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Smart GxP inspections have gained increasing attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which, understandably, made it challenging for regulatory authorities to conduct on-site inspections. Smart GxP inspections are an oversight approach developed by the SFDA to enable remote compliance assessments of establishments. In this type of inspection, appropriate technical methods and tools (such as livestreaming video) are used without requiring the presence of inspectors onsite, ensuring efficient utilization of resources and the efficiency of inspection process. The objective of this research is to examine and document the shared encounters involving remote inspections and evaluations carried out by SFDA from 2020 to 2022. This will be achieved through the evaluation of the accuracy of document evaluation and the extent to which the objectives of smart GxP inspections were met. Data were collected from local and international smart inspections reports conducted by SFDA between 2020 and 2022, covering medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturing sites, warehouses, accreditation offices, scientific offices, and food manufacturing facilities. The results indicate that smart GxP inspections were effective in achieving visit objectives, showing a high degree of document evaluation accuracy. The findings of this study support the use of smart GxP inspections as a valuable alternative to on-site inspections, offering a practical solution to regulatory compliance during the pandemic and beyond. Although the SFDA recognizes the usefulness of smart inspections in upholding regulatory oversight in the face of various challenges, it does not endorse the complete replacement of conventional on-site inspection methods. The SFDA acknowledges significant limitations associated with the current technological resources used in remote regulatory assessments, and these limitations will be explored in the relevant sections., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Drug Information Association, Inc.)

For ages, teaching and learning face-to-face has been very popular and considered the best way to achieve knowledge and accomplish academic activities. However, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, where on the one side, the whole world was searching for a solution to cope with the situation on the other side online learning demonstrated a substantial alternative. The present paper aimed to investigate the teachers and students' perceptions of the emergency online learning process, especially for intensive English writing courses. The study is descriptive using the qualitative research methodology. The two focus groups (teacher and student) are interviewed, consisting of 42 participants, asking open-ended questions mainly about the benefits and challenges of the writing course during the Pandemic. The paper ends with the teachers and students' positive response that indicates the thrilled and jubilant welcome of the synchronized online/virtual learning in the latest situation that emerged due to the Pandemic. Eventually, the study discussed the quality assurance efforts, particularly towards the spontaneous conduction of lectures infused with motivation, responsibility, discipline, and flexibility offered without any interruption. The Internet proved a great learning tool in assuring many resources.

The study aims to understand the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopts the PRISMA approach to screening the selection of journal articles and review papers according to the research aims and the inclusion criteria. The journal articles and review papers were extracted and stored in Microsoft Excel and Google Scholar, Academic. Microsoft, Semantic Scholar, Elsevier, and Emerald Insight databases searched relevant documents using formulated keywords. A statistical technique was applied using the M.S. Excel analysis tool (PivotTable and an independent t-Test) to analyze data and determine the differences between teachers and students. The review revealed the evidence that the majority of the studies were primarily focused on the individual developing countries and results from other developing countries were not considered. In addition, the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate skills and training, inadequate Internet/Infrastructure, lack of supporting resources and lack of online student engagement and feedback. Finally, the independent t-test reveals there is no statistically significant difference in challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teachers and students encounter similar challenges. The systematic review raised concerns that higher learning needs to effectively implement long term strategies and support teachers and students in getting into online teaching and learning.

This paper presents the findings from a study conducted to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures on the wellbeing of gifted students and their attitudes towards online (distance) learning. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances on the parents of gifted children was also explored in this study. Data collection was via semi-structured interviews with gifted students (n = 25) and parents of gifted students (n = 10). This study found that school closures and home isolation resulted in gifted students and their parents experienced a heightened sense of burdened and an increase in the tension within the family. Additionally, changes in the psychological wellbeing of the gifted students were observed. COVID-19 has had a significant disruptive effect on the routines of gifted students, restricting their capacity to move freely and causing them to experience adverse outcomes including sleeping difficulties, loneliness, lack of motivation, and a sense of helplessness. Gifted students also reported generally negative attitude towards online learning, describing it as inadequate, inefficient, and limited in its opportunities to promote student interaction and discussion. This paper also includes suggestions on how support for gifted students can be improved to help them to achieve to their potential both during and after the pandemic.

