the risks and opportunities related to e-learning in the future
of Saudi HEIs. The systems that are made available to the
learners included Web CT and Blackboard as LMSs. The
Blackboard system can fully support a distance learning
environment or act as a supplemental site for face-to-face
(F2F) learning or can provide a hybrid course through a
blended learning environment. The advantages of online
programs are that they can be used by children, the young,
the old, parents, working professionals, and the handicapped. The use of d-learning has produced new opportunities for education for Saudis, especially women.
However, there are some challenges associated with
d-learning and e-learning in Arab countries. Traditional
classroom teaching and learning has been the norm for years
and to ask students not to come to class may feel strange and
perhaps difficult to accept. Online learning in Arab countries
is still immature compared to developed countries (Tarhini,
Hone, & Liu, 2014) since institutions still support traditional
styles of F2F teaching due to the lack of trained staff,
telecommunication infrastructure, government policies, and
financial issues (Al-hunaiyyan et al., 2016). The ‘absence’ of
the teacher, who is often considered as a guru and a single
source of knowledge, might be a cause of concern for students who may fear to deal with certain aspects of distance
learning. Therefore, the implementation of online learning at
HEIs has been approached with some trepidation and
resistance from both instructors and students (Aljabre, 2012)
due to its lower status than F2F teaching. Hence, a majority
of students in HEIs are still reluctant to use online courses
(Simeonova, Bogolyubov, & Blagov, 2010). The majority of
the students are unwilling to enroll in and often withdraw
from online courses for various reasons. A large number of
dropout students from online courses are choosing traditional F2F classroom settings (Ibrahim, Rwegasira, & Taher,
2007). Another reason might be the fact that compared to
developed countries, the Internet is not easily accessible by
all students as the infrastructure for the Internet is still not
well-built in all regions of Saudi Arabia. One of the most
important barriers to the willingness of various Arab universities to adopt online learning is that web-based degrees
are not always accepted, and candidates will consequently
have fewer job opportunities compared to traditional F2F
degrees (Al-hunaiyyan et al., 2016). Although the use of
e-learning and d-learning is gradually growing in Saudi
Arabia, there are still many technical, social, and cultural
challenges in technology adoption that the Saudi HEIs are
facing.
4.4 Culture and Technology Adoption
The cultural and social characteristics of Arab societies and
Muslim communities are different compared to Western
culture. Especially, Saudi Arabia is a kind of traditional
country where Islamic values and Arabian cultures are
dominant (Alharbi, 2006). All traditions, cultural values,
patterns, community practices, and social standards are
determined by Islam (Al-saggaf, 2004). According to
Al-Saggaf (2004), the culture is strongly influenced by
religion in Saudi Arabia and it influences in all aspects of
life. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an epitome of the
Middle Eastern culture. Thus, it is important to understand
the influence of culture on technology adoption (Baptista &
Oliveira, 2015). A sound understanding of Saudi cultural
interaction with computing environments could lead to better
acceptance of IT in the country (Alharbi, 2006).
Culture is a complex and broad concept, which can be
defined in many different ways (Baptista & Oliveira, 2015).
Gallivan and Srite (2005) concluded that culture is not easily
observable but rather connected with values, meanings, and
norms; therefore, it is difficult to access it. In the literature,
there are numerous definitions of culture related to beliefs,
ideologies, traditions, practices, norms, and other elements.
O’Sullivan, Hartley, Saunders, Montgomery, and Fiske
(1994) describe culture as the development of social sense
and awareness. According to Hofstede (1980b), the word
culture includes all habits, religions, traditions, arts, and
languages and acts as a system of collective values that
differentiates the individual of one group from another. It
involves at least three components: what people think, what
they do, and the material and products they produce
(Boldley, 2004). Culture is also defined as “the integrated
pattern of behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and
artifacts, and it depends on man’s capacity for learning and
transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations” (Adler,
2001, p. 23).
In general, there are two approaches to examining cultural
values: emic and etic (Morris, Ames, & Lickel, 1999). The
emic approach includes the process that examines the culture
from inside. In this approach, the researchers wish to
examine the behavior of individuals in a society from their
point of view. The etic approach “describes the ways in
which how cultural variables fit into general causal models
of a particular behavior” (Morris et al., 1999, p. 783). In this
approach, the researchers use predetermined categories to
investigate selected aspects of the cultures under examina4.3 Technology Adoption in Saudi Context
21
of Saudi HEIs. The systems that are made available to the
learners included Web CT and Blackboard as LMSs. The
Blackboard system can fully support a distance learning
environment or act as a supplemental site for face-to-face
(F2F) learning or can provide a hybrid course through a
blended learning environment. The advantages of online
programs are that they can be used by children, the young,
the old, parents, working professionals, and the handicapped. The use of d-learning has produced new opportunities for education for Saudis, especially women.
