AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF E-LEARNING STAKEHOLDERS’ EXPERIENCES OF DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING, AND ENHANCING E-COURSES IN ONE SAUDI UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The use of e-learning technologies is gaining momentum in all educational institutions of the world, including Saudi universities. In the e-learning context, there is a growing need and concern among Saudi universities to improve and enhance quality assurance for e-learning systems. Practicing quality assurance activities and applying quality standards in e-learning in Saudi universities is thought to reduce the negative viewpoints of some stakeholders and ensure stakeholders’ satisfaction and needs.

As a contribution to improving the quality of e-learning method in Saudi universities, the main purpose of this study is to explore and investigate strategies for the development of quality assurance in e-learning in King Khalid University (KKU) in Saudi Arabia, which is considered a good reference university using best and ongoing practices in e-learning systems among Saudi universities. In order to ensure the quality of its e-learning methods, KKU has adopted Quality Matters Standards as a controlling guide for the quality of its blended and full e-course electronic courses. Furthermore, quality assurance can be further improved, if a variety of perspectives are taken into consideration from comprehensive viewpoints of faculty members, administrative staff, and students.

This qualitative research involved the use of different types of interviews, as well as documents that contain data related to e-learning methods in the KKU environment. This exploratory case study was undertaken, from the perspectives of various participants, to understand the
phenomenon of quality assurance using an inductive technique. The purposive sample
comprises a total of 30 female and male participants to answer the research questions and provide robust information in terms of how the quality of e-learning development has been met in the KKU environment. The thematic analysis method developed by (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was carried out to analyse the data from the interviews and documents.

The results revealed six main supportive factors that assist in ensuring the quality of e-learning in the KKU environment. Essentially, these factors are: institutional support, faculty member support, evaluation of faculty, quality of e-course design, technology support, and student support, which together have a remarkable positive effect on quality, forming intrinsic columns, connected by bricks leading to quality e-learning. In addition, in the course of improving e-learning quality, KKU encountered various challenges, some of which were overcome while others were not. Generally, Quality Matters standards are considered to have a strong impact on improving faculty members' skills and on the development of high-quality blended and full e-courses. It is, therefore, the recommendations and implications of the present study that quality assurance practices in e-learning methods can be enhanced and that future researches might shed more light on these recommendations.