Though considerable research has been reported on COVID-19-related distance education, some dimensions of remote foreign language teaching experiences during the pandemic crisis remain to be explored. The study reported in this paper investigated Saudi university foreign language teachers' accumulated experiences and reflective beliefs of emergency remote instruction. The study focused specifically on: (a) the general educational challenges the teachers encountered and their attempts to overcome them; (b) the teachers' perceived difficulties in remotely teaching and assessing foreign language areas and their strategies for coping with them; and (c) their reflective evaluation of remote foreign language teaching after doing it for three academic terms. Questionnaire data was collected from 112 teachers of Arabic and English as foreign languages, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 teachers. The analysis of both data types showed that the participants had a number of general educational and language-teaching-specific challenges in their COVID-19-related remote teaching. The teachers generally viewed the remote assessment of language areas is a more challenging task than teaching them. Reading was rated as the least difficult language area to teach and assess remotely, whereas writing was the most difficult one. The teachers reported using various coping strategies to overcome the educational and language teaching-specific challenges. They perceived their remote teaching experiences positively, but reported their needs for further training in developing better online assessment methods, using different teaching platforms and technological tools, and managing classroom interactions. The paper ends by discussing the results of the study and their implications.

This paper investigates the perception of using Blackboard Collaborate-based Instruction (BCI) by Saudi EFL majors and teachers during the crisis of COVID-19 pandemic. The paper's main objective is to explore the extent to which modern technologies contribute to the process of teaching and learning English at Saudi universities. This is conducted by probing the benefits and challenges of using Blackboard Collaborate as a digital platform through which the different university courses are taught. The study, therefore, seeks to highlight the role of a computerbased instruction, by shedding light on the opportunities and challenges of incorporating latest technologies into the pedagogy of learning and teaching English as a foreign language in the Saudi universities. Two methodological instruments are used to collect data: the first is electronic questionnaires to test both students' and teachers' attitudinal perception towards the use of Blackboard in the learning/teaching process; and the second is an interview conducted with 29 staff members affiliated to 5 different Saudi universities concerning the use of Blackboard as a digital platform of teaching various university courses. Results reveal that despite the challenges that encounter both students and teachers in managing the process of learning and teaching via Blackboard Collaborate amid COVID-19, which are ascribed to some technical and academic reasons, this digital platform proves useful and conductive to better learning outcomes as it offers a bendable learning environment through which participants can flexibly manage their learning, both synchronously and asynchronously, by attending their classes, accessing their courses materials, participating in discussions, and sitting for examinations.

This rapid systematic review aims to examine emerging evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on educational institutions and assess the prevalence of e-learning changes in the sector. This paper reviews literature on learning, teaching, and assessment approaches adopted since the COVID-19 outbreak, and assesses the impact on the sector, staff, and students, summarizing findings from peer-reviewed articles. It categorizes these into five key themes: (1) digital learning; (2) e-learning challenges; (3) digital transition to emergency virtual assessment (EVA); (4) psychological impact of COVID-19; and (5) creating collaborative cultures. This represents the first systematic review of COVID-19's impact on education, clarifying current themes being investigated. The author suggests that the term 'emergency virtual assessment' (EVA) is now added for future research discussion. Finally, the paper identifies research gaps, including researching the impact on lesser developed countries, the psychological impact of transition, and the important role of leadership and leadership styles during the transition and handling of the pandemic.

This paper explores the thesis of de-globalisation in relation to international education. Through interrogating accounts of international school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, the tension between international expectations and localised realities is charted, with four central tenets of internationalism undermined by the pandemic experience. It is argued that the COVID-19 crisis, ostensibly a single global event, resulted in the fractalisation of international education; the conceptualisation of unified internationalism was undermined by the inherently localised material effects of the pandemic. In place of an internationalism that is unified, transcendent, inclusive and connected, international school leaders' accounts of leading through the pandemic focused on their sense that their schools were fractured, rooted, privileged and isolated. It is suggested that this international crisis demonstrates the precarious nature of the respatialising of the global that is intrinsic to international schooling.

The lasting effects of COVID-19 on education are not yet fully understood. However, many studies have reported on how educationalists and students have responded to the transition from the traditional classrooms to an emergency remote learning and teaching. Prominent researchers in the field strongly argue that teachers' contexts exert a critical role in influencing teachers' resilience. There are fewer studies that targeted resilience during COVID-19. Research into resilience in education is relatively new, approximately 10-15 years old. A global compilation of emergency remote education was conducted in 2020. This paper draws on the 2020 research compilation, and further shares its findings through a resilience lens. The study was conducted at a Saudi Arabian university and employed a mixed-method research approach. This paper reports on the qualitative findings only. Findings from this study have shown that gender inequity may be the contributing factor that female educators experienced. They experienced challenges in terms of personal resources and internal processes; however, despite these setbacks, teachers have adapted and coped regardless of material challenges.

