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Before and Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Self-Perception of Digital Skills in Saudi Arabia Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study

Author

Listed:
  • Mostafa Aboulnour Salem

    (Deanship of Development and Quality Assurance, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)

  • Wafaa Hassanien Alsyed

    (Deanship of Faculty Affairs, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ibrahim A. Elshaer

    (Department of Management, Faculty of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
    Hotel Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt)

Abstract

Compatible with global sustainable development report, 2016 edition, and vision 2030, Saudi Arabia recognized the importance of technology in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper aims to measure the self-perception of digital skills among students in Saudi Arabia’s higher education system to understand how they were influenced before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, we started a project to study the self-perception of digital skills among Saudi Arabia university students (group A). A total of 469 students participated in this research. The validity and reliability of the employed scale were tested with first-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The differences between the two groups (before and amid the pandemic) were tested through the Mann–Whitney U test. The results for group A (N = 232 students) showed a higher self-perception of their digital skills. In March 2020, amid the pandemic, Saudi Arabia closed and shifted to technology-based teaching like many other countries worldwide. After students’ return to universities in 2021, an evaluation of how the students perceived their own digital skills was again conducted (group B). The results for group B (N = 237 students) demonstrated a lower level of confidence in their own digital abilities. Comparing two groups (A and B), after the educational course was administered, group A (prior to COVID-19) had greater self-perceptions of digital skills than group B (amid COVID-19). Students’ perceptions of their own digital skills have been negatively impacted as a result of the pandemic situation caused by COVID-19. The collected evidence suggests that there is a difference, and that this difference is statistically significant. As a result of the substantial relationship between self-perception of digital skills and how students deal with reality based on their own self-perception, Saudi Arabia higher education ministry shifted teaching methods to be based on technology. Other significant findings and their implications for practice and theory were reported in this study. Finally, limitations and prospects for future research were also elaborated.

Suggested Citation

  • Mostafa Aboulnour Salem & Wafaa Hassanien Alsyed & Ibrahim A. Elshaer, 2022. "Before and Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Self-Perception of Digital Skills in Saudi Arabia Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:9886-:d:885333
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mostafa Aboulnour Salem & Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih, 2022. "ADIDAS: An Examined Approach for Enhancing Cognitive Load and Attitudes towards Synchronous Digital Learning Amid and Post COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Mostafa Aboulnour Salem & Ali Saleh Alshebami, 2023. "Exploring the Impact of Mobile Exams on Saudi Arabian Students: Unveiling Anxiety and Behavioural Changes across Majors and Gender," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, August.

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