This study investigated the reactions of Saudi college students to collaborative learning techniques introduced in two modalities: face-to-face and web-based. Quantitative data were collected with a questionnaire that examined the changes of three constructs: attitudes toward collaboration, social self-efficacy, and perceived peer academic support of composition students at Umm Alqura University, Saudi Arabia. Students in the experimental group collaborated electronically using Blackboard, a web-based environment while students in the control group collaborated face-to-face. Students' responses to the questionnaire did not show any significant differences between the experimental group and control group with respect to the three variables.Three factors might have led to such results. First, one of the scales used in the questionnaire had low reliability that could have affected its procedure implementation. Second, collaborative learning is a new technique to Saudi students that could have contradicted the learning styles they studied according to since elementary school. Third, there were technical obstacles experienced during the experiment (i.e. no enough computer labs and no full access to the Internet) that could have been a discouraging factor for the subjects.Qualitative data collected through a post-study survey reflected the participants' positive attitudes towards peer response techniques applied throughout the experiment, giving and receiving comments, and working with computers. Such positive attitudes reflect the need to update composition teaching methods, introduce process-oriented pedagogies, foster group work strategies, and develop more computer resources and networking facilities. / Department of English
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/174798 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Alqurashi, Fahad |
| Contributors | Stahlke, Herbert |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vii, 91 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | a-su--- |
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