The development and use of online and e-learning system in many colleges are now the greatest obstacles in the field of EFL, but ones that are necessitated given the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Blackboard, e-learning has other useful avenues to use in EFL till the time that the pandemic is over. However, the success of e-learning platforms in EFL relies on an understanding of the dynamics of the application and the main problems affecting current e-learning programs. Teachers and learners of EFL in KSA are only now recognizing the problems and variables, whose resolution alone can ensure success of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and later as an expanding horizon in foreign language learning. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to examine the major challenges posed by current e-learning systems and the key explanations for the usage of elearning in EFL in the current circumstances. The paper used the thematic research interview approach using the NVivo development model. This was an interview with 30 EFL students and 31 e-learning specialists at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia. The study results offer valuable advice for policymakers, programmers, content creators, academicans and EFL learners in identifying the key aspects of e-learning use during the COVID-19 pandemic in KSA.

The current global health crisis is unprecedented in modern times. It has killed numerous people, caused great suffering, and turned many people's lives upside down. This study seeks to investigate the role of some pollutants and the meteorological parameters in the transmission of the virus (SARS-CoV-2). The number of infections identified in Saudi Arabia, a country with a hot climate, was studied for a period between March 9, 2020 and November 19, 2020, which was characterized by a single wave with a peak of 4,919 cases on June 17, 2020. Based on count data models, we observed that air pollution and meteorological parameters considerably influenced the daily evolution of infections in most affected cities of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Makkah) where the prevalence of the disease was relatively high during summer 2020. Our study suggests that air pollution could be a significant risk factor for respiratory infections and virus transmission. On the other hand, meteorological factors and high concentration of air pollutants should be taken into account by public decision-makers in Saudi Arabia when seeking to limit COVID-19 transmission., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The purpose of this study is to suggest priorities for reorienting traditional institutions of higher education (IHE) toward online teaching and learning beyond the COVID-19 experience. This research applied the qualitative research method. Data collection sources included both a systematic literature review relating to how COVID-19 informed online distance learning across the globe and an analysis of circulars germane to the pandemic that were issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Saudi Arabia and by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU). Guided by those two types of data, that is, review of the literature in general and the MOE and PSAU circulars in particular, and also illuminated by their own experiences of online teaching during the lockdown, the researchers were able to put forward those priorities. For the systematic review of the literature, five steps were performed: (1) identifying search terms and developing and applying a search strategy; (2) screening the obtained research papers, removing duplicates and papers outside the focal point, and establishing inclusion/exclusion criteria; (3) assessing the research papers against the inclusion/exclusion criteria; (4) data extraction; and (5) data synthesis. Although this article does not suggest traditional IHE should go entirely digital, it highlights the need for IHE to ensure access to online learning content, develop more partnerships with community, develop online self-study skills, get students to shift from passive to active learning, and a need to reconsider current e-assessment. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need to provide additional support for faculty members, how university buildings should be gradually reopened, controlling factors influencing online learning outcomes, and addressing the issue of dropouts in IHE. Finally, the study underlines the need to add further emphasis to the importance of integrating blended learning in the university curriculum and navigating toward developing global distance learning programs.

The recent pandemic has forced the educational sector to unwillingly reform its strategies by compelling it to embrace technology as the savior of the educational process. COVID-19 has adversely affected this sector by forcing a halt to all face-to-face learning in educational institutes, which led to dependence solely on online education and adopting strategies fit solely to distant learning. Thus, this paper has focused on the English language learning strategies adopted during COVID-19. Moreover, this research aims to provide the latest information about online teaching strategies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic by English language instructors in Asia, especially in Middle Eastern countries. This study is qualitative in nature and utilizes the systematic literature review approach. The data for this research was gathered from renowned databases to maintain reliability. The results highlighted that among many strategies, three are most important in teaching the English language during COVID-19, first is collaborative learning (i.e., breakout classes, cloud-based collaboration), the second is flipped classroom, and the final is scaffolding. In the end, the study concluded with the recommendation as the findings of this research can help policymakers and educationists in developing effective or efficient strategies for tackling tough situations or pandemics.

