Online Learning Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Saudi Universities

Introduction

E-learning is the application of electronic devices in learning so that any learning theory can be applied to e-learning (Bognar, 2016). This study investigates learners' attitudes towards e-learning efficiency during COVID-19, so the constructivist and humanistic learning theory is involved in this study. This theory allows learners to be creators of their world and knowledge (Constructivism).

The continuation of education at the tertiary level during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak forms a real challenge for colleges and universities. The rapid transition to online learning is the best solution to avoid education undisrupted while universities are closed to ensure faculty members' and students' safety. After the World Health Organization declaration on 11^th March 2020 that the novel coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic and the social distance is needed, most global educational institutes switched to online learning. It was the first time for most learners and teachers to deal with e-learning without prior experience. Over the past decades, online education has been investigated in different phases; online teaching, online learning, campus support staff, course support materials, learning process effectiveness, etc. Recently, digitization has broadened the capacity and impact of e-learning. The emergence of online education as a significant field of education, along with the launch of (massively open online courses) (MOOCs), emphasizes the importance of promoting digital learning outcomes through improved educational strategies (Dede et al. 2018).

The emergence of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, and its outbreak globally was a significant public health emergency that forced all the government sectors to take prevention to block the attack of COVID-19 from all the educational institutions, schools, colleges, universities. The lockdown is applied to keep social distance among all society members (China, 2020). As the world is moving to new digital life from different perspectives, for instance, marketing, finance, communication, social services, education is moving slowly towards a digital view. However, the novel coronavirus speeds up the transition of education from physical to virtual classes. Most of the facilities for moving to e-learning are available and quickly start with the internet's growth to the equipment and tools. Online learning is derived from traditional education, where teachers can meet learners face-to-face. However, online learning teachers tried to engage and attract learners' attention in a similar way to a physical classroom (Tschichold et al., 2009). The impact of the previous slow move to online learning is highly enhanced and augmented during COVID-19 quick move to e-learning. The main potential factor of online education is that it crossed the borders, time, and location. The equity of access to online education enables all the community members to be involved in learning to be professional learners while sitting home if they have been guided to invest their time effectively in online education (Sun & Chen, 2016).

Due to previous well-planned online and blended learning experiences in Saudi colleges and universities, it was easy to switch to online learning during the novel coronavirus crisis. Teachers and students confronted some challenges. Saudi universities were conducting remote teaching for some general courses before COVID 19 emergency using Blackboard platforms. However, the university technical support staff guides and trains the teachers for online education by conducting online workshops and tutorials. At the same time, students are forced to self-train and access online learning. How could the students adapt to this mass change to the online process? Over the past two decades, mobile devices have been integrated into teaching and learning globally Yao-Ting sung et al. 2016. Online education started using the same mobile devices technologies and internet connectivity, facilitating online teaching, and learning smoothly (Yao-Ting sung et al. 2016). Like some other countries, Saudi Arabia has decided to switch to online education to avoid the novel coronavirus's morbidity and make education accessible anywhere and anytime. There is a relationship between teaching and learning effectiveness and the facilitated activities produced by teachers and learners (Seidel & Shavelson, 2007; Klassen & Tze, 2014; Ferguson & Danielson, 2015).