Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning Strategy on the Achievement and Mathematical Writing of Preparatory Year Students at Najran University (Published)
The problem of low academic achievement in mathematics at university is one of the most important educational and psychological issues that may lead to students’ suffering, failure, and poor personal and social adjustment. The present study aimed to address the impact of project-based strategy on the promotion of the academic achievement and mathematical writing of the preparatory year students at Najran University. The present study was applied to fifty students enrolled in the “Introduction to Mathematics” course in the second semester of the academic year 2016/2017. Quasi-experimental approach was used. Results of data analysis indicated that there were significant differences between the means scores of participants in the control and experimental groups in the academic achievement and mathematical writing due to the use of project-based strategy that was used during the course period.
Keywords: Achievement, Mathematical Writing, Najran University, Preparatory Year Students, Project-Based Learning, Strategy
Design and Development of E-Courses: Requirements, Challenges, and Aspirations (Published)
The present study aimed to identify the requirements and criteria of instructional design of e-courses in addition to what degree faculty members are familiar with such skills and requirements. It also sought to identify the most important visions for the development and design of e-courses from the perspectives of experts and faculty members besides the main obstacles that face them during the design process. The descriptive approach was used to carry out the study. The questionnaire is a main study tool used for data gathering. A sample of (101) was randomly selected out of the faculty members at the College of Education and the College of Science and Arts was randomly selected. Findings indicated that there were certain criteria and requirements for the instructional design of the e-courses that faculty members should refer to in order to obtain a suitable e-content. There were significant differences between the faculty members’ degree of knowledge and degree of use in favor of their knowledge degree of the instructional design skills. Furthermore, their knowledge degree was moderate and their use degree was low. Results also showed that there were certain obstacles facing faculty members while developing their e-courses. The most prominent obstacles were the lack of enough training workshops for the basics of e-courses design and development in addition to the lack of e-laboratories for training on the primary development of e-courses. The most important visions provided by faculty members were the development of faculty members’ skills of the e-courses design via specific straining workshops besides following quality international criteria when they design and develop e-courses.
Keywords: E-learning, Instructional Design, Learning Management System, Najran University, e-courses
Factors Causing Low Academic Achievement among Najran University Students from the Faculty Members’ Perspective (Published)
The study aimed to identify the factors causing the low academic achievement among Najran University students from the faculty members’ perspective. Descriptive and analytical approach was adopted. The study population consisted of all faculty members in Najran University in Saudi Arabia numbered (700) members. The sample was randomly selected from the study population, the author has distributed (250) questionnaires, (248) retrieved. The results showed that the means of the factors causing the low academic achievement among Najran University students from the faculty members’ perspective were medium. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences of the factors causing the low academic achievement among the participants due to gender, educational qualification and years of experience. The study recommended the importance of providing more attention by the parents to their children and encourages them to love learning, and avoid comparing them with peers, furthermore, the need of conducting free training courses and enrichment classrooms for students at the University to improve their academic achievement.
Keywords: Faculty members, Low Academic Achievement, Najran University