TITLE OF DISSERTATION

Perception of Saudi Female Higher Education Students Using Web-based Videoconferencing, a

Case Study

A dissertation submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Master of Arts
in the Faculty of Humanities, School of Education

2009

Eman Tariq Mehana

Faculty of Humanities, School of Education

The University of Manchester
 List of Contents

List of figures............................................................................6
Abbreviations............................................................................7
Abstract.....................................................................................8
Declaration ...............................................................................9
Copyright statement ..............................................................10
Dedication................................................................................11
Acknowledgements.................................................................12
1 Chapter 1: Introduction......................................................13
1.1 Background .......................................................................................................13
1.2 Rationale.............................................................................................................15
1.3 Research questions..............................................................................................15
1.4 An overview of the arrangement and content of this dissertation......................16

2 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................19

2.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................19
2.2 Definition and description of the technology.....................................................21
2.2 Classification .....................................................................................................22
1.Compressed video-teleconferencing .............................................................22
2.Desktop video-teleconferencing....................................................................23
3.Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).................................................23
2.3 Uses and applications..........................................................................................24
2.4 Perceptions and perceived advantages by students and teachers of
videoconferencing tools for learning/teaching.........................................................26
2.5 Concerns and factors to consider in using videoconferencing...........................34
2.6 Distance education in Saudi Arabia....................................................................35

3 Chapter 3: The Theoretical Framework............................38

3.1 Theoretical foundations......................................................................................38
3.2 Interaction ..........................................................................................................39
3.3 Social presence...................................................................................................40

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 3.4 The pedagogy of the media ................................................................................41

4 Chapter 4: Methods..............................................................44
4.1 Case study...........................................................................................................44
4.2 Sampling.............................................................................................................46
4.2.1 Sampling in the pilot phase.........................................................................46
4.2.2 Sampling in the main phase.........................................................................46
4.2 Increasing the quality of the research.................................................................47
4.2.1 Reliability.....................................................................................................47
4.4 Data sources........................................................................................................48
4.2.2 Semi-structured interviews..........................................................................48
4.2.3 Questionnaires.............................................................................................49
4.2.4 Observation..................................................................................................50
4.3 Data analysis.......................................................................................................51
4.3.1 The qualitative approach using thematic analysis.......................................51
4.3.2 Advantages of thematic analysis..................................................................52
4.3.3 The disadvantages........................................................................................52
4.3.4 Procedure of analysis...................................................................................53
1.Developing initial codes from the transcribed conversations........................53
2.Combining related patterns into sub-themes or categories............................54
3.Forming the themes.......................................................................................54
5. Building a valid argument for choosing the themes.....................................55
4.4 Validity...............................................................................................................55
4.4.1 Triangulation...............................................................................................56
4.5 Ethical issues.......................................................................................................56
4.6 Production of an audit certificate.......................................................................57

5 Chapter 5: Results...............................................................58
5.1 Observation.........................................................................................................58
5.1.1 The first lesson.............................................................................................58
5.1.2 The second lesson........................................................................................59
5.1.3 General observations....................................................................................59
5.2 Lecturers’ views and perceptions ......................................................................59
5.3 Themes................................................................................................................61
5.3.1 Interaction....................................................................................................63

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 The use of Breeze changed the lessons’ nature by providing significant
interaction.........................................................................................................63
Encouraging students to ask questions.............................................................63
Tools used in expressing ideas and asking questions .....................................65
Shyness as the main reason for decreased voice interaction among the
undergraduates..................................................................................................66
Concerns about interaction ..............................................................................68
Students’ visions/preference about the best time for interaction......................68
The physical absence of the lecturer.................................................................69
5.3.2 Activities using Breeze features..................................................................70
Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application....................................70
Providing efficient features ..............................................................................71
Features not used..............................................................................................72
Meeting students’ needs for logistical convenience.........................................72
5.3.3 Feelings .......................................................................................................73
Enthusiasm........................................................................................................73
Comfort.............................................................................................................74
A positive influence..........................................................................................74
Flexibility (taking the session online while at home) ......................................75
Providing new positive educational opportunities and atmosphere..................75
5.3.4 Difficulties...................................................................................................76
Facing technical difficulties..............................................................................76
Help with troubleshooting................................................................................76
The need for an Arabic version ........................................................................77

6 Chapter 6: Discussion...........................................................78
Encouraging students to ask questions.............................................................85
Tools used in interaction...................................................................................88
The socio-cultural context: how shyness affects student interaction ..............90
The Arabic language ........................................................................................93
Meeting students' needs for logistical convenience..........................................94
The physical absence of the lecturer.................................................................95
6.3 Activities using the Breeze features...............................................................95
Providing efficient features ..............................................................................96

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 Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application....................................96
Focus vs. distraction.........................................................................................98

7 Chapter 7: Conclusions and Future Implications ..........100

8 Appendix A: The Questionnaire for the English students
..........................................................................................105
9 Appendix B: The Questionnaire for the Arabic students
..........................................................................................109
10 Appendix D: Participant Consent Form.......................116
11 Appendix D: How to use the Breeze tutorial..................117
Appendix E: The Saudi National Strategy for E-learning
and Distance Learning...................................................118

The final word count is 19871 words.

5
 List of figures

Figure 15.1 the process of identifying themes……………………………………..61

Figure 16.1 the diagram shows the arrangement of a typical CCTV class in a Saudi
university……………………………………………………………………………84

6
 Abbreviations

VC Videoconferencing
CCTV Closed Circuit Television

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 Abstract
There is a lack of studies that focus on web-based videoconferencing applications
such as Breeze in the context of Saudi Arabian female higher education. Female
students in Saudi Arabia have a unique situation in the twenty-first century that merits
deep investigation into how socio-cultural factors influence the educational
transaction. This research study aimed to explore the perceptions of female medical
students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels of Saudi female students when
using this technology. The perceptions of two lecturers in the discipline of surgery and
dermatology were also explored. The scope of this study has been narrowed to
include female medical students in two distinct age ranges within the undergraduate
and postgraduate groups which helped compare the findings from these two classes. In
this study Breeze was used to mediate two lessons, one for each group of students,
undergraduate and postgraduate. A number of instruments were used to gather
responses from candidates and a qualitative approach of thematic analysis was used to
identify different themes in the perceptions of both students and lecturers. Results are
presented in Chapter 5 and further discussed in Chapter 6. By delivering a lesson
through web-videoconferencing, this study describes a shift from what these female
students are used to in terms of interaction with a lecturer. The shift took the form of
increasing the perceived quantity and deeper interaction throughout the lesson. The
students also offered comparisons with a traditional environment. A number of social
and cultural factors were examined and discussed in depth which seemed to affect
students’ perceptions. Despite the small scale of this study, it is in favour of using
Breeze in Saudi female higher education. It also identifies a number of issues with
applying the web-videoconferencing tool in that particular context. I hope that the
study in this dissertation will add to the body of knowledge and pave the way for
future studies in this area.

8
 Declaration

I hereby declare that no portion of the work referred to in the dissertation has been

submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any

other university or other institute of learning.

Eman Tariq Mehana

9
 Copyright statement
i. Copyright for the text of this dissertation rests with the author. Copies (by any process) either
in full, or of extracts, may be made only in accordance with instructions given by the author.
Details may be obtained from the appropriate Graduate Office. This page must form part of
any such copies made. Further copies (by any process) of copies made in accordance with such
instructions may not be made without the permission (in writing) of the author.

ii. The ownership of any intellectual property rights which may be described in this dissertation
is vested in the University of Manchester, subject to any prior agreement to the contrary, and
may not be made available for use by third parties without the written permission of the
University, which will prescribe the terms and conditions of any such agreement.

iii. Further information on the conditions under which disclosures and exploitation may take
place is available from the Head of the School of Education (or the Vice-President and Dean of
the Faculty of Life Sciences for Faculty of Life Sciences’ candidates).

10
 Dedication

To my mother, Anwar M. Alaudeen, and my father, Tariq I. Mehana, my most

powerful inspiration and motivator who instilled in me a sense of hard work and

ambition and who encouraged me to debate and speak my mind. Your strength will

guide me as long as my heart beats.

To my husband, best friend and companion, Moaz A. Mojaddidi, I give my deepest

expression of love and appreciation for the encouragement that he has given and the

sacrifices he has made. It is due to his motivation, inspiration and dedication that I

found the strength to complete this dissertation. Thank you for all the support,

company and patience during my studies. And thank you for believing in me.

I wish to express my love and gratitude to my brothers, sisters and my son Abdullah;

for their understanding and endless love, through the duration of my studies. May this

work inspire you to learn and achieve.

Special thanks also to all my dearest friends, Khlood and Maha who have always been

there for me and supported me during my studies.

To all of them, I humbly present my work.

11
 Acknowledgements

This research project would not have been possible without the support of many

people. I express my gratitude to my Supervisor, Dr George Veletsianos, who was

abundantly helpful and offered invaluable assistance, support and guidance. My

deepest gratitude also goes to Dr Andrew Whitworth for his support and valuable

advice. Also I would like to extend my thanks to Dr Pauline Davis for her support in

preparing the pilot study; her input made the pilot study materializes. Thanks also to

all the students who participated in my research and gave me a chance to complete my

degree.

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 1 Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been undergoing a major transformation in terms of

higher education. The number of universities has almost tripled in the last decade. The

number of postgraduate students has increased and great emphasis is being placed on

improving education. A number of major events have highlighted the rising interest in

e-learning in a rapidly-developing country like Saudi Arabia with rapid population

growth. Earlier in 2009, the first international conference on e-learning and distance

education took place and the Centre for e-Learning and Distance Learning was

established, as part of The Ministry of Higher Education’s plan to build a sound

infrastructure for e-learning in all Saudi universities which will apply state-of-the-art

e-learning approaches to a high standard. It has been announced on the Ministry’s

website that this centre's task is to execute the National Strategy for E-learning in

Saudi Arabia (detailed in the Appendix). This national centre will implement e-

learning and distance learning and their applications in higher education by providing

technical support, the tools and necessary means for the development of e-learning. Its

principal goals and projects will involve e-learning infrastructure development, the

establishing of an awareness of e-learning programmes, agreement with international

e-learning bodies to share e-learning resources, to develop e-learning programmes and

so on. The national centre has adopted a group of projects that have begun to

accomplish those aims in priorities. However, as the centre and its e-learning projects

have only recently been introduced to Saudi Arabia, no literature exists on the centre’s

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activities. The few research papers available about e-learning in Saudi Arabia will be

discussed in Chapter Two.

In Saudi Arabia, gender segregation is conducted in institutions from the beginning of

formal education until graduation from university, and even higher administration

buildings exhibit this practice. In Saudi universities most campuses are designed with

two main areas, one for males and the other for females, with high walls separating

them. In each academic and administrative department there are female and male

counterparts for all posts. The issues around gender segregation in higher education

arise when male lecturers are asked to deliver lectures to female students; however, it

is not acceptable for female lecturers to lecture males. For female students in higher

education, the lectures they attend when given by male lecturers are delivered through

videoconferencing or closed circuit television (CCTV). The rest are given by female

lecturers, where there is no need for CCTV. Videoconferencing is designed to be a

discussion tool and is thought to be most effective in small group activities

(Laurillard, 2002). The nature of the tool invites the delivering of lectures. It serves to

instantaneously transfer images and the sound of the lecturer, as well as his writings

and illustrations on a whiteboard. Having said that, there are very few educational

settings in Saudi Arabia where the line between the acceptable and unacceptable in

terms of gender mixing is hazy. Although the rules prohibit any form of gender

mixing, in reality these rules are not always enforced in, for example, clinical bedside

teaching. However, this setting is not a classroom in a university campus but a clinical

ward in a hospital, where learning the skills of taking medical notes and the clinical

examination of patients take place.

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1.2 Rationale

Male lecturers are required to deliver lectures to female students via CCTV as there

are not enough female professors and lecturers in Saudi universities to meet the rising

demands for higher education in Saudi Arabia in every subject. The students are

required to commute to a university campus to attend a lecture in a classroom to watch

television and listen. Sometimes, there is only a CCTV lecture in a day's schedule.

Attending a CCTV lecture means sitting and watching the lecture via television and

only asking questions and interacting with the lecturer through a telephone at the end

of the lesson. Since full-time female students have many of their lectures delivered

through CCTV, it would be interesting to explore whether a lesson delivered through a

web-based videoconferencing tool such as Breeze would affect the way a lesson is

given.

1.3 Research questions

In order to investigate students’ perceptions of a lesson when delivered via a web-

videoconferencing tool and how this technology changes the learning/teaching

environment and activities, I propose to conduct a qualitative case study among two

groups of female medical students in King Abdul-Aziz University. The following are

the research questions to be addressed by the research subjects:

1. How do introducing Breeze and its communication opportunities influence

students’ perceptions of the lesson?

2. How does it change the way that a lesson is taught?

3. Does it change students’ activities?

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In short, how do real-time communications through Breeze change the

learning/teaching environment and activities?

1.4 An overview of the arrangement and content of this

dissertation

This dissertation is organised in seven chapters, as follows.

Chapter 1: Introduction. This chapter provides a comprehensive picture of the

research study, including its background, the research aims, research questions, and

the content of this thesis.

Chapter 2: Literature review. This chapter first defines the scope of the literature area.

It critically reviews the literature on videoconferencing definitions and classification,

in particular those studies relating to the use of videoconferencing in teaching and

learning and its role in facilitating knowledge sharing within a web-based

environment at a group level. It emphasises the core theoretical ideas and current

relevant research into videoconferencing in higher education settings. It is worth

noting that this chapter includes two literature areas which have particular relevance to

the topic of the study: e-learning and videoconferencing in Saudi Arabia and research

on student perception of videoconferencing.

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Chapter 3: Theoretical framework. The key theories behind the application of e-

learning and videoconferencing to learning are discussed; namely the media debate of

Clark and Kozma, theories of interaction, the socio-cultural context and social

presence.

Chapter 4: Methodology. This chapter is devoted to the considerations for choosing

the methodology and conducting the research process. It explains the rationale of

adopting a thematic analysis approach and how it was used in this study. The chapter

describes the data collection and analysis procedures in detail and also presents how

the researcher established the reliability of this research study.

Chapter 5: Results. This chapter displays the findings of this study through the three

instruments used to gather the responses and presents them in the relevant sections.

The bulk of this chapter is formed by the themes identified in the responses gathered,

mainly through the analysis of the questionnaires and supported through findings

identified through other instruments. The themes are presented through argument and

discussed using in-depth critically reflective remarks.

Chapter 6: Discussion. This chapter offers further discussion of the results in more

depth and a scrutiny of the motives and reasons behind students’ responses. It relates

the findings of applying a web-videoconferencing tool to the environment of a

traditional CCTV lesson. It also relates this study’s findings to previous research on

relevant aspects of the topic. Meanwhile, it provides an attempt to clarify the

implications and the limits of the study.

17
Chapter 7: Conclusion. This chapter concludes this research study by reflecting on the

dissertation. It summarises the research design; the study findings; their contribution

to knowledge; and the impact on further research work.

18
 2 Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

With the increasing demand for higher education, something must be done to meet the

educational needs of these students. The difference in demographics of the

undergraduate students, from the typical 18-22 age group to a more mature, discerning

and relatively affluent composition, demands more from the universities. Hence, there

has been an increase in online communities created by universities to meet the

demands of these changing student populations (Laurillard, 2002). Communicative

media have an important position in higher education because these educational

institutions should diversify their education methods to reach individuals interested in

undertaking courses. If such methods are employed, they should be examined and

assessed bearing in mind accessibility, usability and pedagogical concerns.

Videoconferencing (VC) is one method that is commonly used as a solution for these

challenges facing higher education. The use of videoconferencing may be a tangible

solution to this problem especially with state-of-the-art wireless and cheap high-speed

broadband offering visual richness and immediacy (Bednar, Hannum et al., 2007). VC

cannot completely replace traditional classrooms but the literature indicates that it can

be a supplement, replacement or, as Bednar et al (2007) describe it, “an effective

alternative to traditional classroom instruction” for some postgraduate courses.

Coventry (n.d, p.6) claims that: “The technology is in a transitional state and many

may feel it is currently unsuitable for education. This makes videoconferencing highly

19
challenging and exciting to some and a nightmare to others”. Due to its real-time

interaction and its ability to show body language and tone, VC may give students the

sense of being part of the learning community (Harry, 1999). It appears from the

literature that videoconferencing technology has been examined extensively.

All the compatible analysis of the disciplinary context, place, synchronicity and

pedagogy should ensure appropriate alignment between the needs of the learner, the

purpose for teaching and learning and the learning context of the available technology

(Laurillard, 2002). There are many factors influencing the success of

videoconferencing alongside the technology, such as institutional issues, cost,

students’ and tutors’ attitudes and, most importantly, the teaching methods adopted

(Coventry, n.d.). When traditional face-to-face classes, tutorials or seminars are not

feasible, videoconferencing offers the chance to run virtual classes and discussions

with tutors and other students. Videoconferencing, for instance, may allow a lecturer

who is distance from an institution to appear live to students, either on campus, at

various remote computer clusters or on individual PCs around the world (Talbot,

2003).

