Assessment of E-learning Engagement as a Strategic Choice Compared to Traditional Education in Palestinian Public Schools رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

Many technological innovations and developments have allowed many countries to improve their education at low cost. At the Palestinian level, the Ministry of Education is currently placing considerable efforts towards employing technology in education at the school level, especially after the break of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The ministry move aims at making a considerable shift in the educational processes and transferring them from traditional (face-to-face) to electronic, especially teaching and learning. The ministry move relies on improving the communication infrastructure, in addition to technological solutions of e-learning. The ministry is working to provide schools with the basic infrastructure, mainly the Internet, digital content, and access equipment as computers and tablets. The ministry is also exerting huge efforts in teachers’ training and qualification. However, these national endeavours are hindered by several obstacles where the Israeli occupation is the most prominent one. The occupation authorities confiscate electronic means and equipment that are imported or donated from abroad, as they pass through the Israeli crossings. The second obstacle have to do with the allocated budgets that are not sufficient for the generalization of the initiatives on national level. The third obstacle has to do with the lack of qualified teachers in using technology to deliver content effectively. These to be added to the cultural issues which make large fraction of teachers and students as well not convinced of using technology as a method of learning and teaching. VII This study is designed to contrast the effectiveness of using technology in public education at school level with traditional face-to-face methods, as perceived by students and teachers as well. The study is designed to tackle the issue from two different perspectives; students and teachers. On the students’ level, the contrast between e-learning and face-to-face, will be completed with regards to perceived effectiveness of learning processes, perceived ease of use, interactivity, motivation towards learning, and effectiveness of learning environment. On the students’ level too, the process of assessment and examination will be evaluated in the e-learning environment and contrasted with face-to-face traditional learning. The researcher believes that students views on e-learning will be dissimilar from that of teachers views. To that end, the researcher decided to design a special questionnaire, that investigate the above listed issues: effectiveness of teaching processes, ease of use of educational processes, readiness of the technology infrastructure, motivation towards teaching, and examination and assessment. The overall goal of the study is to assess the extent to which technology can practically be reliable alternative to traditional in-person learning system, and can effectively contribute to transfer of knowledge to learner within the Palestinian context via the use of technology. The descriptive approach was used to study, analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of technology employment in the Palestinian educational system. Quantitative approach was used to collect data from a large national sample of study participants (students and teachers). VIII The data were collected with the assistance of the Ministry of Education and the questionnaires were distributed and collected electronically. There is a negative attitude among students and teachers towards the effectiveness of e-learning compared to traditional (face-to-face) education. However, students' attitudes were more negative than teachers. The importance of the study stems from the fact that education reform, improving its quality, and searching for solutions to its problems are the focus of Palestinian society's attention at all levels, in an attempt to reorient the educational system and put it on the right path that accompanies global changes and modern educational trends to advance the Palestinian community and build a generation that possesses skills, capabilities and knowledge values ability to develop life skills, produce science, and solve problems in order to achieve sustainable development aimed at advancing the Palestinian