ADOPTION OF E-LEARNING IN SAUDI ARABIAN UNIVERSITY EDUCATION: THREE FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATORS

Information and communication technology (ICT) is an important if not crucial trend in 21st century learning and education. The adoption of ICT as an educational process has led to improved teaching and learning processes, both inside and outside the classroom. Among the many advantages of ICT technology is that it allows students and teachers to communicate outside the classroom and utilise new techniques and skills. The adoption of ICT in teaching has undoubtedly improved learning and teaching processes, on the other hand there are some factors are hindering the successful implementation. This paper reviews the literature as it pertains to factors affecting effective application of eLearning for educators and students in educational institutions in Saudi Arabia Universities. Through a search of academic databases, 32 relevant literature studies and reviews were identified for the Saudi Arabian context; most were directly concerned with Saudi Arabia’s higher education sector, while others country-specific studies were included when deemed appropriate. Based on the review the literature, this paper concluded that ‘lack of time’, ‘lack of training’ and ‘lack of institutional support’ were the major factors influencing faculty members’ decision to adopt and utilise ICT in teaching practice. In terms of solutions to the challenges identified, reducing academic staffs’ workload to allow them to have more time to use E-learning tools, alongside the provision of sufficient and practical training and institutional support for academic staff should be considered as essential to the successful implementation of technology in education. Article visualizations