Identifying the underlying factors of students’ readiness for E-learning in studying english as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia: Students’ and teachers’ perspectives

Abstract

In an era of increased global investment in the use of technology in education generally, Saudi Arabia has intensified its quest to incorporate E-learning in studying English as a foreign language (EFL) in Saudi schools. The benefits for this paradigm shift in focus are not far-fetched because the growth of the internet and the proliferation of computers appear to have had a direct impact on the steady increase in popularity of E-learning, especially in studying EFL. This paper is based on a qualitative research design using group interviews that explored the perspectives of students and teachers on the underlying factors that indicate the readiness of students to use E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Arabia. The findings identified three underlying sets of immediate factors that included: E-learning self-efficacy, personal drivers and access to the requisite resources. In addition, the study demonstrated how contextual underlying factors such as school and family support help to shape the readiness of students to use E-learning in studying EFL in Saudi Arabia. This paper provides a synthesis of the evidence on what participants considered as the personal and environmental conditions that contribute to successful E-learning implementation.