The purpose of this study was to look at factors that might influence whether or not academics will use e-learning during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The goal of this paper is to look into the effect of perceived interaction, educational materials, playfulness, perceived enjoyment, self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use on students' attitudes toward and intentions to use e-learning in Saudi Arabia higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the indirect impact of student satisfaction with their actual use of e-learning. The research model was evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM) and route analysis, which were based on e-learning user data collected through a survey. Student happiness and desire to use e-learning both had a beneficial impact on actual use, according to the statistics. During the COVID-19 epidemic, perceived interaction and self-efficacy were shown to be the most important factors influencing perceived usefulness and ease of use, which affected students' intentions and satisfaction with e-learning. The study's participants were e-learning users from a government university in Saudi Arabia. Previous studies on e-learning in developing nations have seldom taken a holistic approach. This paper also aims to include a literature review of recent published studies in the field of e-learning usage during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This paper reports on a study conducted by college students at a private university in Saudi Arabia. The research examines the online learning experiences of their peers during the first wave of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Many assumptions exist about online learning and its impact in higher education, but these are mainly based on the views of instructors and leaders of institutions. Hitherto, the perspectives of those meant to be beneficiaries of digital technologies have been given little consideration even though students use cyberspace for academic work and beyond. To address this silence, a group of student-researchers conducted a case study to examine students' views of cyberlearning. The research used a qualitative analysis approach to address the following questions: (1) What were the cyberlearning experiences of students at our university during the first two semesters of lockdown? (2) What are students' understandings of cyberlearning? (3) What are their aspirations for cyberlearning? Data were collected through an online survey administered to the entire student body at the university. Responses were received from 3574 students. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The research participants perceive cyberlearning to be the same as online learning and see it as a viable educational option. They reported that the dominant mode of instruction in online classrooms is instructors delivering information. Respondents also highlighted the need for improved online teaching pedagogies and curbing academic dishonesty in online classrooms. Students' aspirations for cyberlearning were clearly articulated. Respondents suggested that increasing online learning opportunities would have a positive impact on their academic progress. Through this research students demonstrate a sense of agency and provide opportunities for equity strategies at their university. The results show that serious attempts should be made to include cyberlearning as part of everyday educational activity in an attempt to increase student engagement.

Since March 2020, the world has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in sudden school closures and a rapid transition from traditional face-to-face education to a new model of online learning and assessment. The present study analyzes two cohorts--primary-school EFL teachers and students' parents--regarding the perceptions they have had and the challenges they have faced when assessing young EFL learners online during COVID-19. A specific aim of the study is to identify primary-school EFL teachers' perceptions of the online methods used in assessing young EFL learners in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. The research follows a quantitative method involving a convenience-sampling method for the selection of the study's participants. A total of 34 primary-school EFL teachers and 20 parents of young learners who are studying online in primary public schools were the main participants of the study. The researcher used a survey-based method involving a five-point Likert scale to collect data from the participants. The surveys were distributed online via the social-media application WhatsApp. The statistically analyzed responses yielded two types of descriptive statistics: frequencies, and percentages. The results show that both the teachers and the parents perceived online assessments as more convenient, fun and interactive than traditional paper-based assessments. Furthermore, both the teachers and the parents associated online assessments with serious challenges, such as cheating and technical problems. And teachers held positive views of various online methods and techniques for the assessment of young EFL learners.

As a result of the coronavirus crisis and the new restrictions and mandates set by governments around the globe, many educational institutions decided to suspend in-person classes and replace them with online instruction. Universities in Saudi Arabia shifted their entire delivery of teaching to the online platform and closed their doors. This unprecedented and unexpected online transition had several consequences. The present paper examines how instructors in Saudi universities reflected on this transition and the extent to which they were ready for such an unforeseen change. The current study is significant for helping instructors rise to the challenges resulting from the wholescale and ongoing transition to online teaching and learning in the wake of COVID-19 and the subsequent suspension of face-to-face instruction. In addition, this study seeks to examine the attitudes and readiness of participants from eight universities in Saudi Arabia in the broader context. The results revealed that instructors have positive attitudes towards utilising online tools and were knowledgeable of the significant advantages of integrating online tools and content into their teaching of English language as a foreign language; however, they reported that they were not adequately prepared and that they experienced distress and suffered due to the obligation to acquire new digital skills within a very short period.