In this literature review I begin by describing the technology and defining it. I will

then present the different types of technology and discuss their various applications

and focus on studies of student perceptions of using this technology to receive lessons

and, finally, present the few studies on distance learning in Saudi Arabia and the use

of videoconferencing in that context.

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2.2 Definition and description of the technology

There are many distinct definitions for the term videoconferencing. It has been viewed

as an approach or a function of a tool which can be hosted by a variety of

technologies; hence it is not a technology in itself. In America, videoconferencing is

defined as television with real-time interaction. It also has a wider application,

according to Coventry’s definition: “the term is actually applied to a wide range of

situations from video lecturing to large audiences, to a point-to-point, individual-to-

individual desktop PC chats” (n.d., p. 7).

Videoconferencing represents a three-dimensional object: motion; video footage

which has a social presence approximate to face-to-face interaction; and cost-

effectiveness due to its ability to connect a vast number of sites (Gunawardena &

McIsaac, 2004). Social presence is a theoretical construct that has two main elements,

immediacy and intimacy (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004). A videoconference is a

discussion between two or more people who are in different places but can see and

hear each other using electronic communications. Pictures and sound are carried by

the telecommunication network and such conferences can take place across the world

(Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004).

Whether VC takes place in a one-to-many or a many-to-many medium, there is a

camera focused on a group or individual at either end of the link. The camera is

connected to a system, usually a desktop computer that transmits the picture via a

network, usually over the web to a screen at the other end. The increasing bandwidth

of the networks nowadays makes it possible to transmit a greater volume of human

speech. A tutor is usually given control over what is transmitted via a console

21
controlling various cameras and one or several cameras might be filming live action

elsewhere, such as surgery in an operating theatre, an experiment or an interesting

performance. An audio setting is also available, with a microphone and speakers

available in each site. The lecturer may be in control of which line of communication

is open, so those wishing to participate in a discussion should signal to the tutor to

allow them to speak. In this respect, students’ degree of control over the

communication process through a PC is similar to that which takes place in a large

lecture. However, as the extent of this control is not very great, the largely unseen

audience further diminishes the opportunity for social negotiation between lecturer

and students when videoconferencing is being used (Laurillard, 2002).

2.2 Classification

Video-teleconferences can be classified into three categories according to the

technologies used for transmission.

1. Compressed video-teleconferencing

This technology uses the conventional TV broadcast method, which requires a

wideband channel to transmit pictures, but with greater flexibility and cost

effectiveness. The information is compressed and digitised by a device known as a

video codec in order to transmit the data along the narrower bandwidth of a special

telephone line. Video compression techniques have the advantage of reducing the

amount of data needed to describe a video picture and enable the video signal to be

transmitted at a lower and less expensive data rate. However, this compression results

in a reduction in the picture quality and if an image moves quickly the motion will

"streak" or "jerk" on the screen. Compressed video-teleconferencing technology has

22
meant that videoconferencing has become less cost-prohibitive (Gunawardena &

McIsaac, 2004). Large-scale set-ups refer to the technology of compressed video-

teleconferencing, and are satellite-based in the form of interactive television. This

allows a broadcast from a central point to many different locations, regardless of

distance (Coventry, n.d.).

2. Desktop video-teleconferencing

This technology provides two-way synchronous communication with audio, video,

data, file-transfer, and screen share capabilities, allowing users to see and speak to

each other, transfer application files and work together. A fusion of network, personal

computer, and digital video has led to the use of the desktop computer for

teleconferencing (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004). The technology used for this

function is known as ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). In the case of

desktop video-teleconferencing, its small scale means that the technology has been

used to compress video for small meetings between relatively few points (Coventry,

n.d.).

3. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

ISDN is a new international telecommunications network standard which has the

ability to transmit voice, data, video, and graphics in digital form by telephone lines or

fibre optic cable. ISDN promises end-to-end digital connectivity, multiple services,

convergence, multi-tasking and shared communication (Gunawardena & McIsaac,

2004). ISDN can make two-way video as cost-effective as greater interactivity

(Coventry).

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2.3 Uses and applications

Videoconferencing is one of the communication media serving at the discursive level;

it serves to bring people together for discussion, whether this takes place between

tutor and students or between students. Videoconferencing supports discussion and

thereby addresses a major learning activity, that of interaction. However, by using this

medium, interaction is limited to the level of description. The general assumption that

discussion aids students’ learning even at a distance is the basis for using VC

(Laurillard, 2002). It also allows students to observe. It is interesting that this is not

exclusive to distance learners, when VC can act as their learning lifeline, but is being

increasingly used on campus (Laurillard, 2002).

By its nature, videoconferencing invites the delivery of lectures through its

presentational character and, to a lesser extent, the facilitation of discussion. However,

while pedagogy is not always dictated by media, it could be dictated by the medium of

videoconferencing itself, for instance, some applications require students to receive

permission from the lecturer to talk whereas others do not. Hence, the pedagogical

aspects of the medium rest mainly on how successfully a fruitful dialogue is

maintained between the tutor and students or between the students. This is determined

to a great extent by the role the tutor plays during a video session. In practice, the

relationship of tutor to student is asymmetrical, as it is in any face-to-face tutorial, and

the tutor is more likely to be responsible for establishing the ground rules of

interaction. Tutors generally have no problems articulating their own views

(Laurillard, 2002). However, it is more difficult for students to do this and tutors

should ensure they offer free space and time to encourage students to express their

points sufficiently (Laurillard, 2002). Although this approach should be encouraged,

24
this two-way visual link is reluctantly used by students to ask academic questions,

which does not make videoconferencing truly discursive. Research shows that

students minimise the use of this medium, and tend to report the technical difficulties

with which they have been faced (Laurillard, 2002; Bollom, Emerson et al., 1989).

Some other research, however, shows that technicalities were not a problem when

using VC technology (Bednar et al., 2007; Robyn, 2005; Allen, Mabry et al., 2004).

If this medium is used to give a lecture, it could be considered as an affordable and

easy solution to distance learning. However, it offers less than a lecture in terms of

pedagogy. A series of small group audio-graphic sessions could be a more effective

use than lecturing through videoconferencing. It could also be valuable as a two-way

link between small groups learning from each other. One valued use of the technology

that will always remain indispensable is the video link to remote experts (Laurillard,

2002). I could envision this technology in many scenarios in an educational context

that would serve both logistical and pedagogical purposes and lead to a diversification

in educational methods. For example, VC applications could offer students access to

remote events or places that are normally inaccessible to them, such as an art gallery

to which it might be expensive to travel or a high-tech scientific laboratory. Such

access could be given through a web-cam in a tutor’s computer and offer the

opportunity for students to point out things they did not understand or discuss what

they had just seen. Video could be embedded within highly interactive discussion

environments, forming a new hybrid that could expand learning experiences. In higher

research degrees, postgraduate students could discuss research and present their

results to academic supervisors. In addition, they could share the data or even practice

presentations live, while they are separated by place or/and time (Robyn, 2005).

25
In summary, videoconferencing is a one-to-many medium that can be used for the

following applications:

• To give access for students to discussion.

• To provide access to remote academic experts.

• Although not designed for it, it is tempting for academics to use

videoconferencing to deliver lectures.

• To deliver lessons in distance learning.

• For on campus students. While one could mistakenly think of it as a luxury, it

could increase the frequency of carrying out discussions online, provided these

were well managed as previously outlined (Laurillard, 2002).

2.4 Perceptions and perceived advantages by students and

teachers of videoconferencing tools for learning/teaching

With distance education, students are physically isolated both from other students and

from their tutors. Such students are not present at their institution of study and are also

separated geographically and/or by time (Forrester & Parkinson, 2005). VC enhances

distance teaching, learning, and the supervision of research (Robyn, 2005). Not only

that, but VC also motivates distance students to keep pace with their peers and gives

them the energy to continue their studies successfully. Of course, this could have

resulted from the use of the technology rather than the technology itself, as will be

detailed in the theoretical framework in Chapter 3. This motivation could also stem

from the intimacy generated by seeing fellow students on the course and the tutor,

despite being separated geographically (see social presence above and in Chapter 3).

26
In addition, synchronous communication keeps students up-to-date with the course

materials, and helps them to organise their priorities (Harry, 1999).

Using videoconferencing as a distance learning tool saves students’ time, as well as air

fare and living expenses (Perraton, 2007). VC is also a cost-effective technology,

requiring only narrow bandwidth, a computer and internet access (Harry, 1999). At

present, many universities in the United States and the United Kingdom are using

videoconferencing technology which has been experimented with extensively

(Gunawardena & Lapoint, 2003). Although VC has long been doubted for its ability to

convey a taught message because of its varying quality and poor images, results from

a study carried out by Kies, Williges et al. (1997) suggest that test performance does

not suffer under conditions of reduced video quality. However, the students' subjective

satisfaction was significantly decreased for those who used distant education

compared to students who studied face-to-face, although their actual performance was

comparable. In contrast, Bednar et al. (2007) claim that measures of student

satisfaction and learning achievement show few, if any, differences between distance

learning and traditional instruction.

One study was carried out to compare students' performance and satisfaction with the

clinical pharmacokinetics course at West Virginia University (WVU) due to the

departure of the course coordinator. An agreement had been made with the

Shenandoah University (SU) School of Pharmacy faculty to coordinate and deliver the

course and a decision had been taken to use an interactive videoconferencing system

to allow students to communicate with each other and with their instructors in several

geographical locations asynchronously. The course was taught to 38 students in a

27
traditional classroom at SU, while it was delivered identically to 75 students in

synchronous sessions via interactive videoconferencing at WVU to students who live

approximately 150 miles from SU. Students on both courses performed well and held

a high overall perception of the instructor and the courses. However, distance students

achieved higher than average marks in examinations, while the classroom students

achieved higher grades in the prerequisite course basics. No other significant

differences were found (Kidd, Pharm et al., 2006). A similar study (Allen et al., 2004)

indicates a small correlation favouring distance education with videoconferencing and

students showed their complete satisfaction with their VC classes (Allen et al., 2004).

Several experiments have been run by three orthodontic departments to test different

course designs using videoconferencing to teach fundamental concepts in orthodontic

practice. All participants were at a distance from the instructor and attended distance

seminars, clinical conferences and clinical seminars via high-speed internet

connections after they had been given an outline of the course and journal articles to

read. Three instructional approaches to distance learning were used. The first group

interacted in real time using two-way videoconferencing. The second group observed

seminars in real time as they occurred, without being able to interact but having the

opportunity of discussion with the instructor afterwards. The third group watched a

recording of the seminar and were able to discuss it with the instructor but no

interaction with other participants was allowed. Each group experienced each of the

three teaching styles for one seminar sequence to control for any student effects. Any

possible faculty effects were controlled by having the same instructor for each

condition. Residents completed three types of evaluation form to evaluate their

perceptions and what they thought of the accessibility of the seminars and the

28
approaches used (Bednar et al., 2007). The results showed that live participation in the

seminar via videoconferencing was preferred to live observation or the later

observation of a recording. The educational experiences were rated positively (Bednar

et al., 2007). To elaborate, more students considered discussion to be helpful and

students were more actively engaged in learning in the interactive group. There was a

high rating for acceptability given by all three groups. Interaction was judged by

participants to be better than observation, whether live or after a seminar. Observing

live was judged slightly less positively than observing a recording.

Interacting live was described by participants as “advantageous”, as they could

interact with the tutor and be more attentive and involved because of that interaction.

Observing live was rated positively and the authors explain this by saying that this

eradicates the stress of participating actively during a seminar but still allows students

to ask questions and receive clarification after the seminar. Observing a seminar later

in an asynchronous manner was described as allowing students to learn at their own

convenience and review if they wished. All three learning methods provided the

opportunity for students to learn from experts in the field, which the participants

commented was not otherwise possible for them; the technologies used were

described as being effective teaching tools. Although most responses were positive

about the experience, two participants stated that in the future they would not like to

learn using any of the distance education methodologies evaluated (Bednar et al.,

2007).

The Australian Academic Research Network also recently established broadband-

videoconferencing facilities because of the availability of high-speed broadband

29
networks which provide students with picture and sound quality approximate to that of

television screens (Robyn, 2005). Broadband-videoconferencing can also be a useful

tool for improving student outcomes (Allen et al., 2004). Distance learning students

benefit from the increased opportunities for interaction with each other and their

supervisor, the electronic resources and easier access to a means for personalised

dialogue and collaborative teaching and learning which almost approximate to face-to-

face classes when they use a VC tool (Robyn, 2005). The key to being a successful

teacher is being able to adapt, and to take emerging strategies and practise and

incorporate them into their teaching in seemingly effortless ways that make them

acceptable to students (Robyn, 2005). Although videoconferencing equipment will not

magically transform a poor teacher into a great one, teaching and learning in this way

can achieve goals and be acceptable (Bednar et al., 2007). Utilising

videoconferencing and merging the new generations of technology appropriately into

the curriculum will identify the opportunities available for students to engage

effectively in learning via this improved medium (Robyn, 2005) which could enhance

students’ performance. As has been observed, the way in which students are taught

affects students’ performance and attitudes (Bednar et al., 2007).

Teachers’ ability to integrate technology-based interaction into higher education and

distance learning contexts can be attributed to a number of factors: the variety of

technologies available, their cost and, most importantly, their suitability for teaching

and learning in the educational environment. Teachers’ acquaintance with the needs of

learners within a particular discipline and the use of this technique within a teaching

approach must be contingent ahead of this context (Robyn, 2005).

30
Teachers' and students' perceptions of how and what to teach, as well as their

changing roles in the educative progression, are becoming increasingly informed by

contemplation of the pedagogy (Robyn, 2005). There are now various technologies

available to educators, so it is essential for teachers to have a deep understanding of

what they are doing and why, so they can choose the appropriate technology aligned

with the most appropriate pedagogical approach (Robyn, 2005). Higher education

teaching could be enhanced by the continuous synergising of development in

discipline-based knowledge, practice, and by understanding and keeping abreast of

fundamental shifts in educators' understanding about how learning and teaching take

place. This knowledge can improve students’ outcomes. However, if teachers have not

given sufficient time to reflect, move forward, reflect, and move forward again they

will conduct routine reflections on practice, rather than carrying out a deeper

reflection of their primary motivation for teaching the way that they do, which is more

important (Robyn, 2005).

Another way in which VC technology has the potential to lead to a positive outcome

for students engaged in distance learning, is that it provides a readability of body

language, which could reduce possible ambiguity and reinforce the psychological

engagement of both students and educators (Robyn, 2005). VC helps to personalise

learning by enabling synchronous verbal and non-verbal communication, including

the multiple visual and aural indications which duplicate normal language

communicated in real time, with body language and intonation of speech providing

immediate feedback (Robyn, 2005).

31
The use of videoconferencing could be a desirable element of media richness to

extend teaching beyond the one-to-many delivery of content towards student-to-

student engagement in learning. Robyn (2005, p. 6) says:

The visual richness of the medium permits access to the multiple

indications of natural language and its synchronicity makes it
suitable for activities such as role plays, interactive group work,
simulation games and practical demonstrations as well as more
traditional activities such as guest lectures and tutorials. The visual
richness, immediacy and flexibility of the medium as well as its
increasing reliability increase promise for learner-centeredness and
interactive learning.

If we see the aforementioned in the light of learner-centred approaches, the outcomes

of learning and the achievement of learners are less impacted by the actions of

teachers. In fact, learners’ actions have a more significant influence on the outcomes

achieved, which should motivate teachers to move more towards learner-centred

practices in their teaching. Higher education is witnessing the emergence of learner-

centred approaches as being the more desirable method for teaching and learning to

promote deeper learning. This approach demands an understanding of learning styles

and should be informed by both pedagogical and epistemological concepts in

choosing videoconferencing as a teaching and learning tool (Robyn, 2005).

Synchronous communication provides simultaneous feedback in group activities,

helps decision making and the capture of ideas which enliven discussion (Blight,

Davis et al., 1999). Through such approaches, person-to-person feedback and

discussions are now possible with minimum effort and prove convenient for many

more students (Robyn, 2005). Gunawardena and Lapoint (2003, p. 23) state that, “the

greatest pedagogical advantage, however, is that the students are challenged to

develop new forms of learning by searching for, finding, acquiring, evaluating,

judging, changing, storing, managing and retrieving information when needed”. This

32
is probably more true when the medium is used for discussion rather than delivering a

lecture but the following activities can also take place: virtual seminars, workshops,

tutorials and counselling meetings, tuition or project groups, and chatting with fellow

students. Videoconferencing has a great degree of flexibility in pedagogical aspects,

giving students the ability to communicate, represent their learning results,

collaborate, simulate (Gunawardena & Lapoint, 2003) and experience a new form of

technology. VC is, therefore, increasingly meeting the requirements of the diverse

body of students enrolling in higher education by opening possibilities for

clarification, negotiation, collaborative feedback, and a thoughtful evaluation of

teaching and learning (Laurillard, 2002). Teaching by discussion can be an extremely

effective means of helping students apply abstract ideas and think critically about

what they are learning. Johnson, Johnson et al. (1991) conclude that when the purpose

of a class is to develop problem-solving skills and abilities, even the least efficient

discussion is superior to most lectures. However, fostering effective discussion is

difficult, even for an experienced faculty member, and it is especially difficult when

class sizes exceed twenty. This has an impact on the type of learning that can take

place in a classroom, with smaller class sizes relating to higher levels of learning

(Bednar et al., 2007).