However, there are some challenges associated with
d-learning and e-learning in Arab countries. Traditional
classroom teaching and learning has been the norm for years
and to ask students not to come to class may feel strange and
perhaps difficult to accept. Online learning in Arab countries
is still immature compared to developed countries (Tarhini,
Hone, & Liu, 2014) since institutions still support traditional
styles of F2F teaching due to the lack of trained staff,
telecommunication infrastructure, government policies, and
financial issues (Al-hunaiyyan et al., 2016). The ‘absence’ of
the teacher, who is often considered as a guru and a single
source of knowledge, might be a cause of concern for students who may fear to deal with certain aspects of distance
learning. Therefore, the implementation of online learning at
HEIs has been approached with some trepidation and
resistance from both instructors and students (Aljabre, 2012)
due to its lower status than F2F teaching. Hence, a majority
of students in HEIs are still reluctant to use online courses
(Simeonova, Bogolyubov, & Blagov, 2010). The majority of
the students are unwilling to enroll in and often withdraw
from online courses for various reasons. A large number of
dropout students from online courses are choosing traditional F2F classroom settings (Ibrahim, Rwegasira, & Taher,
2007). Another reason might be the fact that compared to
developed countries, the Internet is not easily accessible by
all students as the infrastructure for the Internet is still not
well-built in all regions of Saudi Arabia. One of the most
important barriers to the willingness of various Arab universities to adopt online learning is that web-based degrees
are not always accepted, and candidates will consequently
have fewer job opportunities compared to traditional F2F
degrees (Al-hunaiyyan et al., 2016). Although the use of
e-learning and d-learning is gradually growing in Saudi
Arabia, there are still many technical, social, and cultural
challenges in technology adoption that the Saudi HEIs are
facing.
4.4 Culture and Technology Adoption
The cultural and social characteristics of Arab societies and
Muslim communities are different compared to Western
culture. Especially, Saudi Arabia is a kind of traditional
country where Islamic values and Arabian cultures are
dominant (Alharbi, 2006). All traditions, cultural values,
patterns, community practices, and social standards are
determined by Islam (Al-saggaf, 2004). According to
Al-Saggaf (2004), the culture is strongly influenced by
religion in Saudi Arabia and it influences in all aspects of
life. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an epitome of the
Middle Eastern culture. Thus, it is important to understand
the influence of culture on technology adoption (Baptista &
Oliveira, 2015). A sound understanding of Saudi cultural
interaction with computing environments could lead to better
acceptance of IT in the country (Alharbi, 2006).
Culture is a complex and broad concept, which can be
defined in many different ways (Baptista & Oliveira, 2015).
Gallivan and Srite (2005) concluded that culture is not easily
observable but rather connected with values, meanings, and
norms; therefore, it is difficult to access it. In the literature,
there are numerous definitions of culture related to beliefs,
ideologies, traditions, practices, norms, and other elements.
O’Sullivan, Hartley, Saunders, Montgomery, and Fiske
(1994) describe culture as the development of social sense
and awareness. According to Hofstede (1980b), the word
culture includes all habits, religions, traditions, arts, and
languages and acts as a system of collective values that
differentiates the individual of one group from another. It
involves at least three components: what people think, what
they do, and the material and products they produce
(Boldley, 2004). Culture is also defined as “the integrated
pattern of behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and
artifacts, and it depends on man’s capacity for learning and
transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations” (Adler,
2001, p. 23).
In general, there are two approaches to examining cultural
values: emic and etic (Morris, Ames, & Lickel, 1999). The
emic approach includes the process that examines the culture
from inside. In this approach, the researchers wish to
examine the behavior of individuals in a society from their
point of view. The etic approach “describes the ways in
which how cultural variables fit into general causal models
of a particular behavior” (Morris et al., 1999, p. 783). In this
approach, the researchers use predetermined categories to
investigate selected aspects of the cultures under examina4.3 Technology Adoption in Saudi Context
21