The current coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic caused a temporary halt to educational activities around the world. The abrupt and fast shift from regular face-to-face learning to fully online learning altered the students' impressions toward the Blackboard application and its use. It is important to have an in-depth analysis of the effectiveness of using the blackboard platform in developing students' skills. The current study included a review of both quantitative and qualitative papers according to their relevance to the Saudi context to get a clearer image about the use of blackboard in building up Saudi EFL learners speaking skills. The purpose of this study is to address and review the studies that investigate students' perceptions of the Blackboard program as a mere tool of learning English courses in Preparatory Year, as well as the impact of those perceptions on students' use of Blackboard. This work underlines previous literature associated with blackboard as a platform in the practice of speaking skills in the English language among Saudi English as Foreign Language (EFL) Learners. It is meant to provide an overview of how Blackboard computer and internet-based virtual class (CIBVC) is used to overcome Saudi EFL learners' difficulties in English-speaking skills and describes their speaking ability from the perspectives of accuracy, fluency, and Anxiety. This work suggests that the students' earlier knowledge of online learning via Blackboard has a positive impact on their perceptions. It also contributed to online learning of English language speaking skills and the learning via the online learning platforms' research field during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Remote online second language (L2) writing instruction, in general, and remote online L2 writing assessment, in particular, require a holistic structural approach that results in improving students' L2 writing, as well as offering an authentic and fair assessment of students' L2 writing performance. The study described in this paper employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach where the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the purpose of the research, necessitated the adoption of this research design since it can provide the basis for answering the question: What impact did full mode online teaching have on L2 education. In the survey part of the research, 241 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers working in Saudi Arabia participated in a custom-designed 30-item questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. In the qualitative part of the study, nine EFL teachers (four males and five females) participated in a semi-structured interview which lasted from thirty-five to fifty minutes. A detailed analysis of both the quantitative and qualitative primary data indicated that EFL teachers are aware of the importance of rubrics and standardized assessment procedures in awarding fair grades to students. Teachers also highlighted several important advantages of teaching online L2 writing remotely. However, the vast majority of teachers questioned the accuracy of online writing assessment, indicating the need for a more developed model for the post COVID-19 era. Recommendations included the adoption of unanimously suggested practices (by participating teachers) in teaching remote online L2 writing as well as mandating the presence of the students onsite during the sitting of the writing exams, thus providing the assurance of authenticity of students' performance in the writing exams as well as the possibility to monitor all the students while they sit the exams.

This paper studies the application of alternative instruction models such as online and blended learning to compensate for the closures of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including colleges and universities in the Middle East following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Online learning was introduced as an immediate alternative to complete academic semesters by offering courses via distance learning modes. However, the review of relevant literature, surveys, and studies showed that complete online learning does not bring the optimal results in the Arab learning settings. Surveys conducted in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other countries revealed that complete online learning proved insufficient from the viewpoint of students, parents, and educators. Blended Learning Models (BLMs) are presented as a midway between full face-to-face and online instruction modalities. This study examines the different types and models of blended learning and how they are perceived by students in different educational contexts. This study aims to set the features of developing an optimal model of blended learning and how it can be implemented in the Arab HEIs. This study provides pedagogical implications and insights into how to apply an effective blended learning model to reinforce knowledge construction not only during disrupted education periods but also as an optimal educational construct aimed to foster students' autonomy and to help them to take charge of their own learning. Whereas this modality can be introduced at the school level, its application could be more efficient at the university level.

Online learning has been a vital tool to be used during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many research studies have been conducted on this topic from different perspectives. However, it can be argued that it is important to identify and evaluate the students' experience especially those of them who are experiencing online learning for the first time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate Saudi EFL learners' experience towards the rapid shift to an entirely online learning environment. Specifically, this study aimed to identify the benefits and the challenges of online learning during COVID-19 and compare the traditional way of face-to-face learning to online learning from the students' perspective. The research method employed for this paper was a quantitative method in terms of a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 15 items and was utilized to identify the benefits and challenges that the students have faced during their online learning experience. Participants were 72 Saudi EFL learners in their preparatory year at a Saudi higher education institution. Major findings revealed a number of benefits of online learning, such as: "Easy access to online material", "Ability to record meetings and sessions", and "Retrieve information". On the other hand, technical problems were the most reported challenge for students, in addition to lack of interaction with teachers. Based on the research findings, several suggestions and recommendations were presented to enhance the effectiveness of online learning.