Fulford and Zhang (1993) found that students’ satisfaction depends largely on their

perception of interaction and not on their actual interaction. In a course delivered by

instructional television, the examined learner perceptions of interaction, the critical

predictor of student satisfaction, was largely dependent on the perception of the

overall or vicarious interaction and not the extent of personal interaction. Hence, if

students perceived that there had been a high level of student interaction on the course

33
they were satisfied, regardless of how much personal interaction they had

experienced. Kearsley (1995) considers that immediate interaction has a sense of

excitement and spontaneity that is not present with delayed interaction, although

individual learners differ in their perception of interaction according to their

personality and age.

2.5 Concerns and factors to consider in using

videoconferencing

As mentioned above, students involved in distance learning activities need to feel that

they are gaining the fullest possible sense of interaction and for this approach to have

a positive effect on their learning outcomes. It is essential, therefore, on the most basic

level, for the course instructor to ensure that students are confident enough in the

videoconferencing practicalities. If synchronicity is required, it is imperative to ensure

the logistical aspects of students’ attendance (Robyn, 2005), for example by sending

some instructions as well as pilot sessions to students who are not on campus. Human

factors such as personality, attitudes, and skills influence the students’ reactions

toward technology (Allen, Bourhis et al., 2002). Patience is also an important factor

for those students who lack technological experience. The main factors which increase

the perceptions of the acceptability of videoconferencing are an instructor’s

personality, the subject of the seminar, the degree of interaction of the teaching style,

the students’ comfort level in dealing with the technology, and the sequences for

interaction versus observation (Bednar et al., 2007). A common reaction towards

using communication technology is a great sense of social distance and formality.

However, students also consider the setting of videoconferencing as being private and

34
informal for both synchronous and asynchronous communication (Allen, Mabry et al.,

2004).

Bernard and Abrami (2004) claim that there is a degree of absence amongst members

of learning groups when videoconferencing is used. This have been debated in the

literature due to the exclusion of many applications of digital education (DE) based on

teleconferencing technologies that are group based. Some argue that when DE creates

traditional classroom conditions, it misses the point, as DE of this type does not

support the anytime/anyplace objective of access to education for students who cannot

be in a particular place at a particular time (Tuovinen, 2000). In a study involving

postgraduate Masters students (Burke & Lundin, 1997), students were given six weeks

of intensive courses face-to-face prior to some of the students moving abroad. The

remainder of the course was delivered through distance learning and

videoconferencing, which was also used to communicate with fellow students to

discuss different matters. This proved to be successful and the students who had

moved abroad were not isolated. Students had improved access to each other and the

lecturers as a result of this project and the quality of their experience in the subject

was considerably enhanced (Burke & Lundin, 1997). However, this could be

contested as the students had been attending the classes personally for the intensive

period of six weeks and had become familiar with classmates and the tutors who could

have facilitated their interaction on video later when they went abroad.

2.6 Distance education in Saudi Arabia

Altowjry (2005) claims that the only efficient use of modern communication

technology, for example web-based videoconferencing, in higher education in Saudi

35
Arabia is present in the Open Arab University. However, I could not recover any

published studies on the experience of Saudi Arabian academics implementing

videoconferencing in Saudi academic institutions of higher education. According to

Altowjry, Saudi educational institutions do not maximise the availability of the

modern technologies at their disposal. The use of those technologies has been carried

out in an undeveloped way and limited to certain social areas, such as health,

agriculture and information (Altowjry, 2005). However, with the development of the

National Centre for E-learning and Distance Education, there is now a new prospect

for the use of such technologies and studies in their applications will, hopefully, be

unveiled in years to come. Currently, distance education is still a novelty and so are

the modern technologies which are used to deliver only a few distance learning

courses run by the Open University (Al-wakeel & Fares, 2007; Altowjry, 2005). Until

very recently, distance education had not been formally acknowledged by the Higher

Ministry of Education. Despite the fact that the Open Arab University is not purely a

Saudi university, it is operated by an identical educational system to the British Open

University under the sponsorship of the United Nations (The Arab Gulf Programme

for United Nations Development Organizations) (Al-wakeel & Fares, 2007) and has

been running within Saudi society, so it is worthy of consideration (Altowjry, 2005).

For students to obtain a degree, they must take at least 25% of the

courses on campus, so the Open Arab University cannot be considered as an

institution that offers a full-scale distance education programme. At best,

the programmes offered are a mixture of both distance education and

traditional methods. Moreover, the physical attendance of the student

in order to register for each semester is mandatory and an electronic

option for adding or withdrawing from classes is not offered. The

aforementioned points discourage students from enrolling on the

36
programme and this situation is further complicated by lack of

accreditation from the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education (Altowjry,

2005).

This literature review chapter has revealed the lack of studies into how distance

learning and videoconferencing could be appropriately applied in the complex context

of the Saudi Arabian education setting. I hope that the research involved in this

dissertation will increase the body of knowledge and pave the way for future studies in

this area.

37
 3 Chapter 3: The Theoretical Framework

“Theories serve to satisfy a very human ‘need’ to order the experienced world. This order

will reflect the principles, standards and ideals that will influence and shape practice.

Theories can be derived from efforts to explain or make sense of observed phenomena, or

by reasoning through the implications of existing theories. Theories are necessary because

they help us to understand, communicate and predict the nature of a discipline or a field of

practice, its purpose, goals, and methods. Theories help to shape practice, and practice in

turn contributes to the development of theory” (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004, p. 359).

3.1 Theoretical foundations

Research within a theoretical framework is not a requirement for inductive inquiry.

However, research questions can be posed within a theoretical framework or based on

its fundamental concepts and constructs that provide a post facto theoretical

discussion of research results. Research conducted this way could make the results

more relevant to the work of other researchers and possibly even be applied in the

field (Gunawardena & McIsaac, 2004). Several theories offer accounts of the effects

of different media on human communication.

1. Interaction

2. Socio-cultural context

3. The Social Presence Theory

4. The Clark-Kozma debate of media.

38
3.2 Interaction

The definition of distance education by Garrison (1989) and Garrison and Shale

(1990) considers sustained and real two-way communication elemental to the

educational experience, and the concept of interaction as fundamental to the success

of distance education. Moore (1989) distinguishes between three types of interaction:

learner-content interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-learner

interaction. In the two lessons studied in this dissertation, the lecturers were lecturing

most of the time; nevertheless, some discussions were taking place between lecturers

and students in both of the two lessons. Moore (1989) considers learner-instructor

interaction as a component that provides motivation, feedback, and dialogue between

lecturer and student. Learner-learner interaction takes place when students exchange

information, ideas and dialogue about the course. Learner-interface interaction is

considered by Hillman, Willis et al. (1994) as a critical component of the model of

interaction that has been missing in distance learning and relates to the interaction

between the learner and the technology that delivers the instruction.

Theorists are examining how the socio-cultural environment affects motivation,

attitudes, teaching and learning. Wherever a social environment is very different from

traditional settings, and the communication process is mediated by a technology, it is

particularly important to examine the socio-cultural context. Evans and Nation (1992)

suggest an examination of the broad historical as well as the social contexts to extend

previous views of theories in traditional and distance education. Combined with an

integration of theories from the humanities and social sciences, they urge educators to

move toward the construction of a critical approach which can enrich the theory

already building in the field. Spears (1992) indicates that in order to understand

39
computer-mediated communication more fully, it is important to study the social

environment. A social factor model was proposed by Feenberg and Bellman (1990) to

explore specialised electronic social environments for students and collaborators

working in groups.

3.3 Social presence

The degree to which participants feel co-located when using various communication

media has been studied under the theory of social presence which, as the name

suggests, is the extent to which a person feels “socially present” in a mediated

situation. It can also be defined as the extent to which a person is perceived as a “real-

person” in mediated communication (Short, Williams et al., 1976).

There are a number of dimensions that constitute this construct, all relating to the

traits of interpersonal contact. Argyle and Dean (1965) identify the concept of

“intimacy,” and Wiener and Mehrabian (1968) name the concept of “immediacy” (as

cited in Short et al., 1976, p. 363). According to Short et al. (1976), factors such as

physical distance, eye contact, and smiling play an important role in the level of

intimacy felt in the social presence of the communications medium. However, the

psychological distance is related more to immediacy; such distance could be placed by

a communicator between him/herself and the object of his/her communication.

Immediacy can be conveyed non-verbally, for instance by physical proximity,

formality of dress, and facial expression, as well as verbally. Hence Short et al.

consider social presence as a factor of a communication medium and to that of the

communicators and their presence in a sequence of interactions.

40
3.4 The pedagogy of the media

An important issue in the field of Instructional Technology and Education Technology

is the media debate. Some might argue that in this field the most popular debate is

between Richard E. Clark and Robert B. Kozma, which began in 1983 when

technology as we currently know it (e.g. computers, software, the internet) was in its

infancy and Clark stated that “media do not influence learning under any conditions”

(Clark, 1983, p.445). What he was saying is that a selected medium (e.g. video, audio,

print) does not affect learning. In 1991, Kozma responded in the Review of

Educational Research and took the opposing view, stating that the medium does affect

learning. And so the debate started. In Clark’s 1983 article, he said that: “The best

current evidence is that media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not

influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries

causes changes in our nutrition” (Clark, 1983, p. 445).

Between his 1983 and 1994 articles, Clark also claimed, “that any necessary teaching

method could be designed into a variety of media presentations” (Clark, 1994, p. 22).

Clark uses what he calls a “replaceability” test where educators need to ask “whether

there are other media or another set of media attributes that would yield similar

learning gains” and if there are other media capable of these gains, then “we must

always choose the less expensive way to achieve a learning goal” (Clark, 1994, p. 22).

In his article (1991), Kozma summarises his position saying that, “while some

students will learn a particular task regardless of the delivery device, others will be

41
able to take advantage of a particular medium's characteristics to help construct

knowledge” (Kozma, 1991, p. 29). He continues his summary:

computers provide a unique opportunity to examine learning

processes and how these interact with the capabilities of a medium
…our ability to take advantage of the power of emerging
technologies will depend on the creativity of designers, their ability
to exploit the capabilities of the media, and our understanding of the
relationship between these capabilities and learning (Kozma, 1991,
p. 29).

The main point of Kozma’s 1994 article is that we move from asking the question “do

media influence learning?” to “in what ways can we use the capabilities of media to

influence learning for particular students, tasks, and situations?” (Kozma, 1994,

p. 23). It was very wise of Kozma to delay his response for many years after Clark

published his article, as developments in technology during that time allowed Kozma

to examine them more.

Both sides of the debate make a valid point. This applies especially if we bear in mind

the evolution of computers and communication technology and their distribution

which is now worldwide, in stark contrast to the 1980s when Clark opened the debate.

Clark was saying that we can look at media as vehicles that merely serve the delivery

of instruction. Educational content could be presented in different ways and still

achieve in conveying its message. The use of a digital video camera would be one

example, where a list of instructions could first be drawn up on a word processor.

Another teaching method through the use of technology might be to create a

presentation using photographs from a camera which someone has used, typing the

instructions and an embedded narration and then exporting the file as a PowerPoint

presentation. A third way would be to actually film someone using the camera, giving

instructions and describing different parts of the camera. One might argue in Clark’s

42
favour that all these three ways demonstrate how media do not influence learning.

Nevertheless, the user-friendly interfaces and current design of computers and the

Worldwide Web are on Kozma’s side of the debate. The debate concerning the effects

of various media on teaching is highly significant for the field of educational

technologies. Although it is not the only one, this debate is important because it is a

fundamental issue that motivates and steers educational technologists to remain

focused on learning. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the historical context in

which the debate originally emerged and continues to evolve. I think the Clark-Kozma

debate will continue to take place because of the ever-evolving nature of the

technologies and because of the variability of educators who are informed of the

pedagogical possibilities that different technologies provide. Perhaps when this kind

of understanding of the need for the pedagogically-informed design of media is

absorbed and practised widely, it will be clearer that the question “how do media

influence learning?” is closer to an answer. Whoever designs media should be aware

of the pedagogical possibilities they provide and how they could be limited by some

practices or enhanced by others. Ross (1994) conclude his article:

Assigning too much influence to media can lead to the

design/development of sloppy, ineffective instructional materials that
are accepted by technologists and users simply because they utilize
computer-based instruction, interactive video, or other ‘high-status’
delivery media. Assigning too little influence to media, on the other
hand, may discourage reflective thinking by designers about which
media can best convey the instructional strategies needed to achieve
instruction objectives (p.6).

In my opinion, the debate might have evolved but it is still important to drive a better

understanding and more informed practices connected with the relation between

learning and media design.

43
 4 Chapter 4: Methods

This chapter demonstrates the research methodology and the methods used to answer

the research questions, then discusses the effort made to enhance the quality of the

research.

4.1 Case study

A case study is the appropriate approach for an individual researcher and gives an

opportunity for a specific aspect of a problem to be studied in-depth within a limited

timescale (Bell, Bush, Fox, Goody & Goulding, 1984). Bell et al. (1984, p. 73) state

that: "Statistical analysis can identify important determining factors in a problem area

to establish how these factors relate to each other in the real situation, it may be

necessary to examine a specific case systematically and in detail".

The case study in this research concerns the application of web-based

videoconferencing technology in clinical lessons for female students in King Abdul-

Aziz University. Two groups were studied: one undergraduate and one postgraduate.

This is the first time a web-based videoconferencing tool has been used in the Medical

School at King Abdul-Aziz University to deliver a clinical lesson.

A week prior to the lessons, I emailed a tutorial entitled “How to use Breeze” to the

lecturers, so that they could forward it to their students and so that they would all be

prepared before the lessons. The lecturers and I also logged onto Breeze one hour

before the sessions were due to begin to ensure that everything was working

44
appropriately and to help the students with any problems they may have faced at this

stage of using the technology. Students had been given five hours’ access to Breeze

prior to the lessons in order to be able to experiment with the technology.

The first lesson lasted for two hours and was run by a dermatology consultant for the

postgraduate students’ group. The lesson started slightly late due to the delay in some

students becoming connected to the internet. After the presence of all the students was

verified, the lecturer checked that all the students could hear him properly and that all

the microphones were working. He then asked all the students if they had read the

information that had been emailed to them, which all of them had. He then explained

that the rules of the class would not differ from the usual lessons, and that any

interruptions for educational purposes, such as asking questions, making comments

and discussions, were allowed and encouraged.

The second lesson was two hours long and involved a surgical doctor for the

undergraduate students’ group. The lesson began on time and all the students were

present. As with the other lesson, the lecturer first made sure that all the students

could hear him well and that all their microphones were working. He then asked all

the students if they had read the information that had been emailed to them; it

appeared that ten of the students had not read this information. He then explained that

it would be acceptable for the students to interrupt him to ask questions, make

comments and discuss the information given.

45
4.2 Sampling

4.2.1 Sampling in the pilot phase

Three full-time students, studying face to face on the MA-DTCE course in the School

of Education at the University of Manchester, during the academic year 2008-09, were

chosen in the interests of time and availability. The MA-DTCE consists of modules,

one of which uses web-videoconferencing for discussions between the tutor and

groups of students. I interviewed my colleagues to test my instruments because of the

time constraints, in order to improve the method and implement the appropriate

analytical approach to answer the research questions.

4.2.2 Sampling in the main phase

To answer my research questions, I designed a questionnaire to be answered by two

groups of students after attending two lessons given by different lecturers. The first

group consists of 15 undergraduate female students between the ages of 21 and 24 at

the Medical School of King Abdul-Aziz University. These students are between the

first and last year of the clinical phase of studying medicine, have surgery as an

integral part of the curriculum and are assessed annually. As I approached them

towards the end of this academic year, revision for surgery was the most appropriate

subject to discuss in the lesson. Arranging this lesson was difficult, as students by that

time had finished their formal classes, were conducting clinical work and preparing

for the final examinations. However, they agreed to attend the lesson as it was useful

for revision. The second group consists of 15 postgraduate female doctors between the

ages of 25 and 35 enrolled in the Saudi Dermatology and Venereal Disease

Programme. This is a clinical specialist programme governed by the Saudi Board of

Dermatologists and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

46
All the postgraduate doctors possess computers and have access to the internet at

home, while nine undergraduate students have access to a computer and the internet at

home. Those who do not own a computer stated that they had access to one at the

university, hospital or other places.

4.2 Increasing the quality of the research

4.2.1 Reliability

Consistency in coding the semi-structured interviews was taken into account as all

participants had been asked the same questions in the same order in the research in

order to recognise patterns of answers (Richards & Morse, 2007). One should be

cautious when generalising the result of this experiment due to the small group sizes

involved in the case study.

