Utilization of Virtual Classroom System in Traditional Teaching: Benefits and Challenges (Published)
The present study aims to identify fulltime female students’ perspectives of using the virtual classroom (via the blackboard system) as a main teaching tool to deliver learning materials in College of Science and Arts, Najran University, Saudi Arabia, for the academic year 2017/2018. It also sheds light on male faculty members’ views on using this system in comparison with the videoconference system used by male faculty members to teach female students at their campuses. The study is based on data elicited from conducting interviews with 5 female students and 5 male faculty members. The main findings indicated that male faculty members prefer to use the virtual classroom system rather than teaching via the videoconference system; and although female students like being taught via the virtual classroom, they prefer to use the videoconference system due to Internet connection problems.
Keywords: E-learning, Female students’ higher education, Saudi Education, blended learning, social cultural theory, virtual classroom