As the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading rapidly throughout the world, the most widespread reaction in many countries to curtail the disease was lockdown. As a result, educational institutions had to find an alternative to face-to-face learning. The most obvious solution was e-learning. Conventional tertiary institutions with little virtual learning experience had to deal with an unprecedented challenge. This study delineates practices that can be suggested for conventional institutions of tertiary education that may be planning to acquire more e-learning experience in the post-COVID era so that they may be better prepared to move on beyond traditional classroom teaching. The qualitative research method was utilized to carry out this study. The data collected for the study comprised mainly two sources: the existing literature that tackles the issue of how tertiary institutions around the world shifted to e-learning during the pandemic, and an analysis by the researchers of COVID-related circulars that were issued by the Saudi Ministry of Education and by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. The review of related literature and the analysis of the circulars enabled the researchers to produce a number of suggestions aimed at improving the e-learning experience of conventional tertiary institutions. The researchers followed five steps in their literature review: (1) pinpointing search terms and then creating a search strategy and implementing it; (2) sorting the studies gathered, excluding duplicates and studies deemed irrelevant, and decreeing standards for deciding what to keep and what to rule out; (3) evaluating the studies in the light of those standards; (4) obtaining data; and (5) analysing data. This study does not recommend that conventional tertiary institutions become 100% online, but it does suggest that those institutions should make some learning content digitally accessible, build community partnerships, encourage self-study skills among students, help students change their learning style from passive to active, and revisit their e-assessment practices. This paper also stresses the importance of giving further support to teaching staff, sheds light on how institution buildings can reopen smoothly as the restrictions ease, discusses what factors influence the outcomes of e-learning, and tackles the issue of student dropouts during the pandemic. This study concludes by outlining the important notion of adopting blended learning and developing e-learning programs on an international scale.

At Saudi universities, there was a sudden shift from face-to-face instruction to distance learning and assessment in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study explored the status of online exams in language, linguistics, and translation courses in the first two semesters of the Pandemic (Spring 2020 and Fall 2020). Analysis of faculty surveys and students' comments on Twitter showed that the main concern of 91% of the students was final exams and passing courses with high grades. Students were worried about the negative effect of online exams on their GPA. Since the students were not familiar with online exams taken via Blackboard, they were anxious and wondered if they would do well. Some cheated on online exams as their cameras were turned off. Numerous adjustments were mandated by university administrations to alleviate students' anxiety such as allocating 20% of the course mark to the final exam, allowing more exam time, giving projects, open-book exams, term papers, reports, assignments or giving a presentation instead of the final. Some instructors gave easy questions and were lenient in grading to avoid students' complaints. They gave no essay, just objective questions. The students were given the option to drop the course, to choose a letter grade, pass/fail, i.e., no grade, or to have a course mark included in their GPA. Based on faculty surveys, this study reports challenges of online exams during the Pandemic, design and delivery of online exams, assessment forms and choices, grade inflation issues, and lessons learned and some recommendations.

In Saudi Arabia, some e-learning initiatives such as the Future Gate Project (FGP) and Madrasati (MySchool) have been in place since 2018 and 2020, respectively. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they were used as a means of distance learning for students across the country. This paper investigates the willingness of students to use the e-learning platforms and whether it varies across different sex and age group. Primary data in the form of a survey of 265 secondary school students across the Makkah region was analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework. We found that students' self-efficacy, which is strongly influenced by their previous experience with the underlying technology used in the e-learning platforms, has a positive effect for older students in high school, yet surprisingly, a negative one for younger students in middle school. We also found that perceived ease of use and social influence to be the most important factors behind the students' acceptance of e-learning platforms and that the effects are stronger for female students than for male students. While this study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, the findings from this study provide a first-hand insight that can help ensure the continuity of the e-learning platforms if they are to be implemented permanently as distance learning platforms even after the end of the pandemic that is also applicable to any other countries.

