Teaching and Learning in Saudi Arabia: Perspectives from Higher Education

✍ Scribed by Amani K. Hamdan (editor)

• Publisher: Sense Publishers
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 240
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Saudi Arabia is witnessing unprecedented progress in the field of higher education. Even though the country opened its first university in 1957, so far there seems to be little English scholarly writing about Saudi education in general and higher education in particular. The current expansion of Saudi Arabia's higher-education system has put a spotlight on this serious gap in the international literature. This book helps to fill this lacuna through the work of 16 scholars who have contributed to the development of the Saudi education system. In so doing, the book reveals areas where more research is required and thus provides a useful starting point for education scholars. This anthology is unique in that it is the first to offer a comprehensive perspective on the current knowledge base pertaining to Saudi higher education as well as to the ongoing efforts to introduce reforms.

✦ Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. ASSESSING EFL COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS’ PERFORMANCE WITH DIGITAL RUBRICS
INTRODUCTION
NEED FOR STUDY
DEFINITION OF RUBRICS
WHAT IS IRUBRIC?
BUILDING THE TPA DIGITAL RUBRICS
VALIDATING THE TPA IRUBRICS
APPLYING THE TPA DIGITAL RUBRICS
CONCLUSION
NOTES
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A
2. A SYSTEM FOR TEACHING ENGLISH IN SAUDI ARABIA:
A Model for English Language Acquisition with Reference to Study Skills,
Multiple Intelligences, Thinking Based Learning and Group Work
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theories of Language Acquisition
TEACHER TRAINING AND MOTIVATION
A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EXPERIMENTS WITH THE SYSTEM
RESULTS
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
PRACTICAL STEPS TOWARDS LEARNING ENGLISH IN SAUDI ARABIA
Internalization First, Sharpening Second
Language Immersion Strategies
THE SYSTEM
Step One (Session 1): The System
Step Two (Session 2): Listening and Speaking
Step Three (Session Three): Add Vocabulary
Step Four (Session Four): Introducing Writing
HOW TO SHORTEN THE PERIOD
GAINING FLUENCY
GAINING AUTONOMY
ABOUT GRAMAR AS A SHARPENING TOOL
HAVING FUN WITH LEARNING
CONCLUSION
Limitations and Suggestions
Final Words
NOTES
REFERENCES
3. ANALYSIS OF SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS PREPARATORY YEAR WRITING IN A SAUDI UNIVERSITY
INTRODUCTION
ENGLISH IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA: PREPARATORY PROGRAMS
CONCEPT AND TERMS OF SFL
Brief Overview of Textual Metafunction
LITERATURE REVIEW
International Research on L2 Academic Writing
Regional Studies on L2 Academic Writing
SFL RELATIONSHIP TO GENRE-BASED L2 WRITING
METHODOLOGY
Research Site and Preparatory Program
Participants
Research Design
Autobiographical Recount Genre
FINDINGS
Patterns of Coherence
Logical Coherence
CONCLUSION
Sentence Openers and In-Text Connectors
Theme/Rheme
Patterns of Cohesion
Reference
Substitution and Ellipsis
Repetition
Reiteration
Summary and Implications
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES
4. THE POWER OF “I”:
Student-Driven Writing at an All Women’s University
in Saudi Arabia
PROLOGUE
INTRODUCTION
WHAT I MEAN BY “I”
ANTI-“I” WRITING AVOIDANCE TECHNIQUES
THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND “I”
RATIONALE
EXCERPT(S) OF STUDENT NARRATIVES/ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
HOW THE PNU WRITING STUDIO WAS BORN AND HOW IT SUPPORTS “I”
MOVE TO THE NEW CAMPUS
UNPACKING “I” IN THE WRITING STUDIO
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND “I”
CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
5. COOPERATIVE LEARNING:
A Case for Creative and Efficient Teaching and Learning
Supported by: Analysis of the Present Situation in the Preparatory Year
Program in Health Profession Track
COOPERATIVE LEARNING: A CASE FOR CREATIVE AND EFFICIENT TEACHING AND LEARNING
Background
What is Cooperative Learning?
PURPOSE
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
OBJECTIVES
RATIONALE
SUITABILITY OF THE STRATEGY TO MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INITIATIVE
COMMON LEARNING OUTCOMES
Individual Performance
Group Effectiveness
ASSESSMENT
SOME PRACTICAL CHALLENGES
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN THE CLASROOM
Classroom Ideas
Notes to Students
Teaching and Learning Group
Preparation to Teach by Pairs
Practice/Consulting Pairs
Teaching and Learning Group
Monitoring of the Group Work
Evaluation and Processing
AN EXPERIENCE OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UOD
ASSESSMENT
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A
6. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ABILITIES AND THE PRODUCTION OF RESEARCH AMONG SAUDI FACULTY
INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
RESEARCH METHODS
POPULATION
THE SAMPLE
INSTRUMENT
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
7. A SYNTHESIZED MODEL OF FACULTY MOTIVATI ON IN SAUDI ARABIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR
INTRODUCTION
METHODOLOGY
A SCHOLARLY DISCUSSION OF MOTIVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
FACULTY PERSPECTIVES ON MOTIVATION IN SAUDI ARABIA
RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
8. CURRICULUM DESIGN QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION IN SAUDI ELECTRONIC UNIVERSITY: A Case Study
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
RESEARCH OF PROBLEM
AIMS OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
OVERVIEW
DIMENSIONS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EDUCATION
PROGRES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION
DISTANCE EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA
SAUDI ELECTRONIC UNIVERSITY
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN CURRICULUM DESIGN IN DISTANCE EDUCATION
CONSTRUCTIVE ALIGNMENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
CONCEPTUAL AND PRACTICAL FRAMEWORK
REFERENCES
9. EAP AS AN INDEX OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL STUDIES AT MAJMA’AH UNIVERSITY
INTRODUCTION
METHOD
Participants
Instruments
Procedure
RESULTS
Interview with EAP Management
Interview with Subject-Specific Faculty
Students’ Interview
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
REFERENCES
10. BEST PRACTICES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING AT THE UNIVERSITY PREPARATORY YEAR PROGRAMS
BEST PRACTICES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING
Types of Language Tests
The Qualities of Language Tests
AUTHENTICITY
INTERACTIVENESS
IMPACT
PRACTICALITY
TEST SPECIFICATIONS
FINAL EXAMINATION FOR THE PREPARATORY YEAR
General Statement of Purpose
The Test Battery
Reading Test
DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING TESTS
TYPES OF TEST ITEMS
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS (SELECTED RESPONSE)
WRITING TESTS (EXTENDED PRODUCTION RESPONSE)
Beginners
Intermediate
Advanced
SPEAKING TESTS
TRIALLING TEST MATERIAL
Alternative Assessment
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
11. EFL FACULTY PERSPECTIVES ON TECHNOLOGY-INTEGRATION STRATEGIES: A Case Study at Jazan University
INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Participants of the Study
Questions of the Study
Description of Data Collection Instruments
Validity and Reliability of the Questionnaire
DATA PROCESSING
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Research Question 1
Research Question 2
Research Question 3
FINDINGS
CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
CONTRIBUTORS
THE EDITOR
AUTHORS