Changes in education due to COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al-ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

   In response to the COVID- 19 pandemic, many schools have had to shift from the physical classroom to distance learning via digital media. While this mode of learning has allowed students to continue with their studies, it has also introduced a number of changes to their routine. At the same time, it is expected that education during this period has had to adapt to the Saudi culture in some respects. To determine ways in which learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has adopted to the Saudi culture, data for thematic analysis was collected from a sample of 601 participants through interviews, focus groups, and observations. The sample was selected using maximum variation sampling technique which allows for the exploration of different viewpoints and experiences. Results of the study reveal that while there are a number of changes, aspects that are strongly tied to the Saudi culture such as praying and participation in Ramadan remained the same during this period. These findings are important in that they reflect how much certain aspects of the Saudi culture are entrenched in the education system. Here, the fact that these aspects did not change shows their significance and implies that they are deemed valuable in the lives of students.

Keywords

References

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