Amid the vast spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, educational institutions worldwide have shifted to eLearning platforms. This abrupt shift from traditional face-to-face teaching to virtual online classes has brought about some challenges. The central objective of this study is to explore university instructors' and students' perceptions of utilizing eLearning platforms for teaching and learning translation subjects. The study sample consisted of mixed-gender faculty members (n = 22) and undergraduate students (n = 133) from the Department of English Language and Translation (DELT) in the College of Languages and Translation (COLT) at King Saud University (KSU). A quantitative research design was used. Two separate five-point Likert scale questionnaires were distributed to instructors and students, respectively. The findings revealed that neither instructors' nor students' perceptions of eLearning differed, and a number of benefits were reported. The paper concludes with the limitations and implications of the findings as well as suggestions for future research.

Synchronous and asynchronous classes were implemented by universities around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) engaged in multiple practices when attending English writing classes in both modes. However, the practices they engaged in and the benefits they perceived were reportedly of limited benefit. This study asks: What are the practices of students that emerge during synchronous and asynchronous English writing classes? What are the benefits of synchronous and asynchronous English writing classes from the student's perspective? Group and one-to-one interviews were conducted with twelve students majoring in computer science and information technology at a Saudi university. Thematic analysis revealed that students engage in practices including using the split view on iPads, opening additional windows to search for information, searching using smartphone apps, and writing notes and highlighting key concepts when attending English writing classes regardless of learning mode. It also revealed that synchronous classes offered students real-time communication and provided immediate feedback, while asynchronous classes allowed students to navigate the challenges of distance learning, complementing the synchronous English writing classes and providing students with a sense of security. This paper concludes by advising language teachers to record synchronous classes, raise students' awareness of the benefits of attending both types of classes and encourage students to apply practices reported by previous students to maximize their English language learning.

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) triggered substantial shifts in the education systems worldwide as teaching and learning have had to shift from face-to-face to an entirely virtual model due to the closure of educational institutes. The present paper is a descriptive-analytical investigation of the challenges of the current pandemic-imposed E-teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses to female preparatory (PY) year students at King Khalid University (KKU). It identifies teachers' and students' responses about the ongoing issues with E-teaching of ESP with to put practical solutions to them. The study is conducted at The University Center for Girls' Studies- Al-Samir Campus-Abha during the academic year 2020-2021. Twenty English Language instructors at the English Language Center (ELC) and eighty students of the preparatory year at the College of Medicine enrolled in Intensive English Course (Njl-019) participated in the study. It adopts mixed qualitative methodology with the teachers' semi-structured interview and students' questionnaire as tools to collect data, and descriptive analysis as a method to interpret data. The study finds out reciprocity of teachers' and students' responses in pinpointing the factors posing serious challenges in teaching and learning ESP courses as majorly related to technology, pedagogy, and Assessment. Considering these challenges, the study puts forth practical suggestions to promote virtual teaching and learning of ESP courses. The suggested solutions are hoped to help providing successful standards for virtual ESP teaching and learning as per the constraints of quality modern education.

The pandemic of 2020 was a watershed moment for all educators worldwide as schools and universities were forced to close their doors to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Thus, a new movement towards widespread e-learning emerged with unknown consequences for learners and educators alike. The situation in Saudi Arabia was no exception. The purpose of this study is to explore how English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning at the tertiary level in Saudi Arabia was impacted negatively and positively by the move to online learning. It reviews research published since the onset of the pandemic, with a specific focus on English language teaching at Saudi universities, to analyze the challenges faced by Saudi EFL teachers and learners since the shift to e-learning. One of the biggest challenges observed was students' lack of motivation, which upon further review was found to be linked to other contributing factors, such as technological issues, inapt learning environments, and students' mental health. This paper also examines the unforeseen positive outcomes resulting from the digital transformation, including the benefits of the flexibility of place and time and promotion of particular language skills. The current research synthesis will help contribute to the knowledge of online English teaching in the Saudi context.

This study investigates the experiences of English major students at the College of Language and Translation (COLT) in King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, with Emergency Remote Learning and Teaching (ERLT) during the COVID-19 crisis. It focuses on the students' preferences for devices and platforms, and gender differences influencing their choices. The study is of significance because it considers the student-centered learning approaches. The paper also seeks to answer the question as to the factors that lead students to make their preferences for the online teaching tools and devices. A total of 150 students, both men, and women, participated in the study. An online survey was carried out in the form of questionnaires to elicit their responses. The results showed that laptop computers were the dominant devices students used and preferred. They also revealed that the Zoom platform came first in students' preferences, followed by Blackboard. Also, the findings showed that although participants used smartphones in their ERL, they did not recommend it, and it came last compared to laptops, tablets, and desktop computers in their order of preference. Gender differences existed in preferences to desktops and tablets in ERL. Another gender difference existed in preferences to platforms. Women students preferred Blackboard to Zoom while men students expressed the opposite.

