from around 1 million in 2001 to 20 million by the end of
2016 (Internet World Stats, 2017). This rapid development
in technology is credited to the reduced prices of computers
and the Internet. Also, the Internet brought Arabic language
sites, and e-services available in most of the official websites. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made a huge
investment to improve the nation’s educational system
(Aljabre, 2012). Despite the recent expansion and development of higher educational institutions, there is still insufficient room in the HEIs to accommodate a large number of
students (Al-Shehri, 2010). Every academic year, thousands
of applicants are left without a place at their desired institutions to study their subject of preference. Another fact is
that KSA is a large country with problems of accessibility,
particularly for women and those who are unable to travel to
the places where the institutions are located (Al-Shehri,
2010). A part of the solution to this issue is contained in
d-learning (Al-Shehri, 2010).
Distance learning has been present in higher educational
institutions (HEI) in many countries like the UK and the
USA for some time (Aljabre, 2012). The Arab Open
University (AOU) in most of the Arab countries (http://
www.arabou.org.sa) is a popular institution that follows a
hybrid e-learning model. It involves having a physical
campus where learners go for meeting their educators and
for administrative work. Currently, the headquarter of AOU
is in Kuwait, and other branches of the AOU are in KSA,
Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Oman.
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (http://www.hbmeu.
ac.ae) was assigned a project by the Ministry of Higher
Education to set criteria for the adoption of e-learning for
other universities in the region (Al-hunaiyyan, Al-hajri,
Alzayed, & Alraqqas, 2016). The Saudi government recognized the need for integrating ICT at HEIs (Alenezi, 2012).
The use of distance education is also growing in KSA that
opened a new model of education (Aljabre, 2012). Ministry
of HE (MoHE) is among those organizations that suggested
the use of online learning and d-learning systems in Saudi
Arabia (Alenezi, 2012). The following governmental organizations were involved with this project in KSA: Ministry
of Telecommunication, Ministry of Higher Education,
National Center of E-learning, King Abdulaziz City for
Science and Technology (KACST), and some HEIs
(Al-shehri, 2010). In this regard, three universities: King
Abdulaziz University in (KAU) Jeddah, King Saud
University (KSU) in Riyadh, and King Faisal University
(KFU) in Al-Hasa were the leading universities to start work
on a d-learning project in KSA. The mission of the universities’ distance-learning project was to integrate, utilize, and
train instructors and students with the state-of-the-art technology in d-learning. The d-learning and e-learning projects
at each of these institutions were established at different
times with KAU being the first in 2006. In 2010, both KFU
and KSU initiated a new Deanship of e-learning and
d-learning at their universities. The collective vision of these
three universities was to give a recommendation related to
Fig. 4.1 Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia map. Source http://www.
mapsofworld.com/saudi-arabia/
20
4 Technology Adoption in Saudi Arabia
2016 (Internet World Stats, 2017). This rapid development
in technology is credited to the reduced prices of computers
and the Internet. Also, the Internet brought Arabic language
sites, and e-services available in most of the official websites. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made a huge
investment to improve the nation’s educational system
(Aljabre, 2012). Despite the recent expansion and development of higher educational institutions, there is still insufficient room in the HEIs to accommodate a large number of
students (Al-Shehri, 2010). Every academic year, thousands
of applicants are left without a place at their desired institutions to study their subject of preference. Another fact is
that KSA is a large country with problems of accessibility,
particularly for women and those who are unable to travel to
the places where the institutions are located (Al-Shehri,
2010). A part of the solution to this issue is contained in
d-learning (Al-Shehri, 2010).
Distance learning has been present in higher educational
institutions (HEI) in many countries like the UK and the
USA for some time (Aljabre, 2012). The Arab Open
University (AOU) in most of the Arab countries (http://
www.arabou.org.sa) is a popular institution that follows a
hybrid e-learning model. It involves having a physical
campus where learners go for meeting their educators and
for administrative work. Currently, the headquarter of AOU
is in Kuwait, and other branches of the AOU are in KSA,
Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Oman.
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (http://www.hbmeu.
ac.ae) was assigned a project by the Ministry of Higher
Education to set criteria for the adoption of e-learning for
other universities in the region (Al-hunaiyyan, Al-hajri,
Alzayed, & Alraqqas, 2016). The Saudi government recognized the need for integrating ICT at HEIs (Alenezi, 2012).
The use of distance education is also growing in KSA that
opened a new model of education (Aljabre, 2012). Ministry
of HE (MoHE) is among those organizations that suggested
the use of online learning and d-learning systems in Saudi
Arabia (Alenezi, 2012). The following governmental organizations were involved with this project in KSA: Ministry
of Telecommunication, Ministry of Higher Education,
National Center of E-learning, King Abdulaziz City for
Science and Technology (KACST), and some HEIs
(Al-shehri, 2010). In this regard, three universities: King
Abdulaziz University in (KAU) Jeddah, King Saud
University (KSU) in Riyadh, and King Faisal University
(KFU) in Al-Hasa were the leading universities to start work
on a d-learning project in KSA. The mission of the universities’ distance-learning project was to integrate, utilize, and
train instructors and students with the state-of-the-art technology in d-learning. The d-learning and e-learning projects
at each of these institutions were established at different
times with KAU being the first in 2006. In 2010, both KFU
and KSU initiated a new Deanship of e-learning and
d-learning at their universities. The collective vision of these
three universities was to give a recommendation related to
Fig. 4.1 Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia map. Source http://www.
mapsofworld.com/saudi-arabia/
20
4 Technology Adoption in Saudi Arabia