Cohen et al. (2007) state that the key component in ensuring the reliability of a piece

of research is to create a protocol before collecting the data. They emphasise that a

protocol must include a procedure include data collection and analysis.

47
4.4 Data sources

4.2.2 Semi-structured interviews

The instrument chosen was dictated by the research questions and type of study. I

needed an instrument that invited detailed and complex answers, as I am looking at

students’ perceptions. Semi-structured interviews were employed for the purpose of

this study using pre-set questions but allowing scope for open-ended answers (Woods,

2006). A semi-structured interview tends to be the most favoured by educational

researchers as it allows participants to express themselves at some length but offers

enough shape to prevent aimless rambling (Bell et al., 1984). This approach built

considerable flexibility into the interview because the key questions were developed

prior to the interview but allowed the interviewer to control when and how to raise

them, according to the flow of the interview and the dynamics of the conversation

taking place (Hannan, 2007). Using such an instrument presents the pre-set questions

in a way that does not interrupt the natural flow of the conversation (Richards &

Morse, 2007). Generally, interviews offer an in-depth enquiry method for qualitative

information and allow researchers to probe the meanings and motives in interviewees’

answers.

I interviewed the two lecturers. Each interview lasted twenty minutes on average,

which allowed time for all the clarification and information I asked for. There was a

natural flow in the interviewees’ answers and I managed to keep them focused on the

interview questions if they deviated into areas which are not relevant for answering

my research questions.

48
The interview questions were open-ended to prompt reflection about the interviewees’

thoughts and to ensure in-depth examination of thinking and understanding. The

interviews were recorded using Skype recorder software called Call-graph and

transcribed carefully.

4.2.3 Questionnaires
Questionnaires are the best method for collecting certain types of information quickly

and relatively cheaply. They also require the researcher to be sufficiently disciplined

to abandon questions that are unnecessary to answering the research questions (Bill, J.

2005). The information collected from a questionnaire is usually standardised and

hence easy to analyse (Bill, 2005).

A semi-structured questionnaire with a combination of open-ended and closed-ended

questions was used to answer the research questions, as this research is qualitative in

its approach (Hannan, 2007). I chose this method because it has the advantage of

providing accurate results with the possibility of being easy to compute whilst

providing respondents with open space to develop their own ideas and express their

feelings (Hannan, 2007).

An open-ended questionnaire is favoured by qualitative researchers as it allows

respondents to state their opinions in ways non-selected by the researcher. This

approach offers the possibility of determining aspects of a topic that were unsuspected

and will enable some respondents to challenge any assumptions that may have been

made (Hannan, 2007). However, this type of questionnaire has one concern as to the

difficulty of computing the answers and the only process it can follow is categorizing

49
undertaken by the researcher. To balance this method, I used a combination of both

open- and closed-ended questions to design the questionnaire (included in the

Appendix). I used Google Document to design my questionnaire, send it to the

students and collect their answers. Fifteen students from every session replied to the

survey, which constitutes a 100% response rate.

Due to a delay in the students’ responses, however, I was obliged to contact the

lecturers several times to ask them to send gentle reminders to the students; even so, I

needed to wait until the students had finished their exams before my questionnaires

were completed.

4.2.4 Observation
Observation is an important characteristic of case studies (Hannan, 2006), which is

usually combined with other research methods for collecting data (LeCompte &

Preissle, 1993). The simplest way to observe is to rely on watching, listening, asking

questions and collecting information (LeCompte & Preissle, 1993) on the part of the

researcher after deciding what behaviours or events to look for, the frequency of the

event and the context (Bell et al., 1984). Classroom studies usually have to be based

on observation, which can be more reliable than what people actually say (Bell et al.,

1984).

I kept unstructured notes from the two Breeze classes I observed, which helped me to

record impressions and ideas in order not to lose those insights which occur at the

time (Bell et al., 1984). I recorded ideas that came to me while observing, from the

students’ speech, chatting and my thoughts about what was happening in the sessions.

I kept a record of the type and frequency of students’ participation in the lesson by

50
creating a table for each lesson as follows. I recorded the participants’ names in one

column and created a separate column for each method of interaction. For each

method of interaction, I placed a tick in front of a particular student’s name each time

she used that method. At the beginning of the lesson I tried to record some of the text

of the students’ talking; however, I soon discovered that I could not use most of the

speech I had recorded because it all involved students’ contributions to the lessons’

subject.

4.3 Data analysis

4.3.1 The qualitative approach using thematic analysis

Open-ended questions provide responses that are best analysed using thematic

analysis, which represents a qualitative approach. This helps to identify the students’

thoughts and perceptions of using web-videoconferencing; such responses are

nuanced and complex, so this approach is the most appropriate form of analysis.

The interviews first needed to be transcribed then categorised using thematic analysis.

This involved reading through the transcripts of the interviews and the questionnaire

responses many times in order to acquire a high degree of familiarity. This enabled me

to identify regularly recurring experiences, thoughts and ideas described by the Breeze

users. These patterns were then formed into themes which give an overall view of the

way that Breeze users feel about the system as a tool for delivering lectures (Braun &

Clarke, 2006).

51
According to Ryan and Bernard (2000, p. 780), "Thematic analysis

aims to report the content and meaning of patterns (themes) in

responses, in which the investigator can identify abstract themes

before, during, and after analysis".

4.3.2 Advantages of thematic analysis

While other analytical approaches seem more difficult to researchers

with little or no experience of qualitative research, thematic analysis

appears to be more accessible. The results are also generally

accessible to the educated general public. This approach can

generally provide key features in a large body of responses and

information while at the same time highlighting similarities and

differences across the information analysed. It can also generate

unanticipated insights while building the themes because of the

unassuming nature of this approach towards the information. As

such, it allows for social as well as psychological interpretations

(Braun & Clarke, 2006).

4.3.3 The disadvantages

Poor conduction of the method accounts for many of its

disadvantages. Furthermore, it allows for a wide range of

possibilities to be generated. While this could be an advantage it

could be a disadvantage, as it is hard to develop specific guidelines

for higher-phase analysis, especially when a group is conducting the

research. Researchers might also find it difficult to decide on which

52
aspect of the they should focus (Braun & Clarke, 2006). It is also

considered to have limited interpretative powers beyond simple

description. This is especially true if it is not used within an existing

theoretical framework that provides an axis for the analytic claims to

be rotated and anchored (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

When this method is compared to other qualitative research

approaches, such as discourse analysis and content analysis, it

appears to be much less informative on the language use or the flow

of conversation and its functionality. Neither does thematic analysis

highlight contradictions in accounts, as is the case with narrative or

other biographical approaches, which could be important for the

richness of the analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

4.3.4 Procedure of analysis

1. Developing initial codes from the transcribed conversations

I started by listing the patterns of meaning and issues in the data during

collection by paraphrasing common or more frequently expressed ideas from

direct quotations (Braun & Clarke, 2006). In other words, by coding

interesting features of the data in a systematic fashion across the

entire data set and collating data relevant to each code. Writing

notes and observations during the analysis was important as this

helped me mark ideas for coding to which I could return in

subsequent phases. When I had done this, I was ready to begin

53
 the more formal coding process. In essence, coding continues to

be developed (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and should take place from the

first step.

2. Combining related patterns into sub-themes or categories

This was carried out while paying attention to the coherence of the ideas. This can

be ensured through rigorous studying of the ideas to make sure they fit together

meaningfully when grouped under a sub-theme (Leininger, 1985) that pertains to

the same phenomena (Strauss & Corbin, 1990).

3. Forming the themes

Themes are units composed of fragments of ideas or experiences that originate

from patterns. Examples include, "conversation topics, vocabulary, recurring

activities, meanings, feelings, or folk sayings and proverbs" (Taylor & Bogdan,

1984, p.131). Themes were identified by "bringing together components or

fragments of ideas or experiences, which often are meaningless when viewed

alone" (Leininger, 1985, p. 60). When performing the analysis, there is constant

movement back and forth between the entire data set, the coded

extracts of data, and the result of analysis produced (Braun &

Clarke, 2006). The analysis is not, therefore, a linear process of

simply moving from one phase to the other but rather a recursive

one conducted throughout the process (Braun & Clarke 2006).

4. Formulated themes from the interviewees’ stories are pieced together to form
a comprehensive picture of their collective experience

54
 When gathering sub-themes to obtain a comprehensive view of the information,

any patterns can then be seen. When patterns emerge they are best triangulated

with other means to confirm this. However, in my study themes emerged from the

interviews, questionnaire and observation (Aronson, 1994).

5. Building a valid argument for choosing the themes

I studied theoretical core concepts noted in the data. I returned to the data with

these core concepts in mind to refine my initial codes and repeated the process

several times (e.g. I returned to the socio-cultural theory). I eventually concluded

a final set of coding categories which was generated from this repetitive and

rigorous process. By referring to the literature, I gained information that allowed

me to infer more from re-reading the interview transcripts and questionnaire

responses (Aronson, 1994).

4.4 Validity

Having selected an appropriate methodology for answering the research questions,

appropriate participants were chosen and along with the proper instruments for

gathering the type of data required at the design stage. The appropriateness of

readability level in the questionnaire was ensured through avoiding ambiguity in the

instructions, terms and questions. Poor coding, generalisation beyond the capability of

the data and selective use of data were avoided when the data were analysed

(Morrison, Manion & Cohen, 2000).

55
4.4.1 Triangulation
The purpose of using triangulation is to establish consistency among the data; that is,

to establish credibility (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The need for triangulation arises from

the ethical necessity to validate the process; this involves integrating insights from

various techniques to constitute a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena

under investigation (Stake, 1995). Triangulation was achieved in this research by

using multiple sources of evidence.

4.5 Ethical issues

The study adhered strictly to ethical protocols. The purpose of the interview was

explained to the interviewees orally and in written (Morrison et al., 2000).

Tendentious openings were avoided and at the end of the interviews the interviewees

were given a chance to ask questions (Bell et al., 1984; Richards & Morse, 2007).

Participants in the interviews and questionnaires read and signed both participant

information and consent form sheets (Richards & Morse, 2007) (included in the

Appendix).

The participants were given the right to withdraw at any time and not to answer any

questions (Richards & Morse, 2007). I promised participants that I would be honest,

not force anyone to take part, protect them from harm, and maintain confidentiality

(Hannan, 2007; Richards & Morse, 2007). Selective reporting and presenting only the

evidence which supported a particular conclusion was avoided (Cohen et al., 2007).

56
4.6 Production of an audit certificate

The final draft of the dissertation was read by two colleagues, who then sampled

sections of the research to answer the following questions (Bassey, 1999):

1. What claim to knowledge is made as expressed in the abstract?

2. Is the background given by the researcher appropriate?

3. Were the collection and the analysis of data appropriate, sufficient and ethical?

4. Does the evidence of the report as examined in answer to the second and third of

these questions, substantiate the claim to knowledge made in answer to the first?

57
 5 Chapter 5: Results

The results presented here were collected using observations of each of the two

classes, analysing the responses of students in the groups and lastly through analysing

the responses of the two lecturers to the interview. Triangulation was used.

5.1 Observation

5.1.1 The first lesson

The nature of the lesson was the same as the usual lessons (as I found from the

questionnaire). At the beginning of the class, the lecturer began to talk through the

headings he wished to cover during the lesson and the material he had prepared, then

informed the students that they were free to interrupt for any reason. In terms of

interaction and the discursive nature of the lesson, although the lecturer encouraged

interactions, contributions began after the first half hour of the lesson and the

interaction was 100%. Eleven of the students contributed by raising their hand to

request to speak using the microphone while only four students used the chat feature

to contribute. As noted from the questionnaire, the numbers from the online class can

be compared to the regular lesson. Seven out of the fifteen students do not usually

interact during face-to-face lessons and three students always struggle to ask their

questions and think twice before speaking. Only five students feel confident to

contribute without hesitation. There were 13 questions asked, five comments made

and seven discussions held during the lesson.

58
5.1.2 The second lesson
The nature of the lesson dictated a discussion form with a question and answer basis.

The usual lecturer’s attitude to the lesson (as I found from the questionnaire and the

lecturer’s interview) is to start to talk and all contributions and questions are to be

asked at the end of the lesson. In this group, ten of the students contributed during the

lesson while the rest did not contribute at all. All the contributions were via the chat

tool and none used the voice tool. This number was an improvement, as only five

students usually interact in the face-to-face lessons. There were thirty questions asked

and seven comments stated but no discussions were raised during the lesson.

5.1.3 General observations

I did not observe any problems during the lesson although I could sense hesitation in a

few instances when students spoke. I did not observe any technical problems apart

from a single interruption to the lecturer’s voice in the first lesson because of an

intrusion from the internet connection.

I observed the chat which appeared in the common chat box. Generally, the lines were

assertive and concise; some in English and some in Arabic. The Arabic lines were

confusing, however; although written in Arabic, the words appeared in the wrong

order, as the software rendered them to be read from left to right (rather than right to

left, as they should have been).

5.2 Lecturers’ views and perceptions

The responses from the two interviews conducted with the lecturers were coded,

merged with the codes obtained from the students’ questionnaire and incorporated in

59
the thematic analysis process. The resulting themes are presented below. I present

here the findings of these interviews.

The lecturer who gave the surgery lesson to the undergraduate medical students noted:

"It was hard to organise a lesson initially because by that time the formal classes have

ended and students were doing clinical work and preparing for the final exams". The

postgraduate dermatology doctors were available and the lesson was organised with

ease compared to that given to the undergraduates. After the obstacle of arranging the

lesson with the undergraduate students was overcome and the two lessons conducted,

both lecturers showed a positive attitude towards applying a videoconferencing

application in lessons. This positivity appeared to stem from the lecturers’ confidence

in using the application and in dealing with problems faced by the students at the

beginning of the sessions. The lecturers encouraged students to interact and to utilise

fully the technology which was being applied to their lesson. They also noted an

interest from the students in interacting during the lesson through various methods.

The lecturer who gave the surgery lesson to the undergraduate medical students said:

"I did not expect such participation and I didn't expect them to speak even". In that

sense, the lecturer noted that, "the nature of the lesson has changed" as the students

kept "raising points and questions" by typing comments and questions in the chat box,

although no discussions arose. In terms of the postgraduate students, there was greater

use of voice interaction and "a few discussions rose".

Neither of the lecturers faced problems with operating the application during the

lesson except for the single connection interruption as mentioned in the observation

section of the results. The lecturers think that the application could provide

60
opportunities for improving their lessons, although they only used the voice and video

features.

Neither of the lecturers used PowerPoint, illustrations, diagrams or slides, and neither

of them made use of the document-sharing pod. They were asked about this in the

interview and this warranted inclusion in a separate sub-theme under the activities

theme.

However, both lecturers added, "this was an experiment but in the future I will use

more features" and "I see Breeze as a wonderful application allowing multiple

educational tools in one place".

5.3 Themes

The analysis of students’ responses collected through the questionnaire offer insights

into their perceptions of using Breeze during the two teaching sessions. The following

themes were identified in the students’ responses by grouping coded responses into

sub-themes. The themes were interaction, activities, feelings and difficulties and under

each one of them the sub-themes are listed with examples of the coded responses. The

themes and sub-themes identified are summarised in Figure 5.1, which is a

diagrammatic version of the first three steps of the analysis of the interviewees’

responses.

61
Figure 5.2 The process of identifying themes: 152 codes were identified, which were grouped into

different sub-themes and finally identifying themes

Codes Sub-themes/ Categories Themes

152 Codes were identified

The physical absence Concerns about Encouraging

of the lecturer interaction students to ask

questions

Students’ visions/preference about Tools used in expressing ideas and

the best time for interaction asking questions
Interaction

Shyness as the main reason for The use of Breeze changed the
decreased voice interaction among lessons’ nature by providing
the undergraduates significant interaction

Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory

Features not used
application

Activities
Meeting students’ needs for logistical Providing
convenience efficient features

Enthusiastic Positive influence Comfortable

Feelings
Providing new positive
Flexibility, taking the session
educational opportunities and
online while at home
atmosphere

The need for an Arabic

version Help with Facing technical
troubleshooting Difficulties
difficulties

62
5.3.1 Interaction

The use of Breeze changed the lessons’ nature by providing significant

interaction

The online lesson via Breeze affected the students’ attitude during the lesson. By the

students’ attitude, I mean their general enthusiasm and interaction during the lesson by

asking questions, adding comments or engaging in discussions. All participants stated

that the lessons’ nature had changed when delivered via Breeze to being more

energetic, fun and beneficial. For example, they said:

"The lesson is usually boring, only the lecturer speaks for two hours
then allows us to ask questions or discuss what we need to discuss
after the lesson is finished, but this online lesson has got more energy,
fun and hence is more beneficial as all of us are free to talk or write on
the chat window without shyness, embarrassment or fear of speaking."

Six of the students said: "…the lesson was different and we enjoyed it, even the

lecturer was enthusiastic and could not stop the river of questions while he usually

asks about three times if anyone has a question".

