will facilitate successful learning. In
order for this implementation to be successful, however, staff and students must be offered CPD
on the technology introduced ( Algahtani, 2017). Elmahdi, Muammar, and Al-Hattami (2015),
Algahtani (2017) and Almulhem (2013) advise that more training is needed on educational
technology. Many research studies have concluded that a principle barrier to the
implementation of ICT in Saudi Arabian educational institutions is the lack of training
(Mirzajani, Mahmud, Ayub, and Wong, 2015; Algahtani, 2017). Many educators possess limited
ICT and internet knowledge and skills (Al-Harbi, 2014; Alshammari, 2015). This is illustrated
in the study by Al-Shammari in 2016, which aimed to explore the perceptions of 375 male
academics employed in four universities in Saudi Arabia, to assess how effectively eLearning
skills were being implemented. The data were gathered through a questionnaire and
interviews. The main challenge reported by the members of staff regarding the implementation
of eLearning was insufficient training on how to utilise eLearning techniques.
According to Al-Harbi (2011), in Saudi Arabia, professional development training is still very
much at the early stages and remains limited in educational contexts. In Saudi Arabian
institutions, responsibility for the training and development of academic staff lies with the
Deanships for Academic Development and the Deanships of eLearning. For example, in South
University and North University, the Deanship of eLearning is responsible for training academic
staff and learners on using eLearning tools in their teaching and learning processes. Teacher
training programmes may be either pre-service or in-service. A study by Algarfi (2005)
reported that some graduates evaluated their pre-service training programmes as being out of
date and inadequate. Similarly, some studies have found in-service training programmes to be
insufficient in terms of their structure and content and the way that they are managed
(Alsharari 2010; Altrjmi, 2010). These studies have commented on the failure to develop
strategic plans for the enhancement of teachers’ skills and knowledge. The study by Alghonaim
(2005) was conducted at Buridah University and it investigated the teaching staff’s and
administrators’ attitudes towards the implementation of eLearning. One of the major barriers
reported by the participants was the lack of training on how to use or administer online
teaching effectively. In addition, Alebaikan and Troudi (2010) found that a lack of training led
to a very limited use of LMSs. Algahtani (2017) suggested that it is particularly important for
university instructors based in developing countries to receive training on incorporating their
LMS into their teaching and to learn about the features and tools included in the LMS.
The study conducted by Alshehri (2005) at the Institute of Public Administration in Saudi
Arabia aimed to discover the significant factors that assist the employment of online teaching.