The global spread of COVID-19 has caused disruptions in many aspects of our lives. Education systems worldwide have changed dramatically. Numerous countries have encouraged schools to shift to e-learning and, as a result, parental involvement in their children's education has changed. This study focused on parental involvement in children's education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study applied a qualitative phenomenological approach following a constructive social framework, whereby the researcher pursued an understanding of the world in which she lives and works. The primary tool employed to collect relevant data was in-depth interviews with six parents who voluntarily participated in the study in the western province of Saudi Arabia. Thematic analysis is applied to analyse the collected data. The study found that parental involvement in children's schooling has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the interviews revealed that parents would prefer to keep to their chosen role rather than fulfil the teaching role imposed on them by COVID-19. This paper contributes to the application of Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's model of parental involvement in children's schooling, illustrating that an external force drives parental involvement. More specifically, many parents have been forced to change the form of their participation due to the unforeseen shift to e-learning.

COVID-19 has changed the field of education. This paper aimed to re-envision the post-pandemic higher education landscape in Saudi Arabia. This study employed descriptive-qualitative research design. Twenty postgraduates completed a journal task at a public university in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The responses revealed their first-hand experience of multi-sectorial communities caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, including students, parents and teachers. Results showed that there are seven positive and eight negative impacts of emergency distance education caused by the pandemic lockdown and various themes have emerged, including Social and Educational. To succeed in the post-pandemic era, teachers need to acquire online pedagogical content knowledge and teaching strategies, conduct effective student evaluation and engage students in both virtual and in-person labs and classrooms. This study contributes to quality access of students toward online learning in countries, where distance education is still in its infant stage, such as Saudi Arabia.

This paper aims to examine the impact of E-learning quality on students' satisfaction and performance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of gender as a moderating variable. A descriptive and inferential approach was used where a specially designed questionnaire was distributed on a simple random sample of students enrolled in Public Security Training City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were gathered from 352 respondents. The multiple regression analysis was used to justify the proposed hypotheses. The study found that E-learning system quality and E-learning service quality positively impacted student satisfaction, which made a significant and positive impact on student performance. Moreover, gender played a moderating role in the relationship between E-learning system quality, E-learning service quality, and student satisfaction. Finally, it was found that the relationship between all variables during COVID-19 was stronger than relationships that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

This research explores the sense of self-efficacy among Saudi English majors at Jeddah University during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced all schools in Saudi Arabia to suspend face-to-face learning and, instead, use the online Blackboard platform. The study's objectives are to determine Blackboard's effect on Saudi learners' self-efficacy beliefs, identify factors influencing these beliefs in the online context, and determine the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and academic performance. Phone interviews, an online questionnaire, and online performance tests served as data collection instruments. The results indicate that urgent Blackboard use negatively affected the subjects' self-efficacy beliefs, and there is a positive, significant relationship between academic performance and perceived self-efficacy. Among other factors, familiarity with Blackboard, technical competence, and a readiness to embrace technology strongly influenced the students' self-efficacy beliefs. This paper also presents implications and pedagogical recommendations drawn from the results.

The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT) for remedial English reading instruction in the EFL context, specifically for the purpose of overcoming the reading difficulties encountered by low-achieving Saudi students majoring in English at the University of Jeddah. The treatment phase lasted three months and, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shift to online teaching, the instruments used were an online pre- and post-test of reading comprehension, an IRT dialogue rubric downloaded on the Blackboard platform that is used for online teaching, as well as a phone interview conducted with randomly selected students from the sample. The findings indicated significant improvements in the reading comprehension of the Saudi learners participating this study, as reflected in the students' effective use of the different IRT strategies and the significant results of the post-test. However, despite the proved effectiveness of IRT in strengthening reading comprehension, some challenges were voiced by the participants. These include computer competency, familiarity with online courses and, most notably, their linguistic difficulties with English, which justified their resorting to their native language (Arabic) as one way of demonstrating their comprehension. Finally, the paper draws pedagogical implications from the research results.