One student commented: "I noticed that the questions have opened new discussions

during the lesson rather than just sticking to the information in the module".

Encouraging students to ask questions

Students commented that using Breeze as a medium of interaction changed the nature

of their interaction during the lesson from what they normally practised. It seems that

students consider questions as their main interaction. However, when I analysed the

comments during the lesson as part of the observation, I noticed there were not only

questions but also a number of comments made using the chat tool and a few

discussions emerged. Some students gave positive reasons and most of their

comments centred round the ideas that using Breeze increased their confidence and

63
made asking questions even easier than when in face-to-face classes with female

lecturers. They expressed that this experience “boosted their confidence” and

“increased their courage” and they felt that they were “sitting alone behind a computer

as if using Skype or Microsoft messenger (MSN)” and as being “separated from the

lecturer”. Additional comments were given as follows:

I became liberated in terms of interaction.

It encouraged me to participate and get involved in a discussion.

We all asked and commented more and the questions were more relevant.

It affected the nature and quality of the questions.

It increased my courage.

However, some students had negative feelings, which some attribute to the nature of

their personalities or because of the practicalities of the Breeze application and the

features it offers. For example:

Nothing was different for me, maybe because I’m usually a shy person.

I actually got distracted between the lecturer’s voice and keeping up with the
chat tool comments.

The online lesson made asking questions, adding comments and negotiating during the

class more accessible for the students and increased the level of interactivity from that

of a regular lesson. For example, one student said:

I like the idea of this application which makes the meeting between lots of
people from different places accessible…Breeze gave us more freedom in the
interaction especially with the male lecturer…

Using the videoconferencing tool opened the chance for spontaneous interaction with

the lecturer and other students especially by using the chat tool, so there is no need to

wait to the end of the lesson or for a convenient time to ask a question or make a

64
comment. For example, one student said: “Immediate interaction with the lecturer and

peers was made easy when we used Breeze".

Tools used in expressing ideas and asking questions

Twenty-eight out of 30 students stressed that they prefer to communicate with the

lecturer using the microphone, even if they do not have the courage to do so; they feel

it is the best form of communication during an online-lesson. The reasons given

included, “speedy reply", "It’s better for communication", "Using the microphone

makes the lesson closer to the nature of a face-to-face class".

The use of the microphone also saves time, as there are some things which have to be

explained verbally which would take a long time to explain or involve a degree of

repetition. One student commented: "Using the microphone is easier to communicate

with the lecturer and the other students than the chat and easier to use". Another

student stated: "It is simply faster to say what I meant by a question or the

contribution and faster to explain anything if needed".

Tone of voice and manner of talking was one of the reasons for the preference in using

a microphone, as some students stated that "It influences the interactivity and helps to

understand what the person means by the way of talking".

The reason for choosing the chat tool instead of the microphone was “nervousness

caused by shyness”. Students who used the chat tool felt that they could still

contribute information and ask questions even if they did not speak. This sub-theme is

more evident amongst the undergraduate students. For example, some of them said:

65
 I can send my thoughts, join discussions, ask questions and draw the
attention of all my classmates… they commented on my contributions
a lot…I did interact a lot in the online class.

Using the chat helped me to organise my thoughts before I ask the

question because I usually mess up or forget what I wanted to ask
about while I start talking to the lecturer.

The technology increased my questions' quantity and quality.

I found that the chat is all that I needed so I used it…I did not feel the
need to talk…this suits my personality more.

Another reason is that using the chat made contributions readable and available to

everyone, so if there were any interruption in the connection or disruption in the

sound, it is easy for students to catch up with what has been happening in the lesson.

Not only this but writing also helps students to organise their thoughts before sending

their contribution, which makes it more reasonable and less ambiguous.

Shyness as the main reason for decreased voice interaction among the
undergraduates

In Saudi Arabian culture, certain personality traits for females are promoted as a

virtue; one of them is shyness. In terms of dealing with men, this is manifested in

keeping verbal communication to a minimum, addressing a man without looking him

in the eye, and for women to lower their voice.

All the undergraduate students who contributed used the chat tool in the Breeze lesson

to communicate their questions, thoughts and feelings at the time. I can also confirm

this from my observation of the lesson. All those who interacted found themselves

completely comfortable to do so, as they did not speak but communicated in writing.

Their comments about their feelings when they asked questions or contributed in

66
discussions were all along the same track: "very comfortable and restful, I did not feel

nervous at all". The reasons also have similarities.

For those who used the chat feature, their comfort came from their nervousness

disappearing, as they only had to write what they wanted to say without the need for

talking with the lecturer; at the same time, they could still communicate and

contribute. This was all concerned with having the chance to choose the means of

communication and not be obliged, as they are in the regular classes, to speak up or

lose the opportunity to interact. For example, one student said: "I wasn't nervous

because it is only writing". Another said:

I know that I have a personal problem with being very, very shy…
even in the clinical bedside teaching lessons I barely open my mouth
to speak even if I have been asked to…sometimes I feel like crying
and all the blood comes to my head…but using Breeze encourages me
to write and contribute without all those horrible feelings.

Those who used the microphone and spoke during the lesson found that the

technology was supportive for them and motivated them to speak. The indirect

interaction was a relief and the discussions were valuable in their opinion. These are

some examples of the students’ comments:

There was no need to be embarrassed. All the students were my

classmates and the group number is limited and most importantly the
lecturer is in another place which encouraged me to contribute.

I was comfortable to meet the lecturer indirectly and at the same time
nothing changed or missed from the teaching environment…I can see,
hear the lecturer …his presence is the reason for me to be nervous in
every single class.

I was very active during the lesson – unlike my usual self - I asked
questions and have their answers directly in a very clear way…I
joined the discussions and felt comfortable and felt right.

Breeze changed the discussion during the lesson to be more easygoing

and we had more freedom than the face-to-face lesson.

67
Concerns about interaction

Twenty of the students felt that they had interacted enough, while another six students

wished they had contributed more to give a better impression to the lecturer that they

had been interested in the lesson. The last four students commented that they would

have preferred if they had interacted less, because they felt that they focused on their

contributions both by microphone and chat more than on the lecturer and they would

not do the same next time. For example:

I contributed too much...I was very excited to use a new technology that
allow me to be comfortable while speaking with the lecturer…which
made my mind all over the place between the chat, listening to the
lecturer and asking the questions I wanted to ask or comments I wish to
share…next time I will listen and focus on the lecture more.

Students’ visions/preference about the best time for interaction

Nineteen out of 30 students prefer to ask their questions and make their comments

during the lesson and not afterwards. The reasons given are varied. Some students

mentioned that asking their questions and sharing their contributions during the lesson

helps them to understand and follow the content. Some feel that the lesson can benefit

by those contributions because asking a question could direct the discussion towards

points that matter to them as students, and could remind the lecturer of what part of

the lesson needs expansion. Some students have more personal reasons, such as:

Sometimes I lose interest in the answer to my question if I wait till the

end of the lesson.

… in Breeze, I could contribute simultaneously, which is great for the

way my mind works…so why the waiting?!!

I usually ask questions after the class and sometimes I forgot them, but
in Breeze I asked immediately by writing my question in the chat area
or raising my hand to be allowed to talk…so I do not forget the
question I wanted to ask.

68
In the above examples, the students describe how asking questions was not a problem

when using Breeze and it was equal to a face-to-face class and even allowed more

simultaneous action. The undergraduate students noted that they are not allowed to

interrupt the lecturer in face-to-face classes and all contributions and questions must

wait until the end of the lesson.

Eleven of the students prefer to ask their questions and make their comments at the

end of lessons for two main reasons: so as not to interrupt the lecturer, and the idea

that the points they want to share may be covered in the lesson later. One student said:

"Maybe the same point I'm interested in will be covered later in the lesson so I don't

want to rush things before it’s time".

The physical absence of the lecturer

The physical absence of the lecturer was not a problem for almost all of the students.

Only three undergraduate students had a negative impression from this non-

appearance. For example, one of the students said:

I feel that the technology opens the possibility for the attendees to lose
interest or not to pay attention to the lecturer because he is not
physically here which I personally count as a deception! While in the
face-to-face lesson we feel obliged to pay attention.

I miss the physical presence of the lecturer in the room.

In the above examples, the students describe how having no teacher physically present

caused some discomfort, especially with not having eye contact which is a powerful

communicative factor. The other 27 students felt that seeing the video of the lecturer

on Breeze and hearing him talk provided an equal learning environment to the face-to-

face classes and they did not miss having eye contact with the lecturer.

69
5.3.2 Activities using Breeze features

Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application

None of the participants had prior experience using Breeze before this experiment but

all of them use social chat and video applications and tools such as Skype and MSN

for social communication, though not for educational purposes.

Although the lesson each group took involved their first encounter with the Breeze

application, most of them found its features easy to understand, its interface

comfortable and inviting and generally straightforward to use. They convey that its

features are self-explanatory, clear, obvious, flexible, comfortable, straightforward,

and easy for anyone who uses a computer. Some added that the tutorial on “How to

use Breeze” prior to the lesson simplified their use of Breeze and prepared them

beforehand, while some students found it unproblematic as they use similar

programmes, such as Paltalk, MSN or Skype. The students emphasised that nothing

was very difficult to use in the Breeze application.

Those who faced any difficulties with the application explained that these only

occurred in the beginning; the application then become effortless when they get used

to it and only one student states that the application was complicated. She added:

“…maybe because I did not read the information which had been sent by email…I

wasn't so fond of the idea from the beginning but I had to attend the lesson”.

All the postgraduate students found the tutorial on “How to use Breeze” provided

prior to the lesson beneficial and helped them to understand the application features

and how to operate the tools. For example, one of the students described the tutorial

70
thus: "I found it useful …makes sense to me … It's quite detailed and it shows me

what to do … straight forward".

However, ten of the undergraduate students did not read the tutorial due to their being

occupied during the examination season, as they commented on the chat tool when the

lecturer asked if they had read the tutorial, but they were able to use the application

after some initial difficulties for some of them and without any complications for the

rest.

Providing efficient features

Participants mentioned that Breeze has all the features they needed and does not

restrict them from carrying out any action. There was 100% satisfaction expressed with

the sound and video features. The following comments appeared from students:

"excellent, very good, unique, the sound is clear and there is no delay in the voice, the

sound and video are great so I can see and hear the lecturer and the students’ questions".

They also described speaking using the microphone as being "trouble-free, easy to use,

and excellent".

Students were pleased with having the range of choices for communication, e.g. they

could speak privately as well as to everyone through the chat tool and raise their hands to

speak. Only one postgraduate student found the chat option distracting: "…I couldn't

focus during the lesson… I was trying to listen to the lecturer talk and read the chat at the

same time…my mind can't take all that at the same time…"

However, others thought it intuitive, beneficial and useful to be able to ask questions

during the lesson by typing them without interrupting the lecturer’s flow of ideas. Some

students stated that the private chat give them privacy they could not even dream of in the

regular lesson, as they can ask some questions privately by typing them for the lecturer or

71
a peer to read. Almost all the participants commented that not writing in the Arabic

language was a problem. I will expand on this problem under the difficulties theme later.

Features not used

Not using some of the tools in Breeze during the two lessons, such as the document-

sharing pod, and not displaying diagrams, illustrations, PDF files or PowerPoint

presentations, seemed unusual to the students in both classes. Some of the students

commented via the chat box at the beginning of the lessons that they could not see

PowerPoint or the slides, until the lecturers told them there were none.

They depended solely on the video and voice tools. However, when asked about this

during the interviews, both lecturers stated that if they were to use Breeze in the

future, they would make more use of the features Breeze provides. They felt they

would do this in order to enhance their delivery of lessons and to add extra value and

depth to the subjects they are teaching, not only by explaining the information but also

by showing what they mean to the students through using illustrations, diagrams or

other features. They added that this would also make the lessons more energetic and

enjoyable.

Meeting students’ needs for logistical convenience

Participants’ opinions emerged that Breeze is more convenient than face-to-face

classes, especially for undergraduate students. Their particular circumstances included

holding the lesson being studied for this research a few days before their final

examination. Some were happy not having to commute to class; others because it

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saved the extra time spent on commuting; some were simply happy for not having to

leave their home, family, children, etc. Those reasons are noted in these examples:

…the technology saves our time and saves us transport trouble…

especially as Saudi women who are not allowed to drive, having a
lesson online at home and at the same time being able to see the
lecturer and classmates like a face-to-face class is like a dream.

…taking a lesson with revision for the subject we will be examined in

just four days before the exam without the need to waste our time
going to the university is superb…nobody can go out before the exam
of course…every one of us can complete what she was doing
immediately before and after the lesson…

This was also felt among the postgraduate students, as it appeared in their comments

that all the postgraduate students are married with children and nine of the

undergraduate students are married, some with and some without children. All of them

raised the point that using the Breeze application to deliver lectures online met their

needs and helps them with their own and their families’ welfare. Breeze offers

students the ability to take lectures while they are at home without the need for

babysitters or a reduced quality in their housework due to the time and effort they

expend on attending lectures in person. In short, they can attend lectures without

complications.

5.3.3 Feelings

Enthusiasm

Twenty-one of the students showed enthusiasm towards using the new technology to

attend the lesson online, as shown by their comments during the lesson and in their

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answers to the questionnaire. They made a number of comments to show their interest,

for example:

I was enthusiastic about using a new technology and having an online

lesson…I like the idea of this application which makes the meeting
between lots of people from different places accessible…Breeze gave
us more freedom in the interaction with the male lecturer…

By contrast, one of the postgraduate students rejected the idea of having an online

lesson, claiming that nothing can compare with a face-to-face lesson.

The remainder of the students felt confused about experimenting with the new

technology. This is due to their fear of technical failures during a session, such as

sound quality or internet connection interruption, which could result in their losing

some information during an online lesson.

Comfort

There was 100% positive feeling regarding the experience as a whole and all students

described the learning situation as "comfortable" and some added "great, hope the

university employs this technology in the future" or "…this is more restful than the

traditional lesson". Moreover, 28 out of 30 students preferred to attend online lessons

and would be happy to use the videoconferencing technology again. Only two

undergraduate students showed no preference between an online lesson or a face-to-

face session.

A positive influence

All participants remarked that the use of Breeze had influenced the delivery of the

lesson positively.

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Flexibility (taking the session online while at home)

This sub-theme appeared repeatedly in all the students’ comments and in both

lecturers’ interviews. They all stressed the flexibility that Breeze provides for taking

the lessons online and the opportunities which have been opened for both lecturers

and students in their work, studies or personal life. For example:

Breeze is a developed new technology and I encourage the experiment

of technology for educational purposes…I believe that the delivery of
the lesson via Breeze is flexible as we can attend the lesson from
anywhere e.g., home, office, café…and it could help us to attend
lessons by famous lecturers in our field without the need to travel for
them or us…

Taking the lesson online from home comfort.

Great … what an amazing experience to have a class while sitting on

my sofa.

I like it … I don't need to get to the university so I could take my class

at my home without any pressure.

Providing new positive educational opportunities and atmosphere

All students made the point that the use of Breeze to deliver their lessons offers new

opportunities in their higher education and creates a different atmosphere. This could

also include opening places for students all over the world to be engaged in Saudi

education, which can offer different experiences and backgrounds. These are some

quotes of students’ words in this regard:

…if it is 100% technically dependable, I wouldn't say it is different

from face to face.

Distances are not a problem anymore to attend a particular lecturer. If

you have other duties such as kids you don't face problems… about
where to put them during the lecture.

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 The good thing about Breeze is you can use it from the comfort of your
home … time is precious so you don't have to travel to the campus…
besides I love the fact that I could see the others in ‘my classes’.

5.3.4 Difficulties

Facing technical difficulties

This theme emerged repeatedly, although most participants felt that technical aspects

of the application were not a problem. They managed to use the application without

difficulty as the video, sound, features and internet connection all functioned without

any problems. Only four of the students faced technical difficulties, such as internet

connection interruption, sound delay or interruption. Those students all added that

they simply had to restart the computer or reconnect to the internet and the problem

was solved.

Help with troubleshooting

Thirteen out of fifteen undergraduate students prefer to ask for help from a friend, as

they feel this is more comfortable and they feel it is difficult to ask the lecturer

because this may interrupt him during the lesson. However, ten out of 15 would go to

the settings section in Breeze first then, if the problem were not solved, they would

ask the lecturer because they think that "the lecturer is experienced in using the

technology, so no need to waste time by asking friends". I observed that just four

students asked the lecturers technical questions. However, this sub-theme is based on

answers the students gave to questions about troubleshooting; the answers they gave

concern hypothetical situations. I can confirm this from my observations during the

classes, as students did not face any technical difficulties except for four students who

restarted the computer or reconnected to the internet.

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The need for an Arabic version

Although both groups were studying at the School of Medicine and they are expected

to be fluent in the English language because the curriculum in their school is delivered

in English, ten out of the 15 undergraduate students had a problem with the Breeze

application’s chat feature because it does not have an Arabic version, compared to one

out of the 15 postgraduate students who commented on this. Breeze does allow

students to write in Arabic; however, this renders it useless. Arabic is written from

right to left and Breeze treats the Arabic text as an English sentence from left to right.

As a result, the finished Arabic sentence on Breeze appears with a completely wrong

word order. The Arabic language is to be read from right to left but in the Breeze chat

function the text can only be read from left to right, so students felt obliged to read the

sentence backwards which they found confusing, difficult and distracting.

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 6 Chapter 6: Discussion
6.1 Demographic data

This research was conducted in Jeddah, a city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and

included two groups of students: the first is an undergraduate group from King Abdul-

Aziz University (KAAU); the other group comprised postgraduate students from the

Saudi Board of Dermatologists. Both groups attended a separate lesson delivered

through Breeze with a different lecturer, which has revealed interesting facts in

relation to the use of Breeze to deliver lessons in higher education.

When comparing the two groups, some noticeable differences could be observed

although both are formed entirely of female students. Firstly, the age distribution of

the attendees: the undergraduate students are between 21 and 24 years old and the

postgraduate students are between the ages of 25 and 35. All the postgraduate doctors

own computers and have access to the internet at home, while nine of the

undergraduate group have access to a computer and the internet at home. Those who

do not own a computer state that they have access to one at the university, hospital or

other places. This means that all the students have easy access to a computer and the

internet, which makes attending the lessons online feasible. However, for those

undergraduates who do not own a computer, one wonders if this reflects the financial

situation of the student or, more simply, that a particular student has no need of a

personal computer. From the above, it is shown that the sample selected in this study

is uniform yet there is a clear distinction between the two groups.

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Embarking on analysis without consulting the literature frequently throughout the

process can result in the immersion of the researcher in the situation under observation

without paying attention to major external factors which affect the situation at hand

(Woods, 2006). The initial titles I chose for the themes which were inferred from the

responses were those which most logically related to the data collected (Strauss &

Corbin, 1990). There is the accusation that qualitative studies are subjective, biased

and lack precision in that a researcher might use "a number of rhetorical devices, such

as metaphor, jargon, 'loaded' terminology, selected and variable use of transcript,

quotations, selective use of examples, to subtly persuade the reader to the author's line

of argument" (Atkinson, 1990). Although some studies might have done so, this is not

essentially true of thematic analysis and, as detailed in the procedure section, there are

procedures available to establish validity and rigour. These are demonstrated for this

research in the methods, results and discussion sections.

6.2 Interaction

The definition of distance education by Garrison (1989) and Garrison and Shale

(1990) considers sustained, real two-way communication elemental to the educational

experience, and the concept of interaction is fundamental for the success of distance

education. Moore (1989) distinguishes between three types of interaction: learner-

content interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-learner interaction. In

the two lessons studied in this dissertation, the lecturers were lecturing most of the

time; nevertheless, some discussions were taking place between lecturers and the

students in both of the two lessons. Moore (1989) considers learner-instructor

interaction as a component that provides motivation, feedback, and dialogue between

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the lecturer and student. Moore states that "the instructor is especially valuable in

responding to the learners’ application of new knowledge" (p. 6).

Learner-learner interaction occurs when students exchange information, ideas and

dialogue about the course. From my observation of the two classes, this did not take

place between undergraduate students in the main chat function but some learner-

learner interaction took place during the postgraduate students’ lesson. Of course,

students might have had some private chats during the lesson that I could not possibly

have been aware of but it was clear that the exchange of information between students

was not intended by the lecturers. The lecturers did not allow time for such private

dialogue, nor did they guide students to hold any kind of interaction in the form of an

information exchange, shared ideas and engaging in dialogue about the two lessons. In

my opinion, this kind of interaction will pose a challenge in the future if moving

towards a learner-centered approach is desired.

Students’ perception of their interaction was increased during both lessons when

compared to traditional classes. I did not observe a traditional class to make a

comparison but the students think that the level of interaction was increased

significantly. From my observation, the interaction took various forms during the

lesson, such as asking questions, making comments or sharing information or

opinions, asking for clarification and opening or joining discussions. Not all those

contributions were directed to the lecturer, as some of these were passed from one

student to another in the postgraduates’ case. During my observation of the class,

there were some debates in the postgraduate group about medical cases when some

students held different opinions on testing and treating patients and there were some

general discussions as well. There were no discussions held by the undergraduates. I

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believe that this was because of a combination of the timing of the lesson (a few days

before the examination) and the nature of the lesson (which had a question and answer

basis) which suited this timing. This encouraged students to ask questions as a last

chance to contact the lecturer before the examination and pass quick comments on

what they recommend to each other to read or final revision plans before the exam. If

there were any discussions, this might have caused confusion for some students or

even led them to panic. The postgraduates asked a number of question as well but

fewer than half those asked by the undergraduates. In general, the technology helped

to raise the level of both the quantity and quality of students' interaction.

In this study the online lesson via Breeze affected the students’ attitude towards

interacting positively, which they consider to have occurred to a greater extent than

they would usually be engaged in during lessons. They were asking questions, adding

comments or engaging in discussions during the classes. All participants state that the

nature of the lesson changed when delivered via Breeze to being more energetic and

enjoyable. Students were in favour of contributing during the lesson instead of only

listening to the lecturer talk at length and they were enthusiastic about experimenting

with VC technology. The question is how much of this was due to the fact that this

was the first time the students had worked with Breeze technology? One might ask

whether the students felt that the lesson was exciting and enjoyable because of the use

of new technology, as there is always excitement in trying new technologies then,

after repeated encounters, it becomes ordinary or perhaps even boring. Some,

however, could look at this enthusiasm from a different point of view. In this study,

the technology has offered a new approach which helped changing the way the lesson

was taught and brought new factors to the lesson. In traditional classes students are

not able to interact with the lecturer in the middle of the class or interrupt him, while

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in Breeze they are free to interact at any time which benefits students in their learning

and ask about aspects they wish to know immediately, so that they will not forget their

questions or contribution or lose the courage to share them. In addition to this, making

contributions during a lesson brings the lesson to life and helps students to concentrate

and remain interested; such offerings could open new discussions or deepen the

understanding of the information imparted by the lecturer.

Students' comments support both sides of these views as some participants explained

their enthusiasm due to the use of the new technology and what it offers technically,

such as the ability to meet and see people online from anywhere in the world. Other

students focused more on how the technology changed the way their lesson was

taught, noting the freedom the technology offers them in terms of the interaction and

its nature. For students who were confused about using technology unknown to them,

the only reason for this feeling was fear and was mostly anxiety about technical failure

rather than because they were rejecting the technology. Only one student rejected the

use of the Breeze application because she believes that it does not add anything to

what CCTV can do. In her opinion, neither technology compares favourably with

face-to-face classes.

It is important for the sake of completion to visualise the traditional CCTV class these

female students are using as a means of comparing this new experience for them. A

typical CCTV class in a Saudi Arabian university will be an auditorium of up to 100

seats with two medium-sized monitors hanging from the ceiling to allow better

observation from the whole class. Female students take their seats before the class

starts and a supervising university employee takes attendance and closes the

auditorium doors before she notifies the male lecturer that they are ready for the

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lecture to begin. The male lecturer has no means of seeing what is happening in the

female class except for what the university employee will tell him. There is no camera

in the female auditorium. The single method of communication between the lecturer

and the rest of his class is through a telephone placed on a desk across the auditorium.

A student who wishes to speak to the lecturer, or request clarification as the distance

between a student’s seat and the screen makes it difficult to observe details, has to

leave her seat, walk through the auditorium until she reaches the telephone and then

ring the extension of the telephone in the lecturer’s auditorium. Although this is

technically two-way synchronous communication, these calls can only be made at the

end of the lecture and there is only a remote possibility that a lecturer will engage his

female students in a debate or an ongoing discussion. See Figure 6.1.

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 TV TV
B

D
D

Figure 6.3 The diagram above shows the arrangement of a typical CCTV class in a Saudi
university.
(A) the class entrance (B) the university female employee supervising the female students
during the class (C) a telephone that female students use to call the lecturer at the end of the
lecture when they have a question to ask (D) marks the female students’ seats in rows. Note the
distance between a student’s seat and the TV. Also note the distance and effort a student must
go through to establish communication with the lecturer.

84
Encouraging students to ask questions

The students agree that Breeze has changed the nature of their interactions from only

asking questions at the end of the lesson to - in the undergraduates’ case - opening

discussions and adding comments. It was noted from the questionnaire that taking the

lesson online via Breeze has encouraged students to interact, ask questions and

participate in discussions of better quantity and quality than traditional classes and

they become liberated in terms of interaction. They expressed how this experience

“boosted their confidence” and “increased their courage” and they feel as if they are

“sitting alone behind a computer as if using Skype or Microsoft messenger (MSN)”

and at the same time feeling “separated from the lecturer”. It is important to think

about the students’ responses and what encouraged these comments. Was it the

technology, the pedagogy, the lesson on the day or a combination of all these factors?

This positivity can be due to the following reasons:

1. Both lecturers started the lesson with a statement encouraging students to

participate at any point during the class; a gesture not normally practised in a

traditional undergraduate classes.

2. The nature of the lesson and lecturers’ attitude in the Breeze lesson. The lesson

took a discussion and question and answer basis for the undergraduates, as it

represented a revision session before the exam. This was unusual for the

students, so they asked questions and were encouraged to communicate their

contributions to benefit from this opportunity. Both lecturers’ attitudes were in

favour of interaction during the lesson and encouraging students to contribute

and share.

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 3. After the obstacle of arranging the lesson with the undergraduate students had

been overcome and the two lessons conducted, both lecturers showed a positive

attitude towards applying a videoconferencing application in lessons.

4. The tool provides a comfortable environment for the students, giving them

multiple features from which to choose whichever suited them best. This resulted

in a variety in the quality of questions asked; some were profound, others concise

and focused and generally all were relevant to the lesson’s subject.

5. The chat tool in particular helped students to organise their thoughts and

formulate better-quality questions before writing anything.

6. Using the Breeze technology has helped build students’ courage by preserving

their privacy while offering them closer interaction with a male lecturer.

7. The enhanced accessibility to the interaction tools, as opposed to a CCTV class

environment, made the interaction during the online lesson more spontaneous

and accessible. It also gives students the chance to interact and debate with each

other, which was impossible before as students are not allowed to speak to each

other during the lessons to reduce noise in a classroom.

Some students felt that although the technology itself provides efficient features, it did

not help them to change their attitude during the lesson because of personality traits

such as shyness and the fear of interacting and speaking their minds. They think that

this was difficult to change in one lesson simply by having these tools ready for them.

Some others felt that Breeze offers multiple features which distract students’ focus

from the lecturers' talk while trying to utilise the chat tool and follow the lecturer.

When the students were asked about their satisfaction with the level and extent of their

individual interaction, they were also asked whether their contributions were enough

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or they wished to interact more or less. The majority of the students felt that their

contributions were enough. Six students would have preferred to have contributed

more during the lesson, their reason for this being that they wanted to impress the

lecturer and leave a good impression of their knowledge and understanding of the

subject, not because they had been unable to ask a question or share something. This

means that they felt that the application could help them to leave a good impression on

the lecturer as well as having the right to learn and share and contribute to the lesson

topic. Four students would have preferred it if they had interacted less during the

lesson and concentrated more on the lecturer’s speech. The reason for this feeling is

that those students were too excited about using the new technology and the features

and activities that Breeze allows them, which are not allowed in traditional lessons,

and they were trying to take the opportunity to make full use of this experiment. I

believe that this proves the point discussed earlier concerning the enthusiasm students

feel when encountering new technology.

Students’ opinions differ about the best time to contribute during the class and there

were various reasons for this. Nineteen of the students were in favour of interacting

during the lesson whenever a question, comment or discussion contribution comes to

mind so they will not lose either the question or their interest in knowing the answer.

It also helps students to have the answers when the questions are asked, so that they

can follow the lesson. In addition, questions and discussions could direct the lesson

along another track that may be more interesting and important to the students and

what they need to learn or remind the lecturer of points that he might forget to cover

or expand. Breeze as a technology with multiple features provides tools to meet those

students’ needs and give them the opportunity to choose a right and convenient time to

interact which suits their personalities, or whether they prefer simultaneous

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interactions or to wait until the end of the lesson. Undergraduates are obliged to make

their contributions at the end of the usual type of lesson because their lecturer will not

allow them to interrupt him. Eleven students prefer to wait until the end of the lesson

before they make their contributions, either because they do not want to interrupt the

lecturer or because the points on which they wish to comment might be covered later

in the lesson.

Tools used in interaction

The majority of the students stated in the questionnaire that they prefer the use of the

microphone over the chat tools to communicate with the lecturer with Breeze.

However, this was contradictory to what the students actually did during the lesson.

As I observed in reality, none of the undergraduates used a microphone during the

lesson, while their answers state they prefer it. The reasons students used to explain

their preference for using the microphone were immediacy, better communication,

including voice tone which makes a lesson which uses technology equivalent to a

face-to-face class, saving time through better explanation of a point, and offering the

chance for verbal explanations when things had been misunderstood. So, although

undergraduates did not interact verbally at all, they still had a generally positive

perception of the experience of online videoconferencing and being able to use a

microphone. This finding is interesting and could be seen in the light of what Fulford

and Zhang (1993) found, in that the critical predictor of student satisfaction was

largely dependent on the perception of overall or vicarious interaction and not the

extent of actual personal interaction.

However, it would be worthwhile exploring why the students in this study did not use

the microphone, even though they expressed their excitement about the better

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communication opportunity as compared to the traditional medium to which they are

accustomed.

Personality factors were the most common reasons given for the avoidance of verbal

contributions by the female students. The undergraduate students used the expression

“shyness” explicitly in their responses and also “nervousness caused by shyness”.

When the students were given a multiple choice of means of communication, they

chose the one which caused the least amount of nervousness for them, e.g. the chat

tool. One might say that web-based VC technology such as Breeze is a flexible

medium, providing multiple options for communication to such students and the

chance for them to choose whichever tools suit them best. Hence, by supporting

different personal preferences, students do not feel obliged to interact using only one

method. Using the chat tool the Breeze application provides, students could

communicate their contributions without the need to speak, which was comfortable for

them and reduced the feelings of nervousness. This advantage of Breeze is not present

in a traditional CCTV class where the only way to interact with the lecturer is to call

him at the end of the lesson using an internal extension; most students do not feel

comfortable doing so. Nevertheless, were there any factors which went beyond the

convenience and availability of communication options?

Firstly, there was the fear of technical failure resulting in losing the voice of the

lecturer. The anxiety of using the new technology has shown in some of the students'

comments regarding the reason for using the chat tool. They also talked about making

contributions readable using chat and available in case of any interruption in the

connection or deterioration in the sound. However, technical aspects were not a

problem during this experiment as the video, sound, internet connection and speed

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were all working efficiently. Only four students and one of the lecturers experienced

an internet connection interruption once or a delay in the sound and these were easily

solved by reconnecting to the internet or restarting the computer.

The socio-cultural context: how shyness affects student interaction

When the communication process is mediated in a distance learning environment, it is

important to examine the socio-cultural context, especially where the social climates

are very different from traditional settings.

In Saudi Arabian society, a female student would not normally find herself engaging

in an hour-long two-way discussion with a male. It is difficult to discuss the behaviour

of female Saudi students in higher education without introducing the social and

political forces that have shaped women’s status, not only in education but in society

in general. The uniqueness of Saudi Arabia stems from the fact that the country never

underwent colonialism and has hence stayed culturally closed. It is rather the social

traditions and boundaries rather than religious ones that restrict women’s movements

in Saudi society; even the religious views are influenced by certain influential

conservative religious scholars. Such scholars propagate a narrow and restricted

interpretation of Islamic teachings and controlling women through gender segregation

ensures that women do not defy the authority of male relatives by making friends with

men from outside their family.

Family values also contribute to women’s image in society, as the tribal character has

to do with some restrictions on women’s behaviour in Saudi Arabia. Family honour

and reputation are dependent on a daughter’s behaviour, and she is required to act

with modesty, chastity and deference to men (Abo-Lughod, 1986). While there is no

law against a female talking to a male on a telephone or through a microphone in the

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example of our study, a female student cannot separate herself from a lifetime of

indoctrination regarding this stereotype.

The notion that technology is culturally neutral is widespread, which could result in a

technology being transferred without paying attention to the social setting or to the

local recipient culture (McIsaac, 1993). The impact of such technologies should be

monitored within the local social environment to which it is applied. In this study,

many of the students’ responses when asked why they did not communicate verbally

with the lecturer explicitly offered shyness as the reason. Hence “shyness” was a

recurring word that was identified as a code in many instances. Care was given in

choosing the translation of transcripts to find the most appropriate words. The word

“shyness” might be somewhat confusing, because being shy is defined in the Oxford

English Dictionary as being nervous or timid in the company of other people; another

meaning is being slow or reluctant to do something. It has to be seen in the light of

what has been mentioned above, that is, Saudi women not speaking with strange men,

speaking with a very low voice tone, not looking directly at a man’s eyes, as well as

behaving with modesty, chastity and deference to men. These traits, as encouraged by

society in Saudi Arabia, result in shyness. As a result of an over-emphasis on

perceived virtuous traits, a negative effect on educational transactions has been

noticed in this study. This shyness causes nervousness for female students when they

interact with a male lecturer, even via VC technology. Here, such shyness is the main

reason that prevented all undergraduate students engaging in verbal communication

with their lecturer and, for some, even communicating using the chat tool. This reason

only applies to undergraduates who use chat to avoid embarrassment and were pleased

to communicate via their chosen method; they were aware that writing their

contributions instead was the perfect solution to this problem. When these students are

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involved in clinical bedside teaching, their responses to my questions show that their

shyness can result in decreased interaction with the clinicians in that setting. Both

post- and undergraduate students are obliged to communicate face to face with male

lecturers, doctors and students. They could be asked by name by lecturers and doctors

to answer certain questions, which places students under pressure to think fast and

then speak, putting many cultural factors to the test.

Certain questions on the nature of this shyness came to my attention as I embarked on

the analysis. Is this shyness related to fear of talking at all? Is it simply fear of talking

to a male? Is it, perhaps, fear of giving a wrong statement or asking a silly question

and becoming embarrassed in front of the lecturer? In other words, is the reason for

this shyness caused by the gender difference between female students and their

lecturer or is it something common to Saudi male students as well? It will only be

possible to assess this if a study includes male students at the same level as a

comparison and by using other qualitative analytical approaches, such as discourse

analysis and an ethnographic approach.

However, postgraduates who used the microphone in the lesson found that the

technology supported their interaction and motivated them to speak without negative

feelings such as shyness, nervousness or embarrassment. In fact, communicating

indirectly with the lecturer has added value to their discussions by involving both

open discussions with the lecturer and classmates as well as more immediate

responses such as with face-to-face communication; at the same time, they feel relief

that the lecturer is not present in the room. They felt that the technology gave them the

feeling of a real teaching environment and encouraged them to interact, even those

who do not usually do so. When I observed the postgraduate session I sensed a

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hesitation in a few instances when the students spoke. These few instances of

hesitation could be contributed to the following factors: it might be normal for

students to hesitate when they speak to their lecturer or they might be trying to

formulate their ideas and questions in the best possible way. What is important here is

that students did interact despite the various social, cultural or personal factors they

may have considered.

The Arabic language

Comparing the two student groups, ten out of the 15 undergraduate students were not

satisfied with the Breeze chat tool as the application’s interface was in English and

Arabic text was absent from the version of Breeze used, while only one postgraduate

student had the same concern. Both groups are fluent in the English language as all

medical courses are taught in English in the university and examinations and

assessments are also conducted in English. This reservation on the part of some

students could be attributed to the fact that most software in the Middle East has an

Arabic interface. Moreover, the postgraduate students did not complain about the

absence of an Arabic interface because they have been exposed to more of the English

language during their longer career. Postgraduate students also practise the spoken

language more in a hospital setting, while undergraduates use their English for

studying without practising it. For these reasons, undergraduate students frequently

used the Arabic language for short sentences using the chat tool. When these students

did not use the English language it was because of their fear of forming ambiguous

sentences and not conveying their ideas accurately.

Even if students are fluent in English, human nature always finds it easier to

communicate using the mother tongue. Gunawardena and McIsaac (2004) show that

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social equality may not extend, for example, to participants who are not good writers

but who must communicate primarily in a text-based format. During online learning

and web-based videoconferencing, language can form a barrier in that students using

English as a second language to communicate find the faster pace of verbal interaction

in synchronous classes harder to follow than the asynchronous interactions of online

courses (Mason & Gunawardena, 2001). Students for whom English is not the first

language will be at a clear disadvantage when they have to contribute towards

collaborative assignments or participate in live discussions (Bates, 2001).

Meeting students' needs for logistical convenience

Although students claimed that Breeze met their needs as Saudi women to a greater

extent than the traditional classes they were used to, women in Saudi Arabia have

unique circumstances and responsibilities. Some of which are as follows:

• Transportation is a problem for women in Saudi Arabia as they are not allowed to

drive. Conducting a lesson online can save them the trouble of having a private

male driver or depending on a male family member to drive them to the

university. Public transport is under-developed in Saudi Arabia and not perceived

to be suitable for women for safety reasons.

• The technology can provide educational opportunities for women who wish to

complete their higher education, especially in cities with no universities, but they

are not able to because of cultural factors. One cultural factor is that families will

not send their female members to study in a different city without a chaperone.

Another factor is that male family members, such as fathers, brothers or especially

husbands, prevent females from studying if the teaching involves a male lecturer.

Breeze can solve this cultural problem, as students can have their lessons online

94
 without the need to travel or be present with a lecturer in the same room, even

when bedside teaching is involved.

The physical absence of the lecturer

Female medical students face difficulties in attending bedside teaching classes which

involve face-to-face teaching in a hospital setting. They are obliged to attend such

classes to complete their degree and these situations are more difficult for many

undergraduates who have not previously interacted with male doctors. During the

Breeze lesson, almost none of the students found the physical absence of the lecture a

problem. However, three of the undergraduates gained a negative impression from this

non-appearance for certain reasons, which included the loss of attention during some

points of the lesson, the lack of eye contact with the lecturer, which is a powerful

communicative factor, and not receiving the lesson directly from the lecturer.

However, the rest of the students felt that the video image and sound of the lecturer

via Breeze helped them to feel the lecturer’s presence and the loss of eye contact was

not a big issue.

6.3 Activities using the Breeze features

As this was the first ever use of web-videoconferencing for all the participants (both

student groups and both lecturers) in this study, only the basic features of Breeze were

used. The only features employed were the chat tool, raising the hand to speak, the

voice tool and video. Other features, such as the document-sharing pod, the display of

diagrams, illustrations, PDF files or PowerPoint presentations, were not used. The

results so far presented in this study are generated, therefore, from dealing only with

the features actually employed in the lesson. Not only the students but the lecturers

95
also stated that when they use Breeze in the future they will make full use of the

application’s features, as they think this can enhance the delivery of lessons and add

extra value and depth. As far as all the participants were concerned, medical education

depends to a great extent on illustrations, video and other visual material. Not only

this but illustrations and other features also make the delivery of a lesson more

enjoyable and exciting. As appeared from the chat, students found it unusual not to

have PowerPoint or other displays but I do not believe this was a major problem for

the undergraduates due to the nature of the lesson as revision, while this may have

affected the postgraduate students more.

Providing efficient features

The students were satisfied with the features that Breeze provides for them and the

application did not restrict them from any activity they wanted to do. The features

used by the students were efficient and they described the tool in positive terms. They

were also pleased with the voice and video quality. Having the choice of

communication tools, such as private and communal chat and raising a hand to speak

-as mentioned in the details in the interaction section of this discussion - were used

extensively by the students. Some students felt that the private chat facility gave them

freedom and privacy to communicate with their male lecturer, as opposed to

traditional classes during which it was impossible to use the phone in the lecture

theatre.

Breeze is a user-friendly, self-explanatory application

The participants found that understanding how to use the features and the interface

was easy, even though the study presented in this dissertation represents the first

96
encounter for the students with the Breeze application. They found its features

accessible and its interface comfortable and inviting. Generally, from their point of

view, the students described the technology as straightforward to use and self-

explanatory, with clear features. This evidence shows that the application use is

simple and no different from other communication programs they use, such as Paltalk,

MSN or Skype. Reading the tutorial on “How to use Breeze” prior to the lesson was

considered beneficial by those who read it. Despite the fact that not all the students,

particularly those in the undergraduate group, read the tutorial before the lesson, none

of them had problems about not knowing how to use the application. Those

undergraduates who did not find the time to read the tutorial did not face problems

managing the tools and they understood them after a few moments of familiarising

themselves with them. This feedback demonstrates that the application is self-

explanatory and easy to use. However, one might argue against this in that the lecturer

confined the use of the software to the basic features of voice and video and typing

into the chat box; those who had not read the tutorial found Breeze relatively easy and

straightforward because other features were not used, such as file sharing,

presentations, or illustrations. If the lecturer had used more complicated tools or if the

students had been expected to participate more in the lesson by submitting material or

illustrating some aspect of it, they might have struggled if they had not read the

tutorial properly. With regard to Moore’s model (Moore, 1989) of interaction

described previously, Hillman et al. (1994) added a component: the learner-interface

interaction derived from the addition of high technology communication systems to

mediate the communication process. Proposing a new angle of analysis that includes

an understanding of the use of the interface in all transactions and how the learner

interacts with the technology is an important component of this interaction model.

97
Hillman et al. note that learners who lack the basic skills in using the application

interfaces in communicative media spend longer learning to interact with the

technology in order to be able to communicate with others or learn from the lesson.

Hillman et al. (1994) distinguish between the perception of the interface as part of the

interaction model and the use of an interface as a mediating element in all interactions.

The user-friendly design of web-based applications becomes an extremely important

aspect of instructional media design in order to ensure a successful interaction

between the learner and the mediating technology.

Focus vs. distraction

Students mentioned whether the multiple choice of tools and their uses was a

distraction or not during the lesson. Only six of the fifteen undergraduate students

found themselves distracted by the use of the technology through having the lesson

online. The first reason was the difficulty in focusing on the lecturer’s speech at the

same time as having text appearing in the chat box. The second reason was focusing

only on the lesson and not surfing on the internet or checking email. Thirdly, there

were a number of distractions from home, such as the needs of children, the TV, or

other factors. By contrast, Breeze increased the ability of six postgraduate students to

focus on the lecturer’s speech as sitting alone and concentrating on the lecture was

better than becoming distracted by other students’ activities in traditional learning

settings. For some students, Breeze did not influence their ability to focus during the

lesson either positively or negatively but it did help to deepen their understanding of

the lesson.

Due to the fact that the Breeze lesson the students attended was only one class for the

purpose of this study, students faced problems when completing the questions

98
concerning troubleshooting during the lesson. Only four students faced problems with

the internet connection or a sound delay and there were no real issues that required

troubleshooting. Hence, most of the students’ answers regarding troubleshooting were

hypothetical. The majority of the undergraduates felt more comfortable asking for

help from friends than from the lecturer, whereas the majority of the postgraduates felt

that it was better to access the settings section on Breeze then, if the problem had not

been solved, they would contact the lecturer. This difference can be analysed by

looking at the students’ reasons for feeling this way. Undergraduates do not want to

interrupt a lecturer so it is easier for them to ask a friend. Postgraduates prefer to

access the settings tool as there might be a way to solve the problem from within the

application itself; however, if this approach does not work the lecturer is more

experienced than their friends and asking the lecturer for help will save all the

students’ time during the lesson. Young people usually find it easier to share

experiences with friends, especially in learning about new technology, but more

mature people usually choose a different path and read instructions.

99
 7 Chapter 7: Conclusions and Future Implications

By using Breeze to mediate two lessons, this research study aimed to explore the

perceptions of female medical students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels

while using this technology. The perceptions of two lecturers in the disciplines of

surgery and dermatology were also explored. I have narrowed the scope of this study

to include medical female students in two distinct age ranges within the undergraduate

and postgraduate groups, which adds a dimension to the analysis of comparing the

findings from these two groups. Female students in Saudi Arabia have a unique

situation in the twenty-first century that merits in-depth investigation into how socio-

cultural factors influence their educational transaction. This was also an opportunity to

apply modern theories of distance education and videoconferencing to the context of

medical education for females in Saudi Arabia, such as theories and models relating to

interaction, socio-cultural context and social presence. Knowledge of the literature is

essential in conducting informed thematic analysis because the researcher needs to

revisit the literature many times during the analysis to inform her reading and her

search for codes and patterns. In this study a number of instruments were used to

gather responses from candidates and a qualitative approach of thematic analysis was

used to identify different themes.

The most important findings are as follows:

1. A change in the nature of the delivery of the lesson from the traditional

environment of the CCTV class which minimises a female student’s chance of

interacting with the lecturer as well as fellow female students. This altered nature

included increased interaction by the students throughout the Breeze class.

100
2. The interaction frequency increased as indicated by students and lecturers through

their perceptions of previous interaction.

3. The timing of the interaction has also shifted from being limited to the end of the

lesson when using CCTV to being spread throughout the lesson, which is

attributed to the increased sense of immediacy and intimacy of web-based

videoconferencing as compared to CCTV.

4. Findings from 1 to 3 could be seen as a change in students’ activity during the

Breeze lesson as compared to their behaviour in regular classes, when considering

those who did not usually interact in previous lessons and students who struggle to

ask questions and tend to think twice before speaking.

5. All students believe that Breeze was an interesting tool for delivering lessons and

has influenced the delivery of the lesson positively.

6. They also felt comfortable with repeating the experience and 28 out of the 30

participants were happy to attend more lessons delivered via Breeze and hoped

that the university and hospital would employ the system in their educational

programme and postgraduate training respectively.

7. There are several factors that influence the use of VC in higher education but it is

not the aim of this study to evaluate all these factors. The aim of this research is to

establish the key factors from the students’ perceptions that influence the use of

VC. Several factors were, therefore, identified:

a. One major factor is the perception of interaction even for those students who

did not interact immensely; the belief that there was increased overall

interaction affected the students’ satisfaction with the medium positively.

When these students were given a chance to interact throughout the lesson,

this affected their perception positively.

101
 b. Having a varied choice of methods to communicate (chat, voice and video)

with fellow students and the lecturer was perceived positively as opposed to

the single method of interaction with CCTV.

c. Although all of the students were proficient in English, they would have

preferred the tool to have an Arabic interface and, more importantly, to have

an Arabic chat facility.

d. The design of a tool’s interface is of major importance in terms of ease of use

and being self-explanatory. This was clear when many of the undergraduate

students were able to use the tool properly without even reading the

explanatory tutorial on using Breeze and its features.

e. The cultural and social backgrounds of Saudi female students relating to

female behaviour have been shown to affect their preferred method of

interaction. Chat was used more often than the voice tool and the reason given

was shyness when speaking. Further in-depth research in this area is needed to

shed more light on the effect of the students’ background on the lessons and

their use of the technology. More detailed studies with instruments focusing

on dissecting different factors specific to the Saudi context are needed if e-

learning and web-based technologies are to be used in Saudi higher education.

Despite the limitation of the socio-cultural background of the students, which was

reflected in their shyness during the lessons, their overall perception of the experience

was positive. In light of the above key findings, this study is in favour of applying

Breeze in this Saudi context of female higher education; however, the small number of

the sample limits the degree of generalisation to be drawn from the findings.

102
It is difficult to infer broad conclusions from this study because of the simple fact that

such a short length of time was available to execute the research and carry out an

analysis. However, I hope that it sheds light on the major issues that concern the use

of Breeze in education and especially in the Saudi Arabian population. I hope that this

study will also pave the way to perhaps visualising more complex studies designed to

focus on the different aspects of the learning process using web-based

videoconferencing and the capabilities it can offer to learners and educators if their

learning process is to be designed according to learner-centred approaches.

Prior to conducting this study, I anticipated that carrying it out on a larger scale would

be beyond the scope of this dissertation and would be an extremely lengthy process,

particularly when negotiating access, assembling the samples and the later interviews

and transcription process. Although the study has yielded some useful data and

insight, the results still cannot be generalised to the whole Saudi population or be

expected to reflect future groups, as single qualitative studies cannot provide grounds

for generalising across cases (Woods, 2006). Moreover, future research needs to

employ a larger sample in order to be able to draw any generalisations about students’

perceptions of using Breeze.

103
 References

Abo-Lughod, L. (1986). Veiled sentiments: honour and poetry in a Bedouin society.

New York: University of California Press.
Allen, M., Bourhis, J. et al. (2002). "Comparing student satisfaction with distance
education to traditional classrooms in Higher Education: A meta-analysis."
American Journal of Distance Education, 16(2): 83-97.
Allen, M., Mabry, E. et al. (2004). "Evaluating the effectiveness of distance learning:
A comparison using meta-analysis." The Journal of Communication, 54(3):
402-420.
Altowjry, Abdullah Mohammed, (2005). "Reforming higher education in Saudi
Arabia: The use of telecommunications technology". Presented to Prof Warren
L. G. Koontz, Program Chair of Telecommunications Engineering
Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, in partial fulfillment of the
requirement for a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications
Engineering Technology.
Al-wakeel, S. S. and Fares, S. O. (2007) "Distance Learning is counted as the strategic
choice for higher education in Saudi Arabia", King Saud University, The
Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology. Saudi Arabia,
Riyadh. (.‫ عبيد سعد فارس د‬.‫التعليم عن بعد في المملكة العربية السعوديةُيعد الخيار الستراتيجي د‬
‫ب‬.‫ ص‬11543 ‫كلية علوم الحاسب والمعلومات – جامعة الملك سعود الرياض‬. ‫سامي بن صالح الوكيل‬
‫ المملكسسة العربيسسة السسسعودية‬51178 http://www.distant-learning.net/Doc/ 30%20(1-
7).doc).Woods, P, (2006) “Qualitative Research”. Originally prepared by
Professor Peter Woods. Component now run by Dr Nick Pratt© P. Woods,
Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth, 2006.

104
 8 Appendix A: The Questionnaire for the English
students

Dear Student, Following the lesson you participated in using the Breeze
videoconferencing tool I would like you to answer the following questions in
as much detail as possible. In this research at the Education Department at
the University of Manchester, UK, I am looking at how introducing Breeze
and its communication opportunities influences students’ and teachers’
perceptions of the lesson. How does it change the way that a lesson is
taught? Does it change students’ activities? It is extremely important for the
success of my study that you take your time and elaborate on the matter. I
appreciate your contribution highly and wish you all the best in your end of
the year exams.

Yours truly,

Eman Mehana

1. How old are you?

2. Do you have access to a computer? Yes /No

If you answered yes,

At university
In clinical placement at
hospital
At home
Other

3. Do you have access to the internet? Yes/No

If you answered yes,

At university
In clinical
placement
At home
Others

105
4. What did you feel about taking the lecture online? Confused/enthusiastic/ reject
the idea.

5. Is this your first use of Breeze? Yes/No.

6. Did the tutorial "How to use Breeze" prior to the lecture simplify using Breeze?
Yes/No

7. Did the Breeze tutorial help you to understand its features and its way of working
and how to use it? Yes/No

8. How easy/difficult was it to figure out how to use Breeze?

9. How did you feel about the Breeze interface?

10. How did you find the Breeze features?

• Chat private and to everyone

• Raising hand to speak
• Video
• Sound

11. Did you need anything that the Breeze features did not allow you? Yes/No

If you answered yes, please explain.

12. Did the lecture change when delivered by Breeze? Yes/No

Please explain your answer.

13. How did you find the lecture when delivered through Breeze?

14. Would you consider Breeze to be user friendly in regard to its features? Yes/No

Please explain your answer.

15. Have you faced any complications from a technical point of view? Yes/No

If you answered yes, what was the problem?

106
16. Where did you get help from?

o The lecturer.
o A peer.
o Pressed "help" on Breeze.
o Pressed "setting" on Breeze.

17. Did you participate in any discussion during the lesson? Yes/No

If you answered yes, how comfortable were you in discussing something with the
lecturer or raising a question?

18. Were you able to express your opinion at any point during the lesson? Yes/No

If you answered yes, what method did you use?

1. Chat? A: Private. Or B: To all.

2. Raising your hand to be allowed to speak.

Please explain.

19. What method did you prefer to use to communicate with the lecturer?

1. Chat? A: Private. Or B: To all.

2 . Raising your hand to be allowed to speak.

Please explain your answer.

20. Would you have preferred to interact more with the lecturer or less? More/Less.

Please explain your reasons.

21. If you would like to interact with the lecturer would you prefer to do this towards
the end of the lesson or during the lecture? During the lecture / Towards the End
of the lecture. / I don’t interact with the lecturer

Why?

22. Do you normally ask questions during or after the lesson finishes? During/end/I
don’t ask questions

Why?

23. Does using Breeze change your interaction in the lesson? Yes/No

107
24. In what way does using Breeze affect your interaction and asking questions?

25. How clear were the video and voice?

26. Was the connection ever interrupted during the lecture? Yes/No

27. How comfortable were you with the experience as a whole?

28. Would you describe the technology as distracting during the lesson? Yes/No

Please explain.

29. Which method of delivering lectures would you prefer for future classes?

• Breeze
• Face to face
• I don’t have a preference between the two

30. Do you have any other comments on your use of Breeze?

Thank you for your co-operation.

108
 ‫‪9‬‬ ‫‪Appendix B: The Questionnaire for the Arabic‬‬
‫‪students‬‬
‫استبيان عن المحاضرة باستخدام برنامج بريز‬

‫‪* Required‬‬
‫* كم عمرك؟‬

‫* هل يتوفر لديك كمبيوتر؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* لو كانت إجابتك بنعم‬

‫•‬ ‫في الجامعة‬

‫•‬ ‫في المستشفى‬
‫•‬ ‫في المنزل‬
‫•‬ ‫أماكن اخرى‬

‫* هل يتوفر لديك النترنت؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* لو كانت إجابتك بنعم‬

‫•‬ ‫في الجامعة‬

‫•‬ ‫في المستشفى‬
‫•‬ ‫في المنزل‬
‫•‬ ‫أماكن أخرى‬

‫‪109‬‬
 ‫* ما هو شعورك تجاه أخذ المحاضرة عن طريق النترنت؟‬

‫•‬ ‫مضطرب‬
‫•‬ ‫متحمس‬
‫•‬ ‫رافض للفكرة‬

‫* هل هذه أول مرة تستخدم برنامج النقاش عن طريق النترنت "بريز"؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* هل وجدت المعلومات المرسلة على اليميل )كيف تستخدم بريز( قبل المحاضرة نافعة وسهلت استخدام بريز؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* المعلومات المرسلة على اليميل )كيف تستخدم بريز( ساعدتك على فهم خصائص البرنامج وكيفية تشغيله؟ هل‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* هل كان من الصعب أو كان سهل عليك استخدام بريز؟ لماذا؟‬

‫كيف وجدت خصائص البرنامج؟ * الصوت‬

‫كيف وجدت خصائص البرنامج؟ * )الكتابة )الشات‬

‫كيف وجدت خصائص البرنامج؟ * التحدث عن طريق المايكروفون‬

‫* هل حاولت القيام بأي شيء ولكن خصائص البرنامج لم تمكنك منه؟‬

‫‪110‬‬
 ‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* ‪.‬لو أجبت بنعم الرجاء الشرح‬

‫* هل هناك أي اختلف عندما ألقيت المحاضرة عن طريق برنامج بريز عن المحاضرة العادية وجها لوجه؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* الرجاء شرح إجابتك في كلتا الحالتين كيف؟‬

‫كيف وجدت المحاضرة عندما ألقيت عن طريق بريز؟ رأيك العام في المحاضرة وكيف التكنولوجيا أثرت سواء‬
‫سلبيا أم إيجابيا؟ * المحاضرة‬

‫* هل تعتبر خصائص برنامج بريز سهلة الستخدام؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* الرجاء شرح إجابتك في كلتا الحالتين‬

‫* هل واجهت أي صعوبات تقنية أو فنية بسبب التكنولوجيا؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* إذا كانت الجابة بنعم‪ ,‬ماذا كانت المشكلة؟‬

‫* إذا كانت إجابتك نعم‪ ,‬كيف حصلت على المساعدة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫من المحاضر‬

‫•‬ ‫من صديق‬
‫•‬ ‫ضغطت كلمة مساعدة في بريز‬

‫‪111‬‬
 ‫•‬ ‫ضغطت كلمة استعدادات في بريز‬

‫* هل شاركت في أي مناقشة أو سألت أسئلة خلل المحاضرة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫إذا كانت الجابة بنعم‪ ,‬ما مدى ارتياحك أو توترك عندما ناقشت أو سألت السؤال؟ * اشرح أسبابك‬

‫* هل استطعت إيصال أفكارك خلل المحاضرة من خلل هذا النقاش إذا أردت ؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫* إذا أجبت بنعم‪ ,‬ما هي الطريقة التي استخدمتها؟‬

‫•‬ ‫كتابة شات‬

‫•‬ ‫بالكلم بالمايكروفون‬

‫* ‪.‬إذا سمحت اشرح أسبابك‬

‫* ما هي الطريقة المفضلة لديك للتواصل مع المحاضر؟‬

‫•‬ ‫كتابة‪ -‬شات‬

‫•‬ ‫بالكلم بالمايكرفون‬

‫* ‪.‬إذا سمحت اشرح أسبابك‬

‫* هل كنت تفضلين لو أنك تفاعلت مع المحاضر أقل أو أكثر؟‬

‫‪112‬‬
 ‫•‬ ‫أقل‬
‫•‬ ‫أكثر‬
‫•‬ ‫تفاعلت كفاية‬

‫* إذا كان لديك سؤال في المحاضرة هل تفضلين سؤاله في‬

‫•‬ ‫نهاية المحاضرة‬

‫•‬ ‫خلل المحاضرة‬
‫•‬ ‫ل أتفاعل مع المحاضر عادة‬

‫* ‪.‬لماذا؟ اشرح إجابتك مهما كانت‬

‫هل تسأل السئلة عادة خلل المحاضرة أو بعد انتهاء المحاضرة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫‪.‬خلل‬
‫•‬ ‫بعد‬
‫•‬ ‫ل أسأل عادة‬

‫هل استخدام بريز غير من طبيعة مشاركتك خلل المحاضرة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫كيف أثر استخدام بريز على طبيعة مشاركتك بالمعلومات أو سؤال السئلة خلل المحاضرة؟‬

‫ما مدى وضوح صوت المحاضر؟‬

‫هل حصل معك أي انقطاع في اتصال النترنت خلل المحاضرة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫‪113‬‬
 ‫للتجربة ككل؟ ما مدى ارتياحك‬

‫هل تصفين "بريز" أنه يسبب تشتت التفكير خلل المحاضرة؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬

‫‪..‬إذا أجبت بنعم الرجاء الشرح‬

‫هل تفضلين استخدام هذه التكنولوجيا في المستقبل لحضور المحاضرات؟‬

‫•‬ ‫نعم‬
‫•‬ ‫ل‬
‫•‬ ‫‪.‬ل فرق لدي بين هذه الطريقة أو غيرها‬

‫هل لديك ملحظات أو تعليقات إضافية عن هذا البرنامج "بريز"؟‬

‫?‪The link to the questionnaire in Google Document: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform‬‬

‫‪formkey=ckE5dmdiX0xoU3oxNy1sRDVGUW14RlE6MA.‬‬

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‫‪Appendix C: Participant Information Sheet‬‬

‫معلومات للمشاركات في الدراسة‬

‫أخواتي الفاضلت‬
‫تحية طيبة من أرض مانشستر‪...‬السلم عليكم ورحمة ال وبركاته‬
‫أقدر لكن تعاونكن في هذا الدراسة‪ .‬فأحب الناس إلى ال هم أنفعهم لعياله‪ .‬سائلة المولى عز وجل أن يوفقكن لكل‬
‫‪.‬خير وييسر لكن أمور دراستكن ويفتح عليكن من بركاته في المتحانات‬

‫هذه الدراسة تعنى باستقصاء انطباعات الدارسين والمحاضرين من خلل استخدام برنامج بريز للتحاور عن‬
‫طريق النترنت للتدريس‪ .‬هذا البرنامج وغيره يستخدم الن في أرقى جامعات العالم لتقديم الدروس وحلقات‬
‫النقاش بين الطلب وأساتذتهم‪ .‬وسؤال البحث تحديدا هو هل أثر استخدام هذه التكنولوجيا على طريقة إعطاء‬
‫الدرس؟ وكيف يختلف هذا عن الطريقة المتبعة عادة )وجها لوجه(؟ وهل أثر هذا على التفاعل والمشاركة مع‬
‫المحاضر أثناء الدرس من خلل إبداء ملحظات أو طرح أسئلة حول الموضوع؟‬
‫باختصار أود معرفة رأيكن في استخدام هذه التكنولوجيا كوسيلة لتقديم الدروس وما الذي أضافته هذه التكنولوجيا‬
‫للتفاعل مع المحاضر؟‬

‫هذه الدراسة هي جزء من بحث الماجستير الذي أقوم به في جامعة مانشستر في بريطانيسسسا و الجزء الهم من‬
‫البحث كما ل يخفى عليكن هو جمع البيانات وآراء المعنيين بالدراسة وهم أنتن أيتها الفاضلت‪ .‬لذلك أرجو أن‬
‫تتكرمن بإجابة أسئلة الستبيان بكل استفاضة وإسهاب بأسرع وقت بعد حضور المحاضرة‪ .‬فمن المهم لنجاح هذه‬
‫الدراسة‪ -‬وكلنا يسعى للنجاح والتفوق‪ -‬توفر معلومات مستفيضة من المشاركين يمكن تحليلها ل حقا من قبل‬
‫ل تكون إجاباتكن مقتضبة ومختصرة وإنما احتسبوا الجر من ال في إعانة أختكن على بحثها‬
‫الباحث‪ .‬لذا أحثكن أ ّ‬
‫‪.‬بالجابة قدر المستطاع‬
‫قبل البدء في الدرس قد يكون من المناسب جدا أن تأخذي وقتا كافيا للتعرف على البرنامج وأجزائه‪ .‬وفي الرابط‬
‫‪.‬التالي تجدي معلومات وافية إن شاء ال عن البدء في استخدام البرنامج‬
‫أختكم إيمان طارق مهنا‬
‫‪...............................‬السم‬
‫‪..............................‬التوقيع‬
‫‪..............................‬التاريخ‬

‫‪115‬‬
 10 Appendix D: Participant Consent Form

PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM

MA Digital Technologies, Communication and Education.

I understand that Eman Tariq Mehana has explained to me the nature of the research
she is conducting to complete her MA degree, and what I would be asked to do as a
participant, and has given me my own copy of the information sheet, which I have
read.

I consent to take part as a participant and I understand that I am free to withdraw at

any time without giving any reason and without detriment to myself.

Signed: ………………………………….. Date: ……………………………….

Witnessed: ……………………………….. Date: ………………………………
Name (BLOCK LETTERS): ………………………………………………

I confirm that I have fully explained the nature of the assignment and the risks
involved.

Signed: …………………………………… Date: ……………………….

Name (BLOCK LETTERS): ………………………………………………

116
 11 Appendix D: How to use the Breeze tutorial

Pre-session information

This page briefly addresses what you need in advance of the online teaching. It is not the aim
of this page to give a detailed guide to the software, by the way – all you need is to enter
Breeze (via the link that has been sent to you) one hour/half an hour before the lesson starts to
familiarize yourself with the software. The lecturer and I will be there to help you and answer
any questions that arise.

What equipment do I need?

It is impossible to get anything out of a synchronous online session without, at least, having
some way of hearing it. So you need:

• Functioning speakers, or a pair of headphones.

• You should have a working microphone as well. The best solution is probably to
acquire a microphone and headphone headset. Without a microphone, you can still
contribute to the class but you will have to use the text input only, which not
everyone finds comfortable.
• A webcam – if you like.

It is best if you have a broadband internet connection; dial-up can still be used, you will just
have a lower-quality interface. Note that there have been some problems reported in the past
with wireless internet connections: if you have the choice, use a fixed-line connection.

Finally, although in theory Breeze works with any web browser, it is most reliable in Internet
Explorer.

I will give advice in the session to anyone struggling with technical problems but before you
go into the session please at least check the following basic things. So, before you start, check:

• That your speakers and microphone are properly plugged in.

• That your volume control is not set to "Mute"; likewise, your microphone volume
(check these via the Control Panel).
• That your webcam is plugged in - and that, if it is new, you installed the driver software
before doing so.
• That you have the most up-to-date version of IE installed and that you install the "Adobe
Connect add in".

All you need to use of the Breeze features are the chat and raising a hand to be allowed to
speak. So, do not worry too much. Good luck to all of us.

117
 Appendix E: The Saudi National Strategy for E-
learning and Distance Learning

During the first Saudi International Conference for E-learning and Distance Learning,
the Saudi National Strategy for E-learning was announced, and includes the following:

• Build and develop a set of standards to control and accredit the software and
applications of e-learning and distance learning.
• Initiate a national strategic plan to implement, localize and spread e-learning and
distance learning in institutions of higher education in Saudi Arabia through the
National Centre.
• Allocate a large enough budget through the National Centre for e-Learning and
Distance Learning for the construction and development of the software and
applications of e-learning, including e-courses.
• Develop and adopt standard tools to recognize the planning and implementation
of e-learning in Saudi Universities and academic sectors.
• Provide e-learning training programmes for faculty members that guarantee the
highest efficiency in their acquisition of the necessary skills.
• Establish an infrastructure that includes providing an appropriate network
connection as well as Smart classrooms equipped with the latest technologies.
• Support fruitful research into e-learning and distance learning.
• Collaborate with private, non-profit and governmental institutes to develop e-
learning programmes for people with special needs.
• Encourage universities and higher education institutes to participate in building
educational content and make them available for all.
• Encourage partnerships with international bodies to utilize their e-learning
experience on planning, designing, administration and implementation.
• Build a knowledge base for various glossaries and definitions of e-learning.
• Build a model for education tanks based upon the agreed standards of e-learning
organizations and scientific committees.

118
• Coordinate between educational institutions in the field of e-learning and
distance learning.
• Spread the awareness of e-learning and distance learning across society.
• Strengthen the ties between research institutes and industrial establishments in
the field of e-learning.
• Support investment in developing e-learning systems in accordance with modern
trends.
• Assess the experiences of Saudi universities in the field of e-learning and
distance learning.
• Assess the experience of open universities and distance learning universities and
identify the foundations of their success.
• Assess e-learning systems and how far they are utilized by the students and
faculty members.
• Hold the Second International Conference on E-learning and